3D conversions are never perfect. Sometimes, they're very good and other times they're downright awful. It's hard to imagine that anyone can't slot at least a few films into either category. When I saw
Marvel's The Avengers (a.k.a.
Marvel Avengers Assemble) two weeks ago, it was in 2D, and apart from a few scenes which appeared to be specifically catered for 3D effects, I didn't feel as if I had missed anything at all. The fact is,
The Avengers is a visual spectacle, and regardless of the format you end up watching it in (excluding the appalling quality of illegal bootlegs of course) you're sure to be left feeling completely and utterly blown away by the time the credits roll.
However, now that I've seen both versions, it's hard to not recommend seeing the superhero ensemble in 3D. We already know that Joss Whedon directed the film with the intention of it eventually being converted (unlike most studios that end up doing a quick post-conversion when they realise they can make a few more bucks from sticking the word "3D" after the title) and it shows. For a good chunk of the film, the 3D is unnecessary to some extent. When Earth's Mightiest Heroes are standing around talking, there's no real sense of depth and it makes you wonder whether they just decided to put less effort into adding any sort of immersion into those scenes. However, this is really only a very minor complaint as the majority of the film ends up looking downright fantastic in three dimensions and even those mentioned above still look pretty damn good overall!
A fair few scenes were clearly filmed in a way which would eventually result in various objects pointing out at you from the screen (Black Widow's gun and Hawkeye's arrows for example) and these make for a fair few of the most memorable moments. A viscous confrontation between Black Widow and Loki is made all the more effective when his spittle can clearly be seen landing on the glass between them, something which was lost in the 2D version of the film. Just about all of the action scenes benefit from the 3D effects, but none more so than the final battle in New York. As the Leviathan makes its way through the city, you may even experience a little bit of vertigo as it quickly becomes such a breathtaking experience.
Regardless of whether or not you decide to see
The Avengers in 3D, it's still a five star film. Ultimately, it's hard to completely recommend one over the other, although I would definitely pay a few extra bucks for a 3D ticket if you want the best experience possible. There are a fair few dark scenes in the movie, but the 3D doesn't negatively impact these in the least. As for IMAX, there's absolutely no doubt about it: if possible, see the film in that format! IMAX films do look best when, you know, they're actually filmed with IMAX cameras, but this still looks spectacular. They've done a fantastic job of converting
The Avengers for the larger screen size and with the 3D thrown in, there's no doubt that this makes for THE ultimate experience. As I said, IMAX 3D (or at least 3D) is the what I would most recommend seeing, although those of you who hate the format will still enjoy the 2D version.
Don't forget to check out my 5* review of Marvel Avengers Assemble by clicking HERE.
STARRING:
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye
Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Ramanoff/Black Widow
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson
Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
RELEASE DATE: April 26th, 2012. (UK) May 4th, 2012. (US)