3d or not 3d?

3d or not 3d? 

Huge Production budgets, terrific movie explosions and now a little concept called 3d. There is no doubt that everything is getting bigger in the world of cinema, but is it getting better? The concept of 3d is not a new one. Films, theme park rides and even books have been trying to utilize 3d for decades. So why is it different now?

Well 3d as a gimmick has definitely improved. Its crisper and the images are definitely more impressive. But this article won’t be discussing the quality of 3d; it will be analysing the good and the bad points of 3d and whether it’s a worthwhile improvement to cinema. 

I have been to the cinema more times in the last 18 months than I ever have in my life. With that mass amount of cinema going, I have seen my fair share of 3d films. The first three films I watched in the new 3d were a rerelease of the original Toy Story, How to train your Dragon and Toy Story 3. 

I have to say that I thought the 3d on all these movies was absolutely fantastic. From the glimmer on Buzz’s wings to the opening imagination sequence in Toy Story 3, I was incredibly impressed. The visuals were stunning and definitely enhanced my viewing of the movies. However, this being said, these three films are all great films regardless of 3d, so it’s not easy to judge the effect 3d has. 

So what about a movie that isn’t exactly going to be a classic? Well I went to see Final Destination 5 in 3d last Wednesday and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Director Steven Quale definitely used 3d to his advantage in the latest instalment in the defeating death franchise. Body parts flew past us, weapons were thrown in all directions and blood spattered everywhere. Was it a movie with a lot of depth? No, but was it good fun for a Wednesday afternoon? Hellz Yeahz. I sat down at the start of the film a bit reserved, by the end of the movie I was genuinely giddy having enjoyed the experience. 

However, there are some movies that clearly just don’t work in 3d. With all these great 3d fun fests there has definitely been some duds where it is clear that 3d hasn’t enhanced the movie in the slightest. My favourite example of this is the Seth Rogan comedy The Green Hornet. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the movie. But it was obvious from the get go, that 3d was an afterthought. There was absolutely no reason for it and I for one felt ripped off. 

Speaking of ripped off, it’s time to talk about 3d’s biggest pitfall. The price. Going to watch a 3d movie is pretty expensive. It costs around £5 to watch a movie off peak at the cinema. Which, is not cheap in itself, but it’s not extortionate. If you want to see a movie in 3d that price rises way up to £8. That’s a £3 increase which would rise to £4 if you have to buy 3d glasses. That’s just ridiculous. 

Everything being said, I actually think I’m for 3d at the cinema. I quite enjoy the experience and I do think it adds to the spectacle of the movies. However, I just can’t get over the price. It might be the student in me, but for me 3d is just too expensive. If it was cheaper I’d be a happy endorser of the third dimension, but until then, 2 dimensions is enough for this cinema goer. 

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Until next time, go to the movies

Daniel Morris.