U23D (2008)
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Director: Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington Cast: U2 Country: USA Year: 2008 Score: **** MPAA Rating: |
Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. take the stage in a filmed documentary of their U2 Vertigo tour in South America. Using multiple cameras and 3D digital technology, Owens and Pellington’s film is a no-nonsense concert film condensed from 100 hours of footage. U23D dispenses with back room talk, show preparation and interviews that normally accompany such band concert films. Instead the camera shows what it feels like in a stadium packed solid with U2 fans. As the camera swoops from front with the band members to the back revealing thousands of fans pulsating with the beat of the songs, U23D (U2 concerts usually contains newest innovations) is most likely the best pick to display the use of the new technology.
Most of the familiar U2 songs are performed in the film including the moving ‘One’ translated by Bono as ‘Uno’ in Spanish. He is granted a few words regarding his social ambition to unite the world in one scene lit by the glow from spectators’ cell phones.
One could argue the pros and cons of attending a live concert with viewing a 3D IMAX filmed version. For me, a person who hates crowds but has attended a few concerts (ranging from Pink Floyd to Madonna), bypassing obtaining expensive tickets, the hassle of parking and dealing with sweaty obnoxious crowds who smoke up during the show, watching U23D is undoubtedly a better substitute. Putting on the cool-looking 3D glasses and watching the concert in simulated 3-dimension on a tall 6-storey screen and hearing the familiar U2 songs in 5.1 surround sound is quite the exhilarating experience. It is indeed a BEAUTIFUL DAY (as U2 performs the song) to experience a U2 concert in the comfort of an IMAX 3D digital movie theatre.
Review by: Gilbert Seah

