> That Nvidia demo is a simple scene with no I/O overhead, rendered using a fraction of the rays used for film production.

But if the consumer can't tell the difference, does it matter?

Many films - in this example because we are talking about films - use a variety of visual techniques to reduce the complexity. Horror films for example rarely show the antagonist. The creature is shown in the dark, for split seconds, until a final expensive moment, leaving your brain to fill the rest in.

Although YOU can't unsee it, the audience, nor the studio, should care that the stormtroopers are rendered on a simple set with the snowstorm being used solely to avoid the necessity of rendering. The sound of the creature gave the effect of a complex monster lurking in the midst and I don't need a raytracing demo to show that.