Dear friends, we are entering new territory where we are moving on familiar ground. If you liked our reviews of “To 3D or Not To 3D”, you are in luck because we will be diving into the world of 4DX with the same eye. And what better film to choose than co-writer/director Fede Álvarez’ Alien: Romulus to guide us into this exciting area that is gaining more and more momentum.
So today we ask a new question: 4DX or not 4DX? As always, if you are wondering about the film itself, you must go to our Alien: Romulus review to find out those details. But if you want to know if this rollercoaster ride is a perfect organism in the truest sense of the word or if you should stick with the traditional theater experience, then buckle up!
4DX Fit: 5/5
I once broke my teeth on Twister’ 4DX experience, I began to think about which films in the rest of the 2024 cinema program would fit perfectly into the format. Alien: Romulus is definitely one of those occasions where everything fits together and a film definitely benefits from this premium sensory experience.
Planning & Effort: 4/5
While many people get to know 4DX through Twistersthat for a Twisters 4DX double feature on Labor Day weekend, I am really sad that this entry of the Foreigner The timeline of the film is somehow overshadowed. The main reason for this is that even more emphasis is placed on the use of environmental effects in Alien: Romulus.
CJ 4DPLEX’s efforts to use water, scent and movement to enhance the premium experience of 20th Century Studios’ sci-fi film are top notch. There are some really pungent surprises in the scents used during the journey of Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her friends, capturing the unsettled atmosphere of the Renaissance space station.
Water effects: 5/5
When I talk about 4DX, I like to compare the whole package to a motion simulator ride at a theme park. The first component of this collective experience on the table is the water effects, which range from personal to all-encompassing. In this demonstration by Alien: Romulus Observed for this evaluation, both halves of the liquid-based factor work like clockwork.
The personal sprinklers attached to the back of the 4DX seats where the audience sits are usually triggered during more intimate scenes. And before you even ask, yes, that chestburster scene from Alien: Romulus’ Trailer does go off when the baby xenomorph appears.
As for the sprinklers in the auditorium doing the heavy lifting, this factor is particularly evident when Kay (Isabela Merced) escapes the Nostromo’s plague. You won’t get wet watching. Romulusbut you will definitely get a little wet when the terror really starts.
Fragrance effect: 3/5
Everyone used to joke that it was a good thing some movies weren’t shot in the “Smell-o-Vision” format. These jokes may soon disappear as the 4DX format becomes more popular, as the scent component really helps the viewer to become immersed in some of the films. Alien: Romulus’ Settings. On the lighter side of things, the crew of the Corbellian-IV tends to smell pleasantly earthy at times, which suits our heroes and their mining colony background.
But if Alien: Romulus comes so close to several forms of the growing Xenomorph that the olfactory performance really captures it. The Xenomorph hive smells like a mix of bug spray and corroded plastic, or at least that’s what I Thought I smelled it, since a 4DX ticket doesn’t include any scent notes. The scent is overpowering, but just enough to get the message across. And if you’re the type to stay until the credits roll, you should note that the scent can actually be heard a few times during the early stages of the film’s cast list.
The scents are effective, but I wish this aspect was used more often when exploring the Renaissance space station or even the bloody carnage. At the same time, I’m still learning how 4DX works, so perhaps there are important health reasons that come into play when using scents in the overall process.
Light/air/smoke effects: 5/5
Fog machines, strobe lights and huge ceiling fans play an important role in Alien: Romulus’ 4DX package. It’s a good thing, because once some of those smells have passed, you’ll be craving air. Fires, explosions, and various hazardous situations create smoke and light to sum up the whole experience in a very tangible way.
For those of you who have seen Alien: Romulus’ wild ending, This is one section where the third act action stands out, as the clouds of smoke in my screening matched perfectly with the massive coolant wave that Rain planned to use against The Offspring.
Speaking of Ms. Carradine, her use of the Colonial Marines’ pulse rifle triggers air effects from seat-mounted cannons that make you feel like bullets are whizzing past you. If the lighting, air, and smoke effects haven’t convinced you yet, let me put one more piece of the puzzle on the board. If you’ve ever wanted to feel like you’re in a decompressing airlock without risking your own life, all the fans in the room (including the one behind your legs) ensure you get the full experience.
Motion effects: 4/5
This is the moment you have probably been waiting for when it comes to 4DX: the movement of the seats. Motion effects are the most visually marketable factor of Alien: Romulus’ four-dimensional package, and it’s actually fun to watch the seats in front of you move in sync with the image.
How this application is used in Alien: Romulus, There is such a healthy diversity of expression that I Really impressed with what I felt during the ride. Conveying everything from hard collisions and crashes to gentle feelings of weightlessness and rotation, the star of 4DX is executed with a very keen eye for what it wants to convey.
If you go for the 4DX experience, you can be sure you’ll feel what it’s like to be grabbed by an android ripped in half, or what it’s like to have a person crawling across the floor of a space station. Plus, with the vibration centers at the back of your seats, you can feel a little of the birthing miracle a chestburster is known for; though I think that effect was a little inconsistent. Not to mention, if you were curious about what it would feel like to be hooked and thrown/grabbed by a full-grown Xenomorph, The alien Romulus For this very special adventure, you must attend 4DX demonstrations.
3D Experience: N/A
There is no 3D experience component for Alien: Romulusbut there are definitely few movies where this express elevator to hell combines this visual mastery with this physical thrill. It makes me wonder how much more fun Deadpool and Wolverine The 3D version would have been played while the seats in the audience would have tried to imitate the action of this fight scene in the back seats.
Audience health: 5/5
Similar to 3D, the 4DX experience can cause physical discomfort in viewers. This would not be surprising, as the movement of the seats as well as the other environmental effects can be quite stimulating at times. Fortunately, Alien: Romulus takes you to the brink of danger without making you panic.
Although your mileage may vary depending on underlying medical conditions, I had no problem with the Romulus experience at all. However, I recommend that if you go to a 4DX demonstration, you arrive on time, if not early, as the full effect is usually demonstrated through the brand logo and a select few 4DX enhanced trailers. Also, be sure to time your bathroom breaks properly, as getting off this ride must be done with extreme caution.
Final verdict: 31/35
While I will always honor Twisters as the blockbuster that made me dance, Alien: Romulus is a much more immersive 4DX experience. This novel experience, which improves on what I was already expecting, is something I can highly recommend on the whole. Although there are some components that I think could have been a bit more consistent, this is still a wonderful way to immerse yourself in a world that Fede Álvarez was born to create.
And there you have it, dear readers! Our first “To 4DX or Not To 4DX” is now in cryosleep and ready to go to the archives. That’s a good thing, because if this feature is popular enough, it could become a permanent fixture on CinemaBlend. That’s nice when you look at the schedule of 4DX movies premiering in the next few months.
When participating in Alien: Romulus4DX trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Mufasa: The Lion King And Captain America: Brave New World has only motivated me even more to get back to my favorite 4DX theater as soon as possible. So keep your eyes peeled and your arms and legs on the theater seat at all times. This journey seems to be just beginning and there are some exciting places it could take us in the near future.
