It’s beginning to look a lot like the fall/winter busy season has returned to the movies, as we’ve got yet another To 3D or Not To 3D hybrid to consider. While I’m sure some of you are still considering Wicked’s 3D/4DX presentation, there’s another option you’re going to want to keep in mind. Thanks to this week’s release of Moana 2, you’ll now have yet another picture to choose from when it comes to titles available in a premium format.
If you’re looking to talk about this flick in its traditional form, then you can read our own Corey Chichizola’s Moana 2 review for just that. But if you’re ready to board the boat of Moana of Motunui in order to sail across the sea in 3D and 4DX, then it’s time to see how far the bells and whistles go on this highly-anticipated sequel.
Overall Fit Score - 5/5
Why wouldn’t you put a movie like Moana 2 into either of the premium formats of 3D or 4DX? Visually, the adventures of this Disney Princess who doesn’t consider herself royalty are a perfect fit for some sort of eye popping magic. Not to mention, a seafaring adventure could be a sensory dream for the 4DX inclined folks in the audience.
Admittedly, you probably didn’t even bat an eye when seeing the marketing materials confirming that this picture would be presented in either format. That's probably because you also remembered that Moana was shown to the world with the 3D option in 2016. Pedigree and potential make this a perfect fit, but did the planning & effort pan out?
Overall Planning & Effort - 3.5/5
Though this is a perfect opportunity for premium thrills to burst out of the screen, while literally rocking the boat, Moana 2 doesn’t perform to the peak potential of either format. Once again, the 3D conversion efforts are the stronger half of this duo, which was kind of a given as the Stereo conversion team credits literally pop out more than any other. At the same time, that’s not a perceived sign of perfection.
Meanwhile, my grasp on the 4DX format continues to broaden, and I’m sad to say the traditional pain points are starting to show themselves. One factor in particular would have been given a zero, if we scored things that way, while most others were decent to excellent. It’s a bit of a mixed bag overall, and far from the heights I saw with Alien: Romulus’ 4DX beauty.
3D Before The Window - 4/5
It’s been a while since 3D effects have effectively poked Before the Window in my local multiplex. In fact, the last evaluation I can remember performing well in this field was The Wild Robot’s 3D/4DX presentation. Score another win for being able to convert CGI animation in a fashion that’s much easier than the approach to live-action thrills.
While we’re at it, it may not be a total slam dunk, but Moana 2’s Before the Window thrills are still pretty exciting. Part of that thrill is the fact that something as small as Moni (Hualālai Chung) holding the boat’s oar pops with this effect, showcasing some of the more mundane moments in a style that shows care and attention to detail. Of course, when a gigantic lightning strike hits Moana with a literal prophecy, that massive event also pops, with the bolt coming right at the audience.
3D Beyond The Window - 5/5
Sailing as far as the eye can see expands the palette for movies like Moana 2, with visuals that give the audience both close up marvels, as well as sweepingly wide vistas. That latter portion of the equation turns the Beyond the Window factor into a potential draw for viewers, as it has the ability to suck all who observe it into the picture with limitless depth.
Another high point for this Disney sequel’s bells and whistles laden presentation, we’re given all of the ocean’s depths in great detail. Human, animal and Kakamora alike are displayed with crisp separation from the environments and scene partners they all share. So it’s not like a whole bunch of figures are blending into each other, and nor are the distances conveyed through any given point in this tumultuous journey.
3D Brightness Score - 3/5
I don’t know if it’s because of the auditorium I frequent locally for 4DX or if it’s something that’s endemic to the format itself, but brightness continues to be a problem. Moana 2 is thankfully not as dark as Wicked’s 3D conversion, so scenes set in the middle of the night are still pretty easy to watch.
Daytime scenes aren’t hampered all that much by the effect, as once you get past the dimming seen in these 4DX pictures it’s just as colorful as you’d expect. As always, mileage will vary depending on the degree your auditorium of choice maintains its rig, so keep that in mind when heading out to the most convenient showtime.
