If You Watch The Batman In Theaters, Don’t Watch It In IMAX 4DX
How unapologetic batcat shipper and movie trailer lover using Nirvana songs
Effectively seeing Batman the question was not “if”, but “when”. However, I got more than I bargained for when I mistakenly bought tickets to Matt Reeves’ new Bruckman film in a little-known format called 4DX. 4DX, if you’re not familiar with this weird movie format, “immersive” sensory experience of cinema viewing in which on-screen events, especially things like weather and action scenes, are synchronized to blow out puffs of real smoke, blind you with light, blow air over your head, and, perhaps worst of all, twitch around your hydraulically loaded seat like you’re on a bronco. I know you’re probably asking yourself: how can you buy movie tickets on 4DX by mistake? Was it worth it? And how important is reading really to the human experience?
A week before the movie screening, my friend Cade and I decided to go all-in and watch an almost three-hour superhero epic in IMAX. However, we waited until the release week to buy tickets, which was our first mistake. By the time I went looking, it was getting hard to find places next to each other. I hurriedly searched for nearby IMAX theaters and found one that was nearly sold out with two seats left. Did the stars align? I bought tickets quickly, tragically missing the little 4DX added after IMAX.
My first hint that we weren’t in for a run-of-the-mill IMAX movie
The experience came when we sat down and noticed the strange glowing text on our cup holders that read “water on” and “water off.” I assumed, like a fool, that it must be one of those nifty knick-knacks for cooling drinks. But when the trailers went, my mistake became obvious. Suddenly, our chairs began to sway from side to side, causing someone two rows ahead of us to express surprise at me by yelling “damn it!” My eyes quickly darted to the giant 4DX logo adorning the theater walls, and I scrunched up my face in embarrassment.
“Did you know you bought 4DX tickets?” Cade whispered urgently.
“No, but now I wish I was high before I arrived.” I didn’t realize yet that this would be an even worse idea.
To be honest, not every 4DX element Batman was depressing. One of the best parts of our viewing experience has to do with Batman’s first fight scene when he savagely stabs some Darby Allinthugs (you can see it in the movie trailer). We felt every crushing blow and smooth stroke as our chairs shook frantically as Batman ripped the villains from ass to appetite.
However, the rest of the 4DX experience was annoying. The setting shots of the Gotham rainstorm (of which there were many) were accompanied by fog that fell from our seats. Mind you, this happened every time a frame of rain appeared on the screen, often multiple times in the same scene. In addition, the aforementioned “water on/off” buttons also seemed to control the air currents that blew over our ears whenever Batman was shot at. This 4DX trick ruined immersion rather than enriched it, so Cade and I quickly turned it off.
Even the most innocuous on-screen impacts,
Whether it be knocking on a door or driving through Chicago’s many potholes, felt like a child kicking the backs of our chairs during an almost three-hour flight. Instead of Batman fights forcing us to lean forward in our chairs in anticipation, everyone crouched down and braced for impact, preparing for our seats to start furiously tossing us in time with Batman’s warpath. Unfortunately, the 4DX reception started to annoy me at about 30 minutes into the movie, which was almost a three-hour movie.
Not to mention the annoying shaking of the chair, I would say that all the unpleasantly translated fragments from the movie into reality from our 4DX Batman experience were quickly overshadowed by the Batmobile scene. Even before the Batmobile was on screen, we could feel its engine revving under our seats, gradually getting more powerful as it teased slowly. Our chairs had to come with seat belts because when the car chase finally started in earnest, our theater turned into a Universal Studios rollercoaster.
I held onto my cup with all my might as our seats rocked in sync with Batman’s ride.
I whispered to Cade that we were lucky that our seats only gave us Batman’s point of view during the chase, only to be rudely interrupted by the Penguin’s car overturning, and our seats in turn did their best to mimic that experience without triggering a lawsuit. persecution of Regal City North. . By that time Batman the credits rolled, Cade’s hat flew off their heads three times, and all the popcorn from our neighbors went flying down the aisles like pearls from a Martha Wayne necklace.
Despite my first viewing of Batman distorted by the 4DX viewing, I walked out of the theater with my new favorite Batman movie. The film seemed to be one of Arkham’s big-screen games I could practically see Rocksteady counter tips during his high octane performances. But more than that, I appreciated that I got to see Batman go through an actual character arc and learn that it takes more than the epitome of revenge to be the hero Gotham deserves.
Hardened in battles with my 4DX experience,
I came up with the idea that we should go to another 4DX show for the upcoming Fast and Furious. I think something light and fresh like this would make the 4DX experience so much better than Batman, a more down-to-earth, serious film that suffered from immersion and seriousness whenever my hydraulic seat decided to go into orbit. It has not yet been decided whether I can convince Cade, who is now seriously considering acupuncture, to take me on. this.
