Space Station 3D (2002) User Reviews

like the moon: dry but cool

[morningkeith · 8/10 · 3 January 2003]

So you wanna spend umpteen million bucks and go visit the space station? Why not just spend eight bucks and go see this movie? That way you get the weightlessness without the nausea (unless you're sitting too close to the screen).

For people expecting an action picture, I think Space Station will seem slow and dry. But for science and astronomy geeks who want to see what's up there, this movie is pretty cool. After thirty minutes, planet earth seems foreign, and the space station seems familiar! It seems so narrow and long, like a school hallway lined with scientific equipment.

Tom Cruise was a good choice of narrator, because of, yeah, star appeal, but also because his voice telegraphs his childlike sense of wonder. To me, there was also a sense of danger, similar to the danger of being on a submarine. You're travelling through a truly hostile environment, and always just a thin shell away from disaster.

For the general public, I'd give it a seven. But for space geeks, it's atleast a nine. Now I can't wait for "Apollo 13" to come to Imax.

Spectacular!

[johnnyboyz · 8/10 · 13 March 2006]

It was the first time I'd visited an IMAX cinema and the first time I'd seen a film in 3D and all I can say is: 'Wow!' Despite being a documentary, it has a very filmic feel about it with us being introduced to various different astronauts, seeing space form inside a station and being narrated to by Tom Cruise whom you would often relate to when it comes to major films or 'blockbusters' if you like.

The opening shots were completely mind blowing. I don't know if this was just my first experience of the IMAX, but you are literally, transported into space. The opening four or five minutes is an interesting teaser that really leaves you begging for more external space shots, you long to be space walking for the rest of the film.

The brief interviews with the astronaut keep the pace of the documentary moving nicely and often, there are really impressive moments when you just feel like reaching out and grabbing whatever's on screen. This could be anything from a steel bar attached to the outside ship to a blob of water actually heading for the camera/your face. This is where the point of view style camera comes into play. It's cleverly shot so that although it's not always happening; other Astronaut glance at you momentarily, not spoiling the mood by looking directly at you and the interviews are spaced evenly which gives the feel you are up there, talking to people and finding out information every now and again at your own pace rather than having all this information thrown at you at once. Good stuff.

I'd highly recommend seeing this film, if only once as the sheer unbelievableness of it is something to behold. Even if it wasn't in 3D, it's still a pretty interesting documentary on what's actually going on up there and no, I'm not a 'science geek', in-fact the sci-fi genre is one of my least favourites. I just like a good blend of information, stunning visuals and a day out at an IMAX cinema.

The Way Documentary Film-making Should Be (sort of)

[Michael_Jonathan_Dowswell · 8/10 · 26 March 2010]

Incredible film...I can't recommend this one enough. But see it in high definition and sit close up to your TV. I was worried at the start of the film because there's a brief tiny bit of 3D stuff and I was starting to get uneasy in my chair about it because it ran for about three minutes I think...but once you get past that it doesn't go near 3D again and is simply amazing quality wise with real shots of what goes on inside (and outside) the space station. You get to see two launches in beautiful detail and sound. This film gains momentum at exactly the right pace.

This is very much like the five star documentaries I love from the late 70s / early 80s. It also reminds me of Kubrick (I think he would have loved this movie) My only criticism is that it's pretty dumbed down (simplified) and there is also no section on the space station toilet although we do get to see sleeping and eating. 2001 A Space Odyssey has a funny shot of the man looking at the toilet instructions and I think they could have included this in the movie (it would have been good) This is only my second ever IMAX film I've seen...the first one was called Everest and I saw that in the actual IMAX cinema...it was really amazing I remember....a experience everybody should have.

A Well done semi-documentary in space, excellent in 3D

[Quinoa1984 · 1 May 2002]

Trippy and near exquisite three dimensional (they give out goggles if you happen to see this in IMAX format which is the best format to view) look at actual footage of outside (in space) and inside the space shuttle orbiting the earth. The kids will really enjoy this one and for all the overall ehancement from the 3D makes this an insightful experience as well as a visual one. Some good music too. A-

Incredible footage; whatta 3D experience!

[chschera · 9/10 · 22 April 2002]

The first 3D space adventure from IMAX was worth the wait. This film chronicling the first stages of construction of Space Station Alpha from the launch of Zarya to the Expedition Two crew was incredible. The 3D effects during launch and while on orbit were spectacular. I highly recommend this IMAX experience for any true space lover.

A great documentary in a unique location, with excellent visuals

[mixmix · 10/10 · 23 September 2002]

This film is billed as the closest most of us will ever come to being in space. Given the IMAX 3D technology (which works near perfectly 80% of the time) you do come pretty close.

The cinematography is brilliant and the 40 years experience of the IMAX film production really show - expect most of the filming is done by astronauts, which make it even more amazing. Filmed on location quite literally 'all over the world' (though identifiable parts are the Kennedy Space Center in the US, 'Star City' in the CIS and *somewhere* over West Africa), this is about an international film as you are going to get.

