Avatar - IMAX 3D

Bad news, people- Cardiff IMAX has shitty sound quality. At least if you sit in a back corner, anyway. The sound mix was off, and a lot of dialogue was lost. At £18 for a Gallery seat, I'm not happy. Maybe it was the screen's first night jitters, but I know it wasn't just me. Their 3D was the best I've ever seen, however.
As a result, I'm saving my proper verdict/review until I see it again tomorrow- in a different cinema, hopefully with fully audible dialogue.
I will say it's brilliant- but isn't quite the evangelical experience I'd hoped for. It's just a film, albeit a very VERY good one.
However. I spent a great deal of the film confused. Not the plot, it's very straight-forward and even predictable. What I don't get is why sniffy arthouse-loving critics are loving this film. It wasn't as emotional as Titanic and there's a lot to be sneered at here, should you opt for that approach. No matter how gobsmacking the technical achievements are (and they truly are) I don't see what critics get here that forgives it the tirade of abuse hurled at other blockbusters. I don't know why this concerned me so much, but it did.
With this constantly in my mind, I felt confused and distracted (not to mention partially deaf) throughout- none of which was any of the film's fault. The more I think of it, the better it gets. But in a way, I wish I'd seen more 3 or 4 star reviews beforehand. I'd recommend you avoid trailers, reviews, spoilers... as by the time I was in my seat there weren't many surprises left. At least tomorrow this won't be an issue, and I can just enjoy the film for what it is. Hopefully!


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Location:Odeon, Cardiff Bay