Tron: Legacy; 3D vs. IMAX

I've reviewed Tron: Legacy and think it's a great movie. But the question becomes, "Should I see it in 3-D?" I've answered no, because the 3-D effects don't add anything. I do appreciate the fact it was shot in 3-D, so the effects are clean and sharp. In my 3-D review, I also note that I had trouble focusing on objects around the edges of the screen. It seemed to be ghosting. I had to keep my head centered to view the film. Was it me or the theater? Well, I found out it wasn't me because I just saw Tron: Legacy at the local IMAX theater. I did not have the focus problem.

So if you must see Tron: Legacy in 3-D, which 3-D version should you see, IMAX 3D or 3-D? I've seen the movie in both IMAX and 3-D. As with Avatar (2009), the answer is IMAX 3D. First, IMAX is designed to deliver greater resolution than the standard film projector. The screen is larger and fatter. The picture is sharper. The 3-D effects have a popping out effect. What I got with Tron: Legacy in IMAX was a clearer and sharper image. I noticed the 3-D effects on the fatter IMAX screen whereas on regular 3-D, I barely observed them. The downside is that IMAX costs six more dollars. While looking for a technical reason as to why IMAX 3D looks better than regular 3-D, I came across a bunch of technical answers, that frankly were way over my head. I can't tell you which of the answers are right. So, you'll have to trust my opinion on which is better. And that 3-D version of Tron: Legacy is IMAX 3D.

Of course, you could skip all the 3-D presentations and save yourself some money. Like I said, the 3-D effects don't add a whole lot to the film.