U23D is U2’s latest foray into the cinematic world.  It’s also a breakthrough film, as it’s the first live-action movie shot and presented in digital 3-D.  It was originally released last year, but since it wasn’t showing in Tallahassee (and the nearest theater with showtimes was four away, plus I was in the throes of getting my dissertation wrapped up) I didn’t get a chance to see it.  Luckily for me (and all the other U2 fans out there), it was re-released this week for a limited run at select IMAX theaters.

I drove down to Boston last night and checked it out.  It was, in a word, incredible, both from a U2 fan’s standpoint and from a general cinematic perspective.  The 3-D effects were amazing, like Adam Clayton was going hit my head with his bass or like I was going to trip over Larry Mullen’s drums.  More impressive than the actual 3-D, however, were the shots the filmmakers got.  Despite the venue being huge, the footage captured on film was quite intimate, with many close-ups of the band and crowd alike.  And the grandiosity of IMAX screen and digital surround sound really immersed the audience in the whole experience.  It was like we were at the concert, only we got better views of the band.

Pre-show snapshot, trying the 3-D glasses.

On my way out of the theater: one last shot of the fancy specs.

Watching the movie also reminded me of the power of music, not just U2’s, but music in general.  The concert footage was from South America, a place where English is not the primary language, yet the entire audience sung along to every word of every song of the show.  It was awesome.  And I’ve heard stories about many other rock bands experiencing the same thing.  The way I see it, the fact that non-English speakers can sing and scream and show along with songs that aren’t even in their native tongue reinforces the universality of music.  It’s an art form that knows no barriers, one that connects with people on basic, almost primal, levels.  That fact makes me proud to do what I do.