By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
June 21, 2000
Written and directed by Ben Stassen
Running time: 35 minutes Not rated (suitable for all ages)
Opening today at Cinemark Imax Theatre at Seven Bridges in Woodridge
The animated Imax 3-D film “Alien Adventure” is about a lot of things, but plot isn’t one of them.
Sure, it has a premise: A small tribe of space gypsies called the Glagoliths roam the universe in search of a new home. The leader of the Glags – a sadistic Jabba the Hutt type – sends out a team to evaluate a potential new home. But instead of landing in a real city, the soldiers encounter “Adventure Planet” – a high-tech amusement park not yet open to the public.
Think Jurassic Park meets Disneyland, and you’ll get the picture.
Not that the skimpy storyline actually matters. It’s merely an excuse to take viewers on a thrill ride comparable to anything you’ll find at Great America – motion sickness included.
Which is why the film begins with the following warning: “If at any time you feel disoriented or dizzy, please try one or more of the following remedies: Grip your armrest firmly. Keep your eyes on the center of the screen. Scream.”
I found that taking off the 3-D glasses was more effective.
The first fully digital feature-length (30 minutes or more) giant screen film released to date, “Alien Adventure” was created by a team of 12 animators over a 10-month period.
Projected onto a screen that’s five stories tall and seven stories wide, the action sequences are amazing. The first adventure followed a block of ice as it sped its way down a slick, winding track. As the ice crashed into objects and then flew through the air, the sequence made you feel as though you were experiencing a very scary luge ride.
The other attractions are less thrilling because the moviegoer knows what to expect. A genie races through catacombs to help save a princess. A child’s miniature roller coaster is turned into a menacing ride.
If you’re claustrophobic or hydrophobic, keep your eyes closed during the final sequence, which is set underwater. This may be a good idea anyhow, considering that 35 minutes in this film goes a long way.
