Take It to the IMAX

by Michael O’Connor

Does anyone remember when Terminator 2’s shape-shifting liquid metal was something revolutionary? Or when Steven Spielberg changed the face of filmmaking forever (again) with the incredible dinosaurs in Jurassic Park? These days, it’s rare to find such neverbefore- seen mystique in our movies. In an age of special effects, surround sound, and 3D, the bar of excellence has been raised. Let’s face it. It’s harder to wow people. But as theaters add IMAX technology, they try to do just that.

I am an avid moviegoer. As such, I wanted to compare this new form of projection to tried and true versions. Maybe IMAX would impress me. Maybe not. Let me walk you through my experience. My first viewing of The Dark Knight was in a multiplex. Months later, after the film’s Oscar win, I revisited it in IMAX. Most of the film was unchanged, but the IMAX-exclusive scenes were simply eyepopping. The screen expanded like a comic-book splash page with awe-inspiring grandeur. The ear-splitting surround sound had me looking over my shoulder more than once. It was a truly immersive experience.

I later attended Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in IMAX. The first twenty minutes were in “IMAX 3-D, an even cooler experience. Unlike the typical 3-D movie, with those cardboard glasses with red and blue lenses, this blew me away. I felt as if I had been transported into the magical universe. More than once, I reached out to touch objects around me. This fantasy film already creates a new world, and IMAX 3-D takes it to a mesmerizingly higher level.

Now, let’s get to the bottom line. At the Henry Ford IMAX in Dearborn, adult tickets run $11.75 for adults, $9.00 for seniors, and $9.75 for children. These prices aren’t that much higher than your average nighttime shows; but for those who like to catch matinees or one-dollar past-release films, it’s probably not that enticing.

In addition to higher prices, many moviegoers will need to tack on extra travel time to get to the theater. There are currently nine IMAX equipped theaters in Michigan. IMAX bells and whistles are a lot of fun, but I’d have to be real interested in the experience to venture a far distance for it. Some filmgoers may not feel it’s worth the trip.

Through all of my research, I come to the key question: Does IMAX wow me? Yes, it does. The audience immersion is the most incredible cinematic experience. With that being said, IMAX should only be an added bonus, not a necessity to enjoy a film. Visual enhancement doesn’t replace the importance of a quality narrative. A bad movie is a bad movie, and a good movie is a good movie - be it in mono on the small screen or in the biggest theater with the most advanced projection and surround sound systems. But, a good movie can be a great movie when taken to the max - IMAX that is.

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