It seems like only yesterday we were measuring up the experience that was The Avengers: Age Of Ultron, and yet here we are with another Marvel Studios flick on our plates! This time, the house that Stan built is trying to make a big deal out of a small hero, as Ant Man is ready to take the box office down to size! Which means it’s naturally going to be a film released in 3D, and we’re going to wonder if Marvel’s finally gotten the art of 3D conversions right.
Without further ado, it’s time for another installment of To 3D Or Not To 3D, the feature that travels across the third dimension and back, so your wallet can do so wisely. While we won’t be dissecting the film itself, as we’ve already run our review of Ant-Man, we’ll be evaluating whether you’re safe to spend the extra coin on the 3D experience. Prepare to think big, as we magnify the fine details of Ant-Man’s 3D experience!
Fit Score
5/5
Superhero movies, am I right? They’re cut out for 3D releases like kids flicks and science fiction films, so Ant Man is no exception! Marvel Studios pictures are the type that are born to be seen in a proper 3D transfer. Across the various worlds and size ratios Ant-Man tells its story, the visual flare on display is surely something that would flourish in the third dimension.
Planning & Effort Score
4/5
Ant-Man is, much like Marvel Studios’ various productions before, a product of 3D post-conversion. You can pretty much set your watch to the fact that a Marvel film will be in 3D, as well as in IMAX at this point. Considering the only Marvel film to really have the director’s signature in the 3D conversion was Guardians Of The Galaxy, no other Marvel conversion has really seemed worth the time. Prime Focus and Studio D worked together on this conversion effort, and the results are rather interesting.
Before the Window Score
2/5
Most 3D films manage to, at the very least, put in a solid showing when it comes to throwing objects at the audience. However, Ant-Man manages to live up to the conversion that Avengers: Age Of Ultron displayed this year, with little to no eye-popping elements. Considering there’s no shortage of explosions and creatures that could have really stood out, this is the biggest disappointment.
Beyond the Window Score
4/5
While Ant-Man isn’t an eye popper, it is a film that possesses more depth in 3D picture than the last Marvel film did. From the first frame, the movie manages to depict clear lines of depth perception, with smooth delineation between cast members and their surroundings. When Paul Rudd gets punched, you believe he’s down for the count.
Brightness Score
3/5
To a certain extent, Ant-Man has a color palette of muted and cooler shades of color in its arsenal. This doesn’t lend itself to a lot of brightness, but the 3D process can still weigh a film with this sort of look down, as we saw even in Mad Max: Fury Road’s exemplary 3D conversion. Ant-Man is weighed down by the fact that it really should have bumped up the brightness a little more in order to truly stand out.
Glasses Off Score
4/5
The Glasses Off test only confirms our findings in the Before The Window segment of our Ant-Man assessment. Which means that the blur factor on the images in front of you, once your glasses have been removed, is actually pretty strong. But as most 3D conversions have done, there’s still a fair amount of clarity with certain central objects and persons when you lift off your glasses.
Audience Health Score
3/5
Motion sickness isn’t the primary concern with Ant-Man’s third-dimensional treatment. If anything, sequences with the most motion are the most noticeable ones in 3D. The biggest problem with Ant-Man’s 3D conversion, in respect to the health of the audience, is that some of the sequences move too fast for the eye to properly register the image. While your mileage may vary, you might feel a bit of eye strain during the movie.
3D SCORES RECAP
3D Fit
5
P & E
4
Before The Window
2
Beyond The Window
4
Brightness
3
Glasses Off Test
4
Audience Health
3
Total Score
25/35
Final Verdict: Ant-Man is the better of the two Marvel 3D conversions available this year, but it’s still a mostly ineffectual conversion. While slightly better than Avengers: Age Of Ultron, the 3D on display here is weak tea in a year of some outstanding 3D conversion work. If you’re in the mood to see Ant-Man, save your money and go 2D. However, if you’re going to be dragged to a 3D showing anyway, make sure it’s in IMAX.
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