Avatar re-released in IMAX 3D

When James Cameron’s Avatar was released it gained a huge amount of popularity. A blockbuster spectacle movie, as Cameron is inclined to make, it was a huge hit across the world. The scope and scale of the film and the world that was created is rarely matched in many cinematic releases. Adding to the hype was the technology that Cameron and his team developed and pioneered during the film’s pre-production period in order to bring to the screen such rich and diverse environments seldom found in today’s films. Upon its initial release Avatar broke box office records and re-affirmed James Cameron as the internationally successful film making titan that he has become.

 

When I first saw Avatar it was in IMAX 3D and I was totally blown away. I had never before experienced such an immersive, engaging film. The way the 3D worked to allow you to plunge into the vibrant environment of the film’s alien planet, Pandora, was quite simply amazing; and the expansive format of IMAX, encompassing an almost total field of vision, combined exceptionally well with the other elements of the film to deliver the immersive effect intended.

 

When Avatar was released on DVD and Blue-ray I grabbed a copy and sat back at home to enjoy the film I had such fond memories of. Whilst I enjoyed the film, I must admit it didn’t quite grab me as much as it did the first time around. Why? What had changed? I think the answer is quite simple: Avatar is a film to be seen on the big screen and in 3D. It was designed that way. It’s interesting to consider given the recent popularity for the major studios to release film in 3D, usually post-converted after the fact and often negatively criticised. Although the 3D process and final product seems to be slightly improving there are definitely some film makers who struggle with its use and others who respect it and seem to have an aptitude for its application. Avatar, however, was produced with 3D in mind right from the get-go and the way it would be used in the film was carefully considered – go watch a bad 3D movie (there’s a number of them out there, just Google it) and then watch Avatar in 3D. It’s obvious the difference is like night and day.

 

 

So when I discovered that Avatar was being re-released in IMAX 3D for a limited time I decided to put my theory to the test. I went along to a screening hoping that the film would live up to my first impressions and wash away some of the disappointment of my home viewing. The verdict? I was right; the film impressed just as much on my second IMAX 3D viewing, proving (to me at least) that Avatar is a film that is meant to be seen on a big screen (the bigger the better!), and preferably in 3D. That’s not to say that this film should not and could not be enjoyed otherwise; just that these are the optimum conditions under which I consider the film can be best enjoyed. I’ll still be watching the film on Blue-ray from time to time and enjoying it but I’ll be doing so with the knowledge that the IMAX 3D experience of the film is far superior to the home viewing experience.

 

If you get a chance, see Avatar in IMAX 3D – and as a further enticement, there’s some additional footage that has been edited into the re-released version that wasn’t in the original release. I liked these scenes and thought they enriched the audiences’ experience by further adding to the development of the characters and storyline.