I thought it was broken. by Back to the future Started in 4dx last night, nothing was happening. We were all sitting there, watching a movie. No movement, no light, no water, just silence. Then Marty McFLY came through Doc Brown’s lab, strapped into his amplifier, and when he hit that big number, we were all rocked in our seats right on cue. At that moment I knew, “Oh. This is going to be really good.”
This weekend, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of the greatest films ever made, it’s being remade Back to the future in the stadiums. It is played in many premium formats such as Dolby, IMAX, and D-Box, but I wanted the 4DX version. The reason is that I have seen this movie in the theater before. Even IMAX, magnificent as it is, is just that, but bigger and bigger. What I never did, though, was watch the whole movie like a theme park ride and, they’ve seen Back to the future Maybe 100 times, which feels like the right way to see it again.
For those who may not know, 4DX is a system that turns the entire theater into a virtual reality. The chairs move, lay you on your back, and spray water on you. There are smoke effects, strobe lights, smells, you name it. It’s not for everyone (one couple got up and walked out of the trailers last night) and, if done badly, it can be a really unpleasant experience. But, when it’s done right, it’s actually quite fun. And after seeing what the 4dx universe did with its 50 releases Jaws A few months back, I knew the power would not disappoint.
That belief was confirmed by the blocking of the film’s opening. Like the movie, 4DX waited until the right moment to surprise you with a big explosion of distraction. Add it to the movie. It made you feel like you were there with him. And things continued to emerge from there with glorious results.
It won’t, and probably couldn’t, take down everything 4dx does Back to the futurebut I will give a few examples. Apparently, when Marty is in his act, he rocks a little in his chair. Dance and music sequences. When the delorean skids out of the parking lot, the chair kind of mimics a twist or turn. The lights at the top of the theater flash brightly where the flux capacitor kicks in. And smoke billows from the front when the time machine crashes.
But never much. When the movie is silent, 4dx is silent. And that’s why it’s such an explosion. I’ve seen 4dx movies that never stopped moving. Every time a character takes an action, he moves. Your seat is on fire every time you are in the car. That’s not how it’s best used. It is best applied to values that have been carefully considered and, ideally, with something that has already been seen. Honestly, I don’t think I’d want to see a movie I’ve never seen before in this format first. It’s much better than classics like this, providing a new experience that you can’t get at home.
There are many. He gets a jolt when Lorraine touches “Calvin’s” leg. When Biff and his Goons got into the compost truck, I expected to smell something, but that didn’t happen. Or did you do it? Maybe I was just confused, but there was a little twinge of you say in the air. Nothing too powerful, thankfully, but just…something. One of my favorite subtle moments, however, occurs towards the end of the film as Faith is in the car with Lorraine outside of the dance. He sees her start to smoke and makes a scarf. At this time, things have been quiet for a few minutes (as you can imagine with the two characters sitting in the car), but when he cries, the seat in front of you hits you with a small mistake. I loved that.
And while there’s a whole lot of cool, little moments like this, there Back to the future “You really cook,” indeed Coots. This is especially true in that DeleroRean CHASE sequence where you walk and shake like you’re trying to hit 88 miles per hour with Doc and Marty. The lights came on, and the crowd in the theater laughed and cheered at the results, leaving everyone with big smiles on their faces.
Also, 4DX is not for everyone. If you get motion sickness or have problems with bright lights, don’t do this. But if you’re a fan of the Faking Park theme, you’ve noticed Back to the future A million times, and you’re looking for something new, I can’t recommend the 4DX experience enough. It finds the perfect, accessible balance that works so well the magic that Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, and the team did back in OL ‘1985.
Getting tickets to see Back to the future For reissues, visit this link. But remember, 4dx is only available in select locations, so be sure to check who you’re buying it from. A full list of 4DX weather platforms can be found here.
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