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U2 3D
The band, once called 'Feedback', 'The Hype' and, less successfully, 'The Larry Mullen Jr. Project', started way back in 1976 in little old Dublin. And look at them now! Fronted by a man called Bono (don't make fun of his sunglasses – he has a real eye problem) they have enjoyed great success around the globe for many years.
Featuring all the gang, including The Edge (real name: David Evans), playing all the hits (In the Name of Love, With or Without You, Beautiful Day) this film promises to bring you the nearest experience to being at a U2 concert without actually being at a U2 concert.
Starring Bono, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge
Directed by Catherine Owens ('Arlington Road', 'The Mothman Prophecies'), Mark Pellington
Music, Documentary | 1hr 25mins | Origin: USA | Official Site »
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The Talk
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4
Are U2 bigger than Jesus? If Bono wasn’t the staunch catholic he says he is (he is, right? I don’t bother to research) then I bet he wouldn’t mind snagging that holy crown. The massive lighting rig, the pyrotechnics, the hordes of followers; it’s the second coming for sure.
It’s not hard to see why U2 have become the biggest band in the world. It’s a combination of the simple melodies and the lyrics about painful history (Sunday Bloody Sunday, Where the Streets Have No Name) that have provided them with an inflated sense of social responsibility. Mathematically, there’s a correlation between U2 record sales and how much of a twat Bono becomes.
He does himself no favours here in this concert film (captured in Buenos Aires on the South American leg of their Vertigo world tour) as he a) pretends to be a blind leper stumbling around the stage; b) hugs Adam Clayton’s leg; c) provides plenty of flowery hand gestures. His lack of banter with the audience (aside from a final “Goodnight, we’ll never forget this”) is what makes this concert ultimately lacking in intimacy.
To some extent the 3D compensates for this distance by getting us so close to the faces of the ageing band that we can see them in a less than flattering light. The Edge may have covered up his bald dome with an haute fashion beanie, but the face – dahling - it never lies. Adam Clayton looks a bit silly with his low-slung bass and at times he and the Edge do a bit of pelvic thrusting which does nothing for one’s nerves.
But again, that 3D effect is utterly fantastic. Combine the massive three dimensional picture (IMAX 3-D is the best way to see this) with the booming soundtrack and you’ve got an experience that, aside from not being live, is almost better than going to a real U2 concert.
National Geographic, who are behind this enterprise, capture the show from many angles. The editing fades between different cameras to provide an easy way to keep one’s sense of the space. Other effects include words flashing across the screen (so close, you can almost touch them) and, on occasion, a girl sitting on the shoulders of the guy in front of you.
Suffice it to say, this is the best example of live action 3D I have ever seen. U2 fans will love it. But it will also appeal to anyone interested in the future of cinematic experience. If you ever wanted to know what it’s like to have Bono reaching out towards you, almost caressing you with his sleek hands, screaming ‘In the name of love’ in your face, then you won’t want to miss U2 3D.
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The people's reviews
4 reviews
Press Reviews
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BBC
With its 11-strong playlist and two encores, U2 3D is a great experience for fans who want to get up close and personal with their idols – even if it's not better than the real thing.
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Guardian [UK]
1
It's flat and U2 just look like four conceited billionaires who are further up themselves than ever.
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The Onion
While there's novelty in seeing Bono belt out "Sunday Bloody Sunday" while appearing to literally touch the audience, there's also weariness in hearing a well-worn song you would just as soon never hear again.
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Variety [USA]
Breathtaking when performance, technology and cinematography click at the same moment, "U2 3D" is a concert film that should draw well from the band's fan base and tech fanatics.
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