Marvel’s latest blockbuster, Spider-Man: Far From Home is currently swinging its ways into movie theatres around the world, and judging from the reviews it’s something of a cracker. Due to circumstances, I have to wait to the weekend to catch it and if you haven’t yet either, you might be considering traveling a bit further than normal to see it in a premium format–but which one should you choose? There are many to choose from and listed below are the formats its available to view at the “World of Cine.”*
- 2D
- 3D
- IMAX
- Superscreen
- Screen X
- 4DX
And of course, if you’re lucky enough to be in traveling distance of one, there’s Dolby Cinema too.
8K capture
Let’s start with how the film has been captured. IMDB lists it as captured digitally in 8K on Red Ranger 8K VV cameras. In terms of raw pixels, that’s the most you can get right now for a digital format. Notably, director John Watts hasn’t used Alexa Arri 65 cameras that the Russo Brothers chose to use for the Avengers: Endgame–but then this is a still a Sony picture in conjunction with Marvel so that may have had something to do with it.
However, unlike Endgame, the Spider-Man: Far From Home master has been struck form a 4K Digital Intermediate (involving post-production with the all-important color correction and color grading) compared to the 2K Digital Intermediate used for Endgame–so when shown on a non-IMAX 4K laser projector, it should exceed even Endgame.
More with IMAX
Hopefully, this should make up for the fact the film isn’t shot in the native 1.90 digital IMAX ratio but has been converted to the large screen premium format using IMAX DMR Digital Re-Mastering.
Crucially, certain sequences have been formatted for the 1.90 IMAX format, offering that classic “26% extra picture” over rival formats. For many that should be the slam-dunk–if you’re getting more picture then IMAX (and specifically laser-based IMAX), remains the best way to see it. However, the IMAX sequences are limited in number, so it’s less of a factor than it was with Endgame.
Dolby Cinema
The chief rival format here is, of course, Dolby Cinema, which combines the intense, high dynamic range of Dolby Vision, with incredible Dolby Atmos 3D audio. And thanks to the partnership with Odeon LUXE in the U.K., you’re guaranteed superbly comfortable seating. From several viewings, I can attest that this is a fantastic format to watch a movie in.
Of course, there are more IMAX cinemas here in the U.K. than Dolby Cinema, which is just starting to roll out. Recently, however, the Dolby tally was doubled from two to four, with London Leicester Square and Leeds now joined by new screens in Manchester and Birmingham.
If you are lucky enough to choose between one or the other, then it could well come down to how you feel about 3D. In the U.K., IMAX 3D is still a thing, which personally I’m very glad about–as long as it’s in a laser-based theatre, which has the brightness to ensure 3D remains punchy even despite the light loss from the glasses. The Dolby Cinema version is 2D only, however, so if you can’t handle the specs then that’s the premium choice to go for.
Large screen and 3D audio
If neither of these is on the cards, then I can highly recommend seeking a screen with a large floor to ceiling screen, 2D 4K laser and Dolby Atmos together. This is called a “Superscreen” at Cineworld, and IMPACT at Empire, but you can also find it in select Vue cinemas such as the Vue West End, which combines Sony FINITY projectors with Dolby Atmos. Vue doesn’t appear to have branded this, however, and I’ll be looking to try this out as soon as possible. I can certainly vouch for the impressiveness that Dolby Atmos adds having seen Blade Runner 2049 and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in this format.
Get experimental
Then you have your “out-there” formats such as 4DX and Screen X. Both inventions of the Korean CJ 4DPLEX group, they appear to be holding their own despite being very much outliers in cinema technology. 4DX is a format designed as the ultimate in interactive immersiveness where the seats move, you feel blows through your back, air hits your face, smoke appears around you, the sides of the walls flash, and you can even get sprayed with water. This either sounds like a lot of fun, or your absolute worse nightmare, depending on your point of view. I’ve had the pleasure twice: once for Ant-Man, where I enjoyed it, and for Star Wars: Rogue One, where I didn’t. I think a third visit is needed for a decider and Spider-Man: Far From Home could be a good choice.
Screen X is a slightly weird concept where the sides of the cinema have screens onto which more movie is projected. You’re meant to focus on the main screen of course, and these images are meant to fill in your peripheral vision. I sampled it recently for Pokémon Detective Pikachu, which seeing as I don’t know anything about Pokémon would probably have been a fairly weird experience even on a regular screen. Only certain sequences are shown in this full field-of-view version, and while it was interesting, overall, I’d say it was even more of a gimmick than 4DX.
Of course, if you’re a conservative, vanilla type of person you could go see Far From Home in a regular 2D screen–but why, why would you do that? It’s a Marvel picture–live a little! As for 3D in a regular screen, even though I’m a 3D fan I wouldn’t recommend it as the conventional projectors just don’t have the brightness to do the format justice, which is primarily why the format has a bad rap.
So, there you go: IMAX Laser for 3D, Dolby Cinema for 2D if you can reach one, and 4K and Atmos if you can’t–and 4DX if you feel like you want to party while watching a film at the same time.
*more traditionally know as Cineworld, to those whom, inexplicably aren’t members of the “church of Wittertainment.”
