Woman travels 5 hours for The Odyssey in IMAX – her surprising verdict | Films | Entertainment

Not everyone lives close to one of the UK’s three cinemas capable of showing The Odyssey in 70mm IMAX — but for some film fans, that’s no reason not to go.

One dedicated film lover made a five-hour journey to experience Christopher Nolan’s latest epic exactly as it was intended to be seen, and has now shared her honest take on whether it was worth it.

Boasting a remarkably stellar cast including Zendaya, Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Travis Scott and Anne Hathaway, The Odyssey weaves together three interlinked narratives — Odysseus’s decade-long voyage home following the Trojan War, his son Telemachus’s search to locate him, and a father-son revenge plot to reclaim their family home.

On its opening weekend, The Odyssey made a stunning impact at the global box office, raking in $264m.

One of those people who went to see the film, which is believed to be the only of its kind shot entirely on IMAX cameras was Cerys, a content creator passionate about cinema, who travelled five hours from Newcastle to BFI IMAX in London purely to experience the movie in the 70mm format.

Christopher Nolan fans travel for The Odyssey 70mm IMAX experience

She said: “I have now seen the odyssey in both IMAX 70mm and the smaller 35mm format and I think both have differing benefits that I thought I’d share with you in case you’re trying to decide what format to see the movie in. If you can’t see it in 70mm and you’re worried about missing something or if you think it’s worth trying to see it in 70mm.

“I saw it early at BFI IMAX on Tuesday which I had to travel down for and I’ve just come out of a 35mm screening at the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle which is where I live. So if you’re in a similar position to me and maybe don’t have great access to a 70mm IMAX screening I’m here to explain why there are other benefits to different formats as well.

“The major difference that I noticed when seeing it in two different formats is actually a product of the loss of screen that you get, and how this changed my interpretation of the story.

“The first time I saw it was 70mm and I found myself more focused on the spectacle of it all, which was undoubtedly astonishing, but seeing it in a smaller format allowed me to focus more on the story which I found enriched my understanding further.

“There were a lot of nuances that I definitely missed out on the first time that I saw the film because I was so wrapped up in the scale whereas now that I’ve seen it again in 35mm I found that my focus was more on the plot, the dialogue and the characters.”

70mm IMAX vs 35mm film: How screen formats change the story

Tyneside Cinema is one of only a handful of UK cinemas selected to screen The Odyssey on 35mm film, and the only venue in the North East offering audiences the opportunity to experience the film in this format. For many film enthusiasts, 35mm remains the gold standard of cinema presentation, offering a distinctive texture and character that differs from digital projection.

Dan Lauder, Head of Cinema at Tyneside Cinema, said: “We’re very lucky to be selected as one of only a handful of cinemas that have been provided the opportunity to play The Odyssey in 35mm, making the viewing experience at the cinema for this film truly unique.

“Both formats can provide an excellent viewing experience, but a film projected in 35mm can provide an authenticity in its colour tones and textures that digital cinema can’t always replicate.

“Digital screenings will be free of the blemishes and marks that can be found on a poorly maintained 35mm print, but can also lack the character that a print provides.”

Cerys went on to say: “I left both experiences feeling deeply fulfilled just in slightly different ways. Second difference was in the colours and the aesthetics.

“Both looked absolutely gorgeous but I think the grainier all-timely look of 35mm really enhanced the timelessness of this story and solidified the fact that this film will stand the test of time.

“This was honestly my favourite part about seeing it in 35mm whereas I thought the 70mm IMAX looked brighter, which again looked gorgeous, but this added to the spectacle.

“I personally think it’s worth seeing in any and all formats and I do think seeing it in 70mm IMAX was a phenomenal experience that I would definitely recommend.

“It really is great seeing it how it was meant to be seen, but I know it’s quite difficult and if you can’t I hope this video has highlighted the fact that other options are pretty great too.”