Part of the excitement of a new cinematic format is the
discovery of its potential, and these are often dependent on the creativity and
innovation of their use. With 4DX, part of the expansion of limits comes with
the choice of films to pair the technology with. Before attending a screening
of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
in 4DX, it occurred to me that four out of the four films I had previously seen
in the format had belonged to the superhero genre. This is certainly due in
part to the tendency to utilize the format with high-profile Blockbusters, and
the industry’s simultaneous obsession with the ever-profitable
comic-book-adaptation franchises. Whatever the reason, I had already spent a
great deal of time in the moving seats of 4DX theaters as they simulated
flight, underwater exploration, and spider-web swinging. In John Wick 3, I found an entirely
different experience; one that was much more grounded, even to the point that
the practice of being thrown to the ground was repeatedly simulated.
