Piranha 3D - What Did You Think?
By David Chen/Aug. 20, 2010 5:59 pm EST
Aja’s newest film, Piranha 3D, is out in theaters today, and promises to take 3D back to its gimmicky heyday. But the film’s release schedule has not been a smooth one and the 3D was an upconversion job. Does the movie deliver on some old school horror thrills? Hit the jump for some of my thoughts and let us know what you think in the comments section. As usual, assume spoilers follow after the break and in the comments.
Still, all of this is forgivable because of the audacious main set piece of the film, a true tour de force in horror cinema. Two thirds of the way through the film, as thousands of piranhas began viciously devouring hundreds of sexy co-eds one by one while crazed bystanders attempted to claw their way to safety (only to exacerbate their plight), my mind boggled at the logistical complexities of putting this film together. As Aja once put it, “The movie takes place during Spring Break and, of course, the studio wanted it ready for the summer, but if you’ve got 1000 people who need to get murdered in the water, you have to wait for the right temperature for the water, for the weather, for everything.” I can only say that the results were worth it.
[For those wondering about the 3D: I found it hit-or-miss. Some of it worked quite well, as characters thrust pointy, violent objects towards the screen. Other shots were so horrible that I could almost see the “seams” of the upconversion. Overall, though, it feels like they tried a lot harder compared with other upconversion jobs such as Clash of the Titans and The Last Airbender and it does make a slight difference in your enjoyment of the film, not to mention the kitsch value].
I had a good time and came away with a healthy appreciation for Aja’s boldness. But what did you guys think?
