What it's like to watch a 4DX movie in Toronto
Toronto, well Canada, got its very first 4DX movie theatre today. It's located at Cineplex Cinemas Yonge-Dundas and starting this evening, it'll be showing Doctor Strange, the latest Marvel blockbuster starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton and Toronto's Rachel McAdams.
Cineplex revamped one of its existing auditoriums (number four, if you're wondering). It now features 80 specially-designed seats that shake, vibrate and move along with the action happening on screen.
The whole experience reminded me of an unrelenting trip to Wonderland's Action Theatre ride. And at the start of the film, my first thought was, "Oh no, I'm going to hurl!" Eventually, I got used to the moving seats, But if you're prone to getting motion sick, you might not fall in love with 4DX.
In certain moments, the multi-sensory experience was awesome - like when blasts of cool air seemed to lash my ankles.
Though at other points, the special effects seemed almost cheesy. When two characters were on Everest, for instance, snow fell at the front of the theatre. This was almost redundant and did little to enhance the film.
A movie like Doctor Strange lends itself perfectly to 4DX. It's visually stunning, with characters who manipulate matter and take, for lack of a better word, trippy journeys through multiple dimensions.
While I didn't catch any scents emanating from the sensors in front of my seat, the 4DX theatre has the capacity to whip up a slew of environmental effects. The technology, by the South Korean company CJ 4DPLEX, first debuted to the public in 2010. It's already in 42 countries around the world.
Is it worth the $24.99 price tag to see a 3D film in this format? Maybe. By watching a film in 4DX, it's more like you're on an amusement park ride. Perhaps it would elevate a mediocre movie, but Doctor Strange would have stood well on its own, without all the bells and whistles and fake snow.
Image via Cineplex.
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