CES 2010: Avatar 3D vs. Avatar 3D

January 8, 2010 - First things first, it should be noted that the Avatar comparison alluded to in the headline above is actually of the film's second trailer -- the three minute 30 second spot which played up the heavy action angle. But while visiting the Panasonic booth at this year's CES convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, I happened to catch a presentation where the company was showing off its new 3D Blu-ray player and television by screening the trailer in its native format. Having seen the film itself in 3D, this exercise in promotion got me thinking: In a shot for shot comparison, which 3D version of Avatar looks better -- the in-theater or in-home experience? I pushed my way through the gathered crowd, slipped on the crazy looking glasses and was surprised by what I saw.

Upon exiting the film, I immediately became one of those evangelizers singing the praises of James Cameron's use of 3D. "It's not so much about the cheap pop out moments," I would tell anyone who was listening. "It's about creating depth." And I still stand by that description as high praise for the technology. However, the 3D experience I had with Panasonic's home theater equipment was far superior to what I witnessed in theater.

Perhaps it was the smaller screen or the fact that I was standing much closer to it, but I truly did feel immersed in the film's setting -- almost getting dizzy at times because of fast cuts and movements. What follows is a breakdown of some of the more memorable 3D moments in the trailer (time code from the IGN video is included for your reference).

00:26: The wheelchair bound Jake Sully exits the troop transport and sees the planet Pandora for the first time. The soldiers exiting behind him and the mech-suits patrolling on security detail are displayed with varying degrees of depth within the frame.

00:32: Colonel Miles Quaritch is conducting his "welcome to Pandora" briefing for the new arrivals. Again, as the camera pans around the room, the various groups of soldiers/scientists are clearly staggered within the visual framework.

00:34: As the Scorpion Gunship flies through the Hallelujah Mountains... well, you get it.

00:45: As Neytiri pulls back on her bow, I found myself ducking to dodge the arrow that looked as if it were pointed right at me.

01:40: Ever watch one of those IMAX movies shot from the perspective of a passenger on a rollercoaster? The ones that make you feel as if you yourself were actually on the ride? That's the feeling I got while watching this human to avatar body transition scene in 3D.

01:55: As the camera panned through the foliage to reveal Neytiri crouched on the tree branch, I again found myself ducking and dodging as if those leaves were really going to hit me.

02:27: Another great example of the varying depth levels in the 3D field of vision -- both swimmers as well as the lily pads floating atop the water looked incredible.

03:18: While all of the quick cuts of battle footage looked great, what really popped were the shots of rapid gunfire -- like this clip of a Dragon Gunship firing various weapons at the flying dragons around it.

Hands down the home theater 3D experience was much more immersive than what I saw in-theater. PerhapsAvatar's eventual Blu-ray release will be reason enough to invest in the new technology?