Should you see Raiders in IMAX?

I’ve written about the IMAX transfer of Raiders of the Lost Ark elsewhere, so you all know that the film will be playing in IMAX theaters for this week only. The IMAX re-release is part of the celebration of the Blu-ray collection of Indy films, a collection that includes all four films that is coming out on September 18. I caught the IMAX re-release of Raiders on Friday afternoon, and I wanted to share a few thoughts with you all.

I know some of you are wondering if heading to the theater to experience the IMAX transfer is worth the cost of a premium ticket.

In a word: No.

I love IMAX films. They offer the best audio and visual presentations you are going to get for films. The ultra-clear visuals and crisp sound of IMAX theaters create a very immersive movie-going experience. It is by far my preferred format for seeing a new film. I’ll even go see stuff that I’m not too excited about, such as the upcoming Resident Evil: Retribution, just because it’s presented in IMAX.

But, I had some concerns about Raiders. Transferring a film shot in 1981 to the IMAX format seemed to be a risky proposition. Can you take a film that’s been sitting in a can for decades, clean it up, and shove it through an IMAX lens? Apparently not.

There are a few points to consider here.

First, the transfer is uneven. While parts of the IMAX film look amazing and some of the sound editing is fantastic, there are other parts that don’t look or sound nearly as good. In particular, scenes shot outside have a grainy appearance that, when contrasted with very clean and crisp interior shots, really stand out. It pulls you out of the experience to go from clean and tidy to muddy and murky. The contrast is too jarring. You realize you are watching a decades old film that has recently been tinkered with. The sound also suffers from inconsistency.

Second, you’re paying a premium price for a ticket. The cost of the IMAX ticket was double the cost of a regular ticket for the films playing at my local theater on Friday afternoon. It’s a lot to ask of an audience to pay double for a ticket when the film isn’t amazingly fantastic OMG WOW. It better be great, not good.

Third, the Blu-ray collection will be out next week. It currently lists for about $70 on Amazon. Save your IMAX dollars and buy all four films in high-definition. I bet that the Blu-rays will look great on your home theater, you can pop your own popcorn, pour your own sodas, and have a great time at home. There’s no need to rush out and see it in the theater at extra cost.

Finally, if you really want to see Indiana Jones on the big screen, AMC Theaters is hosting an Indy marathon next Saturday, September 15. Select theaters will be showing all four films in one day. Tickets for that event run $25, and you get $5 off concessions and a poster. Do that instead.

It was cool to see Raiders of the Lost Ark in theaters. That’s an experience I missed out on as a kid. It’s been several years since my Raiders DVD has had a spin, and there were many details that I had forgotten. I also had forgotten just how impactful the Indiana Jones films have been on modern cinema. The pace of that film and how quickly they are able to establish characters and settings is remarkable.

It’s a great, great film; I’m not suggesting that Raiders suddenly turned bad in IMAX. I enjoyed the experience. I wish I had waited for the AMC Theaters marathon or for the Blu-ray instead.

Will you be seeing Raiders in IMAX despite my warning? Let me know how that goes for you in the comments below or on Twitter!