This past week saw the opening of Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 3D, so of course, I headed out to see it. Slight spoiler alert for comments on 3D.
Like most fans, I wasn't thrilled with Episode I's flaws, but there have always been aspects of the movie I enjoy. I was really interested in seeing how it worked in 3D, particularly the pod race and the space battle and, to a lesser extent, the lightsaber content. Jar Jar's tongue in 3D, perhaps not so much. Not coincidentally, these are also some of my favorite parts of the movie (Jar Jar's tongue not withstanding).
The 3D overall was ok. I wasn't blown away like I'd hoped, but it also wasn't bad. Some 3D movies (particularly the conversions) have some terribly distracting scenes, or areas where the scene is obviously sliced into "planes" of depth. Watching the new spiderman 3D trailer before the movie, I get the impression that scenes with a lot of motion blur and fast cuts don't work as well in 3D. I didn't notice any problems during Episode I. I do suspect that I get used to the 3D and end up not seeing or forgetting about it the longer the movie goes.
I loved the opening title sequence in 3D. The pod race was ok, but not quite what I was envisioning. Same with the space combat. The lightsaber battles were fun, as usual. Yoda looks a lot better, replacing the original Episode I puppet with a digital version similar to Episodes II and III.
I noticed a lot of little details around the sets and scenes this time around. Probably a combination of 3D and the giant screen. The big screen is still the best way to watch the movies, 2D or 3D.
One other note. The (unusual) time I went, the theatre was over half full, with the majority of the viewers being parents with their younger children. I even saw a few in costume - parents and kids, waiting for the next show when we came out. I'm sure for some, this was their first time seeing this on the big screen, if not ever. I'm sure some were introduced via the Clone Wars.
I'm looking forward to future releases.