There’s no doubt that watching Christopher Nolan’s epic “The Odyssey” in 70mm and Imax (or both) is an expansive and awe-inspiring experience. But for moviegoers who have already checked those formats off their list, what’s it like to watch the three-hour blockbuster starring Matt Damon in 4DX?

The seat-rattling, water-spraying technology, available in nearly 800 movie theaters around the world, promises a “fully immersive movie experience that makes you feel like you’re in the movie.” But is it really? Three intrepid Variety The writers (two who had seen the film before and one for the first time) set out on an odyssey to find out. The three of them sailed to Regal’s LA Live theaters, and luckily, they were better equipped than Damon and his exhausted crew. Tanya stocked up on mozzarella sticks and Gatorade, while Pat smuggled a peanut butter protein bar and a bottle of water for the three-hour haul.

The water wasn’t as bad as I had feared – I had prepared by bringing a hoodie in case the splash pad was packed Sea World style – but the light mist was quite refreshing. However, halfway through the film I took advantage of the “turn off” button to enjoy Nolan’s ambitious cinema with fewer distractions. The shaking was particularly effective when Charybdis’ whirlpool rocked the ship, one of several moments where it actually matched the action on screen. But did we really need to go up and down every time a soldier entered a castle? Just because you CAN shake the seats doesn’t mean you SHOULD do it every time there is movement in the frame.

Overall, I enjoyed my first 4DX experience, although perhaps a different, simpler movie would have been a better choice. Maybe I would have liked a few more effects: the smell of pork or perhaps ripe cheese. “We were all praying for forgiveness,” Damon intones in his climactic speech. In the case of 4DX viewers, you could say that after three hours we were all mainly praying that our seats would stay still.

Mate

I’ll start with a warning: I couldn’t get through the entire 4DX experience. I can handle practically any roller coaster, but three hours of movement… I’m no Odysseus!

I started to feel nauseous about halfway through and my stomach couldn’t handle the thought of experiencing the crazy water scenes that I knew were coming towards the end of the movie. But from what I was able to witness for myself, the 4DX experience was a fun, unpredictable mix of movement happening in your seat and things happening in other parts of the room, mainly a fog that helped set the scene when Odysseus and his men are at sea. To be fair, the audience also gets a much-needed break from the constant movement during the dialogue-heavy scenes.

I don’t know if I would do 4DX again, especially considering the price compared to my beloved AMC A-List by allowing me to watch Imax and Dolby screenings at no additional cost, which enhance the movie with better sound. For “The Odyssey,” however, it was worth the trip, although I wouldn’t have shelled out the $36 for any other movie this summer. If you’re looking to dial in as many premium formats as possible for Christopher Nolan’s epic, I recommend watching the film once before trying 4DX so you don’t spend your first viewing trying to parse the very dense plot while trying not to fall out of your seat.

tanya

As a frequent viewer of 4DX movies (and someone who had already seen Nolan’s epic), I was fully prepared for my own Odyssey-style journey. I stocked up on snacks to fuel my nearly three-hour journey, but, like the Ulysses experience, eating proved to be a challenge. I attempted to dip my mozzarella stick into the accompanying sauce during what I had perceived as a scene that required no movement, but our chairs suddenly lurched forward, sending my expensive mozzarella stick crashing to the floor. Sure, there were plenty of quieter moments throughout the movie, but my fear of the action to come was enough for me to choose to stay hungry.

When I saw “The Odyssey” for the first time in 70mm Imax, I thought, “This couldn’t be better.” Watching it in 4DX immediately proved me wrong. You’re not just immersed in the movie: you’re living in it. You’re fighting with Odysseus’s men, dodging attacks from the Laestrygonians, breathing real smoke during the Battle of Troy, taking blows on the back in the same places where soldiers were pierced with arrows. You’re experiencing everything they went through, both the men of the Greek legend and the actors themselves, which gives a new appreciation for the work that went into the film.

Above all, the best thing about this experience is the energy it generated in the theater. We had experienced the movie together. There were subtle gasps of fear (and even screams of terror) during the action-packed moments, and we collectively let out sighs of relief when those moments were over. I locked eyes with strangers, sharing laughter as we tried not to fall out of our seats. We were actively in the movie, and when Odysseus finally revealed that he had returned to Ithaca, the entire theater erupted in applause. I felt like we had come home too. Moments like these are difficult to replicate.