Glasses Off - 5/5
It’s pretty easy to evaluate the Glasses Off score for a 3D movie. All you have to do is take your glasses off, and look deeper at the blur you see present in any third dimensionally enhanced picture. The common conception is the greater the degree of blurring you see present, the more manipulation the picture observed has undergone.
That much holds up throughout Moana 2, as everything from the studio logos to the mid-credits scene is shown off with tons of blur engineered to draw focus to certain pieces of the picture being shown. Standard 2D anchorpoints are there to do the job intended, leaving whatever section of the current scene needs to stand out able to do so. And if you're curious as to how one could potentially be annoyed by even this inconspicuous factor, check out my Sherlock Gnomes To 3D review from back in 2018.
4DX Water Effects: 3/5
If Moana 2 somehow went through its entire running time without at least some sort of water effects, that would have been an automatic disqualification. Luckily, the moisture is moderately strong with this ocean and island-based fairy tale, though there’s still some work that could be done.
In particular, it felt like the cannons mounted on the seat in front of me weren’t quite working as well as others I saw further down in the auditorium. So things like waves splashing would be felt, but not as strong as it looked in other sections of the room. What makes up for this drawback is the fact that the major water effects in storms and larger water based thrills were very much operating. It doesn’t break the game, but it’s something else to keep in mind when deciding where you’re going to see your 4DX movies.
4DX Scent Effects: 1/5
Pull up a chair, my friends: it’s time for a mini-rant. When a movie has a running joke about a demigod that sounds exactly like Dwayne Johnson and smells like coconut oil, you’d think that film would have more of a scent profile to its 4DX package. Unfortunately, Moana 2 had little to no scents at work in the showing I attended for this review. And that’s with noticing what I thought was the sound of the tanks purging themselves during the end credits, which is something that tends to happen after a film has wrapped.
Maybe it has something to do with the water cannon system mounted on the back of the chair, but I got only the slightest scent notes from this Moana follow-up. And much like that time I noted Venom: The Last Dance’s 4DX ups and downs, I wasn’t sure if the moments of fragrant notes were because of a well perfumed audience, or intended by the crew that put this package together.
4DX Light/Air/Smoke Effects: 5/5
Dear readers: the strobe lights are back, and they’ve been used pretty well! In fact, the scene where young Moana gets struck by lightning to trigger a vision is a perfect mesh of the lighting package and the 3D effect showing off optimal 4DX razzle dazzle. With smoke appearing in scenes of big ticket character entrances, and the air helping paint a sensory picture of rough seas, Moana 2 uses this section’s delights to a very impressive effect - right down to some of the light winds that blow during the calmer scenes.
4DX Motion Effects: 5/5
Moana 2 is, quite possibly, one of the wildest rides since Twisters’ 4DX experience. I went in expecting fantastic motion effects, and those expectations were exceeded! Both calm and rough seas were well represented through the motion conveyed through the seats, so the baseline is nicely represented.
However, my hat is definitely off to the team that gave the harrowing adventure of Moana and her crew even more juice through the thrills and spills programmed into the seats. Which is a perfect time to remind you all to take a careful look at Regal’s 4DX safety regulations, as younger and smaller audience members may not be tall enough to ride this ride... and it is a ride.
Overall Audience Health - 5/5
You might feel the chop of Moana 2, and the 3D picture might be a bit darker than I’d like it to be. But if you’re worried about getting sick while watching this movie, then I’d say you’re clear to discard that concern. There’s plenty to feel as we see this young adventurer’s travels, but seasickness can be crossed off the list.
Final Verdict: 44.5/55
If you’re going to see Moana 2, you could do worse than attending to the 3D/4DX experience. And if you do choose to accept this format into your life, then be prepared for something that’ll physically move you. It may leave you with some questions about turning up the brightness or the scent pumps, but if you’re looking for a traditional theme park simulator experience, this works rather well.
With that in mind, it’s time to send you all back out into the world. Who knows when we’ll meet again, as there’s a lot of 3D/4DX candidates heading our way in December and beyond? Just know that when the time comes, we’ll be asking the same questions and searching for the same answers that’ll bring us where we’re meant to go.
