Back during the tail end of 2009, 3D found itself experiencing a resurgence for the first time since the 1980s (before then it was the ’50s). More often than not, the films weren’t shot in 3D but rather post-converted, most in an attempt to bolster the event feel (and, of course, capitalize on premium priced tickets).
What kind of event feel? The kind that James Cameron’sAvatarprovided. Of course, that film was an experience on the big screen, and it’s not as if any other movie released during the time frame was going to truly measure up. But, since that film’s release back in 2009, there have been quite a few movies whose 3D release is a real head-scratcher. It’s not free to either shoot in 3D or convert to it, so a studio needs to think the extra expenditure was worth it. For these movies, it wasn’t.
20Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Tim Burton’sAlice in Wonderlandmay carry a pretty negative reception, but it’s not so bad. There area few cases of perfect castingand more often than not it’s legitimately pretty to watch.
But, it didn’t need 3D. If there’s an example of a film that obviously post-converted to capitalize onAvatar’s success, it’sAlice in Wonderland(which was released less than three months after Cameron’s film). It’s a shame, because the IP is inherently perfect for 3D. It just actually needs to be shot with that intention. Even still,Alice in Wonderlandwas a major financial hit at the time, and another win for the combination of Burton and Johnny Depp. However, that would go to the wayside when 2012’sDark Shadowsslinked into theaters.
19Clash of the Titans (2010)
LikeAlice in Wonderland,Clash of the Titanswas an example of the studio seeing one film excel in 3D, looking at their impending slate, and seeing a big adventure that might as well be in the format to boost sales. At the time at least,Clash of the Titanswas a visually magnetic work, but it managed to be so without 3D.
In fact, major sequences like the Kraken’s approach found their impact decimated by the hastily-done post-conversion. Why? Headaches.
18Megamind (2010)
Like withDeep ImpactandArmageddon,White House DownandOlympus Has Fallen, the battle between super-similar filmsMegamindandDespicable Mehad one winner, and one loser. But, unlikeDeep ImpactorWhite House Down, it’s not as ifMegamindwas a financial flop.
It’s just that it was a littletoosimilar to the released-earlier-in-the-yearDespicable Me. Both films are about a goof supervillain and both of those goofy supervillains are voiced by an incredibly recognizable comedic talent. It was just a case of too much in too brief a time. Had the arguably superior (but less franchise friendly)Megamindbeen released a year beforeDespicable Me, who know the result? Either way,Megaminddoesn’t invite the utilization of 3D the wayDespicable Medoes, as that extra-comedic movie felt just like a licensed 4D ride found at Universal Studios.
17Yogi Bear (2010)
Yogi Bearwas Hollywood thinking ‘The Holiday Movie Season needs a film for kids. It’s best to choose an established IP.’ It’s not as if it started out as this especially strong script that did something new with a very old character.
And it also wasn’t as if Yogi Bear (or Hanna-Barbera at large) was suddenly trending with the general public. It was a cash grab, and even if Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake made for a fine Yogi and Boo-Boo, it makes since that Warner Bros. would attempt to expand the grab with 3D. But when it’s done poorly, three-dimensional effects make log riding set pieces excruciating, not more exciting, especially if one’s just finished with their ‘pic-a-nic’ basket.
16The Green Hornet (2011)
The Green Hornetlooked like a faux movie one might see the trailer for on a show likeSaturday Night Liveor30 Rock. From the poster to the trailer to the final product.
It reeks of either an unfocused central vision, behind-the-scenes tampering down the line, or a bit of both columns. Either way, it wasn’t worth the price of admission, regardless of how many dimensions the screening was in. That said, there’s more than one moment that play directly to 3D ticket buyers, e.g. the Hornet symbol approach the foreground and other such swift gimmicks that look horrendous in 2D, on either the big screen or small.
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15Conan the Barbarian (2011)
Jason Momoa would become a big star, mostly courtesy of a leading role in a major, big-name IP.Conan the Barbarian(2011) was not that big-name IP. At least not the one to catapult him to stardom.
But it’s hard to fault it too much, even if thestar has admitted he doesn’t like it. Momoaisa little dry (to be fair, so is the role by design) but even at such an early stage proves he has what it takes to lead a film. Stephen Lang is miscast (and riding off theAvatarhigh as much asConan’s 3D) but brings a sense of hammy fun to it. But, really, it’s just a movie that doesn’t feel necessary, but at least it’s better than director Marcus Nispel’s (Friday the 13th,The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) other sword and sandles flickPathfinder.
14Dolphin Tale (2011)
Not every movie that involves water needs to be in 3D, even if it’s coming in the middle of the initialAvatar-initiated craze, when Hollywood thought audiences were just itching tofeellike they were in a new environment. But,Dolphin Talewas, even though it’s a low-key and charming drama with no set pieces.
Why up-charged tickets were purchased is a question only the purchasers can answer but, regardless, the film was a hit. In fact, it was a big enough hit to get itself a sequel.
13The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
The Cabin in the Woodshad to walk a long road to get to theaters, with more setbacks in its way than those faced by Dorothy. So, why shouldn’t studio execs order up a swift 3D conversion to try and milk every potential dollar out of a potential horror bomb’s opening weekend?
Well, because ifthe movie turns out to be solid(much less extraordinary), the gimmicky immersiveness no longer holds its slim value. There’s an argument to be made that its third act warrants it, but it’s also darkly funny enough to work regardless of whether the charging unicorn horn pokes out at the audience just before there’s a shot transition to it impaling a machine gun-wielding guard.
12World War Z (2013)
World War Zfunctions well enough. It has some serviceably tense set pieces and a killer opening with Brad Pitt’s character and his family sitting in the car as the zombie apocalypse begins to unfold all around them.
There are some cool shots in Marc Forster’s film of thousands of zombies stacked atop one another, but outside of those there aren’t many reasons to have splurged on a 3D ticket. It makes sense the studio was trying to milk the summer blockbuster for every dollar it could get, considering there were many worries about its financial viability leading up to release. In the end, the reshoots didn’t do the film much good, nor did the 3D.
11The Wolverine (2013)
As a whole, theX-Menfilm franchise is certainly conducive to the 3D experience. For instance,X-Men: Days of Future PastandX-Men: Apocalypse. However, the three Wolverine movies do not.
This includes the especially low-key,Japan-set second entry:The Wolverine. Like the similarly intimateLogan,The Wolverineis more of a character-focused tale than a slam bang actioner. The bullet train sequence was probably interesting in the three-dimensional format, but it’s doubtful fans would shell out extra money for that one scene.
