Dune: Part Two is here, and as a fan of the original novels, I did my part on premiere weekend by dragging my oldest daughter to the theater to join in on the ride. And what a ride it was: Our local theater is currently showing the film in 4DX. Riding sandworms, it turns out, is cool as hell when your seat is bucking about thanks to hidden hydraulics. But the rest of the film’s 4DX integration? Not at all as enjoyable as I’d hoped. The flaws in its presentation are worth keeping in mind as you shop for tickets this weekend.
4DX, developed by CJ 4DPLEX, is a technology licensed to several movie theater chains here in the U.S., including Marcus Theatres, where I saw the film. The Pro system, which is what I experienced, includes seats that heave and pitch, as well as emit bursts of air, sprays of moisture, and subtle scents. I’ve only seen a handful of films in 4DX, mainly because the format boasts a premium price tag — about $20 here in Northern Illinois. But the recent Star Wars films, as well as Blade Runner 2049, were extraordinary experiences because of how the camera motions were translated into the theater seats. Scudding over the wastelands that surround future Los Angeles with Blade Runner 2049’s Ryan Gosling in his Spinner is something I’ll never forget, because 4DX’s subtle motion cues drew me further into the experience.
Dune was another excellent experience for me, especially because it enhanced one of my favorite parts of the film, the ornithopters. That’s why I invited my daughter along for Dune: Part Two. But just 10 minutes in, it was clear that this was going to be a very different experience. That’s because the motion programmed into the seat was rarely tracking the camera.
Instead, it was tracking the action of the fight sequences.
Every punch, every kick, every stab of Paul Atreides’ toothsome blade was mapped directly to the motion of our seats, and every impact resulted in a vibration in the small of our backs, sometimes times with a puff of air in our faces. As he attacked the Harkonnens outside Sietch Tabr, drinks were spilled, popcorn buckets fell, and more or less all hell broke loose. I looked at my daughter, she looked at me, and we made the decision to ride it out, come what may.
What was surprising was how aggressive the seat motion was during the fight scenes, something I don’t recall from seeing the first film at the exact same facility. It felt a bit like falling down a flight of stairs on and off for three hours. But I’m glad I stuck it out, because the payoff during the final battle scene was well worth it. During the Fremen attack on the Sardaukar, it was thrilling to see the theater fill with “dust” in the form of theatrical smoke, and it was a lot of fun to feel like we were actually there on the back of a sandworm, crashing through the shield wall and smashing everything before us.
Then, unfortunately, we were back in a fight scene not long afterward, rocking back and forth with every weapon-flourish.
Would I see a 4DX film again? Absolutely. Would I pay a premium price to watch this movie in 4DX? No. Sadly, it was a little bit too disruptive for my tastes. Your mileage will vary, but one thing is certain: First-run movies don’t stay in 4DX theaters for long, and when they’re gone, they’re not coming back. If you want to ride the worm yourself, you’d better get those tickets soon — and prepare your snacks better than we did for the cut-and-thrust action that makes up the bulk of the film.