‘Back to the Future’ in 4DX Is a Truly Hilarious, Additive Experience

I thought it was broken. as Back to the Future Started in 4DX Last night, nothing was happening. We were all sitting there watching the movie. No movement, no flash, no water, just silence and stillness. Then Marty McFly arrived at Doc Brown’s lab, plugged into his amplifier, and when he hit that high note, we Everyone rocked in our chairs Right on cue I knew, “Oh. This is going to be really cool.”

This weekend, the 40th anniversary celebration One of the best movies of all timeUniversal reissued Back to the Future In theaters it’s playing in multiple premium formats like Dolby, IMAX, and D-Box, but I’m looking for the 4DX version. The reason is that I have seen the film in theaters before. Even IMAX, as great as it is, is just the same, but bigger and louder. What I never did, though, was watch and watch the entire movie like a theme park ride Back to the Future Maybe 100 times, it seemed like the right way to look again.

For those who don’t know, 4DX is a system that essentially turns the entire theater into a physical experience. The seats move, knocking you back and spraying water at you. There are smoke effects, strobe lights, smells, you name it. It’s not for everyone (a couple got up and passed out during the trailer last night) and can be a really unpleasant experience if done poorly. But, when it’s done right, it’s really, really fun. And after seeing what Universal did in 4DX for its 50th anniversary re-release the jaw A few months ago, I knew the powers would not disappoint.

That belief was affirmed with restraint in the film’s opening. Like the movie, 4DX waited until just the right moment to surprise you with the Big Bang Marty experience. It added to the film. Think you had it with him. And things continued from there with glorious results.

I can’t and probably won’t be able to run everything that 4DX has done Back to the FutureBut I will give a few examples. Apparently, when Marty is on his skateboard, you slowly swing around the seat. You dance along to the musical sequence. When the DeLorean skids out of the parking lot, the seat simulates a twist or turn. When the flux capacitor enters, the light at the top of the theater lights up. And when the time machine crashes, smoke starts to rise from the front.

But it’s never too much. When the movie is quiet, 4DX is quiet. And that’s why such an explosion. I’ve seen 4DX movies that never stop playing. Every time a character takes a move, you move. Your seat rumbles every time you’re in the car. That’s not how the format is best used. It’s better to use more carefully thought out quantities and, ideally, with something you’ve already seen. In fact, I don’t think I want to watch a film I’ve never seen before in this format It’s much more suited to such classics, offering a new experience you won’t find at home.

There are more. You get a jolt when Lauren touches “Calvin’s” leg. When Biff and his goons crashed the fertilizer truck, I was expecting some sort of smell, but that didn’t happen. Or did? Maybe I was just projecting, but there was definitely a small twinge something Nothing too strong in the air, thankfully, but just… something. One of my favorite subtle moments, though, happened near the end of the film as Marty was in the car with Lauren outside the dance. He saw her start smoking and took a whiff. At this point, things are relatively calm for a few minutes (as you might imagine with two characters sitting in a car), but when he spits, the seat in front of you hits you with a little fog. I loved that.

And when there are all manner of cool, little moments like that, when Back to the Future “Really cooks,” it really Cook This is especially true in those DeLorean chase sequences where you move and shake as if you’re trying to hit 88 miles per hour with Doc and Marty. Lights flash, smoke swirls, and my theater crowd laughs and cheers at the effect, everyone putting a big smile on their face.

Again, 4DX isn’t for everyone. Don’t do this if you get motion sickness or have a problem with flashing lights. But if you’re someone who loves a good theme park ride, look no further Back to the Future A million times, and looking for something a little new, I can’t recommend the 4DX experience enough. It finds a perfect, synergistic balance that beautifully complements the magic that Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale and team created back in 1985.

Get tickets to watch Back to the Future re-release, Go to this link. But remember, 4DX is only available in select locations, so be sure to check which format you’re buying. A complete list of 4DX theaters can be found here.

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