Niagara - Miracles, Myths & Magic (Large Format)
Instead of a history of the spectacular Niagara Falls, this IMAX presentation, whose format is, oddly enough, pan-and-scan instead of widescreen, resorts to re-enactments of Niagara's mythology. Though the film incorporates some breathtaking cinematography that emphasizes the splendor and awesome scope of the falls, director Kieth Merrill, who has helmed several other films in the IMAX library (Wolves), focuses on the legends that prevail rather than the wonder of the place itself. We see cheesy reinterpretations of the people of Niagara, "the thunder beings who lived under the great falls," as they send a maiden, "the chosen one," over the edge in a canoe. Equally odd is a scene of Annie Taylor and her pet cat, who tackled the falls in a barrel at the turn of the century. Consequently, this is one of the lesser IMAX features. This truly extraordinary wonder deserves a better platform, yet even in this imperfect examination, its beauty and power can't be repressed and ultimately it's what we remember most after the film ends.--Paula Nechak