Touched by the hand of Bono...

The word for the day is "3D."


Back during our freshman year of college, Wild Willie, Fandango, and I drove down to Houston to see U2 in concert at the Astrodome.  The seats were of the nosebleed variety and I think there was even a support column somewhat blocking our sightline to the stage.  Needless to say, our tickets kind of sucked (although I still have Wankmaster Scratch's unused one in a scrapbook somewhere).  U2, though, didn't disappoint, and even though we couldn't see much, the concert itself was awesome.

I've never had the chance to see U2 live again.  I was mighty disappointed that I couldn't snag tickets to their latest Vertigo tour last year, but U2 3D may be the next best thing.  Seeing anything on an IMAX screen in traditional two dimensions is always a treat and usually breathtaking.  IMAX in 3D?  Wow.  In some ways, U2 3D is better than being at a live concert.  Shots of Adam Clayton almost stabbing you in the heart with the tip of his bass, feeling like you're sitting right next to the Edge as if you could help him strum that guitar, watching Larry Mullen tear it up on the drums, Bono literally trying to reach out and wipe the tears from your eyes.  Spotlights seem to to bathe you in light, smoke literally moves out of the screen and surrounds you--it's pretty amazing stuff.

Interspersed throughout the movie are shots from the vantage point of the audience, complete with the occasional screaming fan that come into your view.  At times, it really does feel like you're a part of the crowd.  The experience is so lively, in fact, that you almost can't help but feel the urge to wave your hands around, clap, scream, jump around--maybe you're supposed to, but it feels kind of strange to do such things in a movie theater.

At times the 3D effects aren't perfect.  There's a rare moment when things still look flat, appear like those silhouetted audience members from Mystery Science Theater 3000, or look like those old school 3D panorama toys we all used to have with the little lever on the side to advance the circular film wheel.  The majority of the time, though, it's just plain awesome!   U2 performing classics like "Where the Streets Have No Name," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" will always get the adrenaline pumping, and in the lively atmosphere of the Buenos Aires stadium where this movie was filmed, it's even more of a rush.

I don't know when I'll ever get the chance to see the greatest band of our time live in concert again.  My wife never has, and it's still on her "things to do before [she] dies" list, so I'm sure we'll figure out someway to see them, even if Bono is rolling out onto stage rather than jumping.  Until then, U2 3D will do.  It will do nicely.