First let me say that I think the whole 3-D argument gets old. 3-D is innocent. It’s a tool. A gimmick, but one when used well is fantastic and fun. Yes, Clash of the Titans is a better movie in 2-D than 3-D and yes post conversion of 2-D films to 3-D is oftentimes a muddy mess. But there’s something that just works about sitting in a theater with the glasses and the heightened reality that follows. And when one of those rare marriages of a 3-D movie and content that serves it well happens, it’s pure and defies the inherently C-Grade history of 3-D movies.
The more I thought about it the more sense it made. This is the ideal movie for 3-D because there’s no integrity to worry about with a killer piranha [PREHISTORIC piranhas no less] movie. There’s no real affinity for the original film that makes it hallowed ground, though this could be a sequel, a remake, a re-imagining, or whatever else without affecting the Dante and Cameron movies. Plus, the Richard Dreyfus introduction rules out any attempts to maintain a semblance of class. The movie is effective and gory and funny and arousing, which is a nice combination in any situation.
Don’t see Piranha in 2-D is what I’m saying. It’s still fun but it’s not magical.
And don’t be so hard on 3-D. It’s still in its infancy in this modern age of filmmaking. It’s here to stay and I can’t think of many advances in entertainment that weren’t marred by bumpy patches, mistakes, and learning experiences.
But 3-D ain’t bad in and of itself. And neither is Piranha.
10 comments
An op-ed that's not a whining soapbox diatribe? Day 1 and I already like the direction this thing is heading in. Keep up the good work, sir.
I actually like 3-D. And since I now own like 20 pairs of 3D glasses I just take my own to a show and don't pay the extra fees. It's a win-win all round!
I don't get the hate for the 3D in this film. From the way it looks, it was shot to be in 3D, not converted. There's lots of shots coming out at camera, not the kind of thing that they would have done if it had been planned for 2D. It was exactly what I thought it would be. It was a blast of cheesey fun. I saw it at 10:05 am Saturday morning in an empty theater and I was wishing that it was 12 hours later in a packed house. I still had fun though. I am waiting for Resident Evil next month, I love how they are even advertising the film as "Every frame of film….every shot….designed for 3D" Even the marketing knows the backlash against conversion is in full swing. Who would have thought we would reach a day where a film is advertised based on the CAMERA EQUIPMENT used to shoot it. Not from the director of this or the makers of that….."shot with the same camera's used to make Avatar" is in one trailer. That is just strange. Like it, hate it, or be indifferent, but that is just strange.
fuck you guy
#3 – This film was going to be shot in 3D, but they had problems with the reflections from the water, so it was shot 2D and converted. But they still shot it with the 3D in mind, and didn't rush the conversion. That's why it doesn't look like ass.
I saw this on Friday in 3D and it was a blast! It may be doing Scott Pilgrim-like numbers (which is unfortunate), this thing is going to make a killing on DVD and Blu-ray, especially if 3D @ home ever reaches mass adoption. If the 3D was post converted it was exceptionally well done. This is the kind of schlock movie that was made for the Grindhouse or Joe Bob Briggs' Drive-In Theater. Blood, breasts, and beasts! Bravo, Nick.
Weird – must be a theater thing, as my experience was that the image was WAY too dark (anything not in the sun was hard to see) and I could barley tell the 3D effect.
Really? This is BETTER in 3D?! Seems there is some disparity in the CHUD camp as Devin's review says the 3D is headache inducing. Who's right and who's wrong? And who gives a rat's ass?
3D can be fun, it can be good, and it can really add to an experience…but this post-conversion bullshit must end. Either shoot it in 3D or don't. Quit clawing for the extra bucks if you don't want to pony up the cash to make it the right way from the start.
And someone needs to get their balls kicked in for this bush-league verification program.
Comment #3—"I saw it at 10:05 am Saturday morning in an empty theater and I was wishing that it was 12 hours later in a packed house."…Judging from this weekend's box office, there weren't many houses that were packed anywhere. We did no business for this thing whatsoever, but we don't have 3-D yet (we finally get it in about 2 weeks), so I chalked it up to that, but I have a friend that works at a nearby theater that DOES have 3-D, and apparently business wasn't good for them either. On Friday and Saturday, there were still some shows in the single digits, and that's in a fairly large area. Chances are, if you had gone 12 hours later, you would have just had to deal with the asshole late night Saturday crowd is all.
I wasn't able to see it in 3D but still enjoyed it a lot. I could tell in several scenes where the 3D would have been great but to me it didn't take away from the film. It was cheesy funny and we laughed a lot.
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