3D Imax version is an incredible experience

Rating: 8/10 (7 January 2005)

I deliberately avoided the conventional screen version of this film and paid the extra bucks to see it at the Imax in 3D. I'm sure you've read this before, but this is indeed the most fantastic eye-popping 3D movie made to date. Zemekis makes sure every shot has something heading straight for you. But even beyond that, it is almost freaky as you look into a mouth of a character's (very) large close-up on the Imax screen, and you sense the distance from the lips to the throat.
Zemekis must've wanted a make a fantasy movie to be remembered, and it is easy understand the huge budget needed to bring it to life. I'm sure no other movie he has made (including "Roger Rabbit") comes close to the complexity of this project. This film was made for the 3D experience, and it reminds me of the first time I saw "Wizard of OZ", a spectacle of imagery that I have never seen before.
Now, the story and characters are very tame, and there is nothing horrible about their adventures. I was more flipped out looking at these giant 3D heads on the super-size screen. The 'Hero girl' has a weird drawn face that doesn't quite look right. The eyeballs are more human like, which is why they look graphed on to non-human like animated faces. All the story subplots are designed to deluge the audience in further 3D effects. The elves all look like miniature Vladimer Putins, very freaky.
As an adult, I would not say this film is enchanting, but I was laughing out loud with glee as I would a ride at Univeral Studios Theme Park. There are too many jaw-dropping images to recount, but it is suffice to say this a breakthrough film on par with "Final Fantasy". See this film only in Imax 3D, or you may be disappointed.
I give it a 8 out of 10 (for the Imax 3D version only)