Dir. Bryan Singer, 2006, US, 154 mins
Cast: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Eva Marie Saint, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Parker Posey, Kal Penn, Sam Huntington and Marlon Brando
Review by Johnny Messias
It may be the way we “get” reality but 3D has a tarnished reputation for movie fans. Recoil in horror at the memory of Jaws 3D (okay, it did have a cool bit with a syringe and an exploding shark); yawn with indifference at the crap that was Friday the 13th (part whatever) that made you wear silly green and red glasses on the back row. But forget all that, 3D could be a big player in our digital future and the release of Superman Returns with an enhanced three-dimensional section for IMAX may just whet the appetite of punters for more.
You’ll have read elsewhere about the actual film, with the whizzy, emotional return of the Man of Steel. More than a decade in development hell, and director Bryan Singer was determined to give audiences something very special with this new chapter. So special in fact, that he spent some of the vast budget on re-formatting 20 minutes of the film, not just blown-up to IMAX size, but to use the latest in digital 3D technology to send Superman and the skyscrapers (literally) out into the audience.
Going in, you are handed what look like Ruby Wax-style sunglasses.
They appear to have dark brown lenses; the days of red and green and cardboard are gone like Teen Wolf Too and Alf. You are given brief instructions: when you see the green glasses symbol on the bottom of the screen, put your glasses on; a red one and you take them off. Actually, it adds to the suspense of the movie, you’re waiting eagerly for the 3D bits, with itchy trigger fingers.
When the first “pimp my cinema” 3D section arrives, it’s... pretty damn good. Your eyes have to adjust a little but it works very well, with a strange kind of holographic quality - actually it’s almost silly to try and describe it, you have to see for yourself. Although the technology appears spot on, there are some sequences that seem to work better than others. In concert with the hugeness of the IMAX screen, some brilliant action set pieces, and John Ottman’s excellent classic (John Williams) inspired score, some bits will have you weeping into your popcorn with joy. For me, especially on wide, cinematic shots, with action going on, this 3D technique is a great way to go. There are one or two eye-popping bits that I’m looking forward to seeing in a conventional cinema, to compare.
Thinking about it: you pay as much to see a movie in the West End of London as an IMAX ticket cost (£12). You may as well see Superman Returns on the suped-up screen if you can. It’s a great experience that enhances a movie that’s already got blockbuster appeal in spades. James Cameron reckons this new 3D could be the future for big-ticket movie going. And nobody got rich backing against Jim.
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