There are many totally unique sequences in this film: the opening one is a very good computer simulation of a space-walk mishap in which an astronaut becomes unattached from the Space Station. Later on they do this for real to test the emergency back-pack unit.

The sound is, as one would expect from IMAX, excellent. The sub-base adds amazing realism to the launch sequences and docking maneuvers - you can really feel the 'thumps.'

The scenery, especially of earth is breath-taking and very well framed. Also, there are some more human moments: such as the watering of onions that spouted in storage, the birthday party (was it? Or a crew change-over?) and the 'other' scene of stowing provisions (I'll not spoil the humor on this one) that could have probably only been filmed in free-fall by people actually living there.

This film exposes the contrast between the CIS & USA space programs: in the former, the equipment is chunky, reliable and functions at minus 20 C; in the later neat, tidy and delicate (the Shuttles seem to need a near perfect day to launch by comparison). Yet the two do indeed work very well together in orbit, as do the truly international crews: USA, Canadian, Russian, Italian and Japanese all work alongside each other on the missions and the filming. This 'one-ness' is stressed by both the editing and voice-overs given by the astronauts. It is perhaps un-surprising then that the odd environmental point is made about looking after the planet. As a film, this is short: under an hour. This is probably long enough: you can hold your breath only so many times before passing out. The minor detractor is Tom Cruise's narration: at times it is just a little too intense and grates after a while (though this is highly personal: I ignored it and looked at the pictures).

This film is great publicity for NASA and goes someway to silencing the neigh-sayers of the ISS / space exploration projects.

You are there

[Muctu · 10/10 · 19 May 2002]

Finally here is a film worthy of the Imax 3D technology. It's a unique audio and visual experience. Amazing visuals, awesome scenes of weightlessness, spectacular blast-offs. I highly recommend this film for 3D fans and everyone else.

Must see!

[stephenhr · 10/10 · 3 October 2002]

Narrated by Tom Cruise, this is a fine documentary on the building and flying of the space station. Long takes of zero gravity work. Coverage of the Russian launches. It is a well put together piece in I-Max in space come on!

Truly Like Being in Space

[winstonsmith_84 · 30 August 2002]

I saw this at the IMAX, and wow! What a trip! It is like I really went into space... The 3-D was done very well, and not overdone, just perfect. The content was really good, and much excellent footage. If you want to see an IMAX, do see this!

Wow!

[dpbsmith · 10/10 · 16 September 2002]

I'm sort of a fan of wide-screen processes and visual spectacle. And, lately, I've been disappointed. Up until "Space Station 3D," the two most spectacular visual experiences I've had in my life were "This Is Cinerama" (in the early fifties) and "2001: A Space Odyssey" (on its first run, in New York.)

I've seen "2001" several times since, hoping to capture the same thrill I did on its first run, but the visual spectacle was just not there in 35mm prints. Last year I saw a 70mm print of it at the Coolidge in Boston, and was very disappointed--I don't know what was wrong, but the focus was not good, and the deep, pitch-black, back-velvet sky I remembered in the original was washed out.

I've seen many IMAX films, many of them quite good--"Everest" being one of the best--but there is usually too much material in it that is just blown-up 35mm.

Oh, and I saw "Kiss Me, Kate" and "Miss Sadie Thompson" in lovingly restored 3D at a revival in Palo Alto, and while it was a blast, basically the 3D felt just as gimmicky as you'd expect.

OK. Space Station 3D is sharp, clear, all IMAX. The three-dimensional effect is totally convincing and natural. Like "2001," you can look AROUND at the things YOU are interested in instead of what the camera happens to be pointed at. I've never before had such a compelling sensation of "actually being there." Oddly enough, some of the most intense moments for me was not the scenes in space, but the scenes where astronauts and cosmonauts are simply walking around the Baikonur complex.

This film recaptured for me the sense of "being in space" that I had the first time I saw "2001."

This is just one sensational film and is well worth going out of your way to see. It delivers fully on the IMAX promise in every way.

(And I suggest that everyone make a point of seeing real IMAX while we can, as I have an uncomfortable feeling that IMAX is in the process of sinking into the mire of enhanced 35mm blowups).

I saw Cinerama in the early fifties, "2001" in the late sixties... I've had to wait over three decades to see something as spectacular. Go see it while you can. If 35 mm blowups and video "cinema" take over, it may be another three decades before we get anything like this again.

I felt like I was in space....what an amazing experience!!!

[erk432 · 10/10 · 8 May 2002]

The best IMAX movie I've ever seen by far. It felt like I was in space. It was an amazing experience. I can't wait to go back and see it again. I also thought the movie was well made. It had cool music and a good sense of the characters.

Very cool visuals!

[prohibited-name-1479 · 10/10 · 31 May 2002]

Absolutely stunning. You might have already seen other space movies but this one is awesome. Shoot by real astronauts in IMAX and in 3D - it next best thing to be there. Also contains little bit of history but with really cool videos. The things that I found missing is primarily it failed to show the purpose behind IIS, how many other countries are there in this, how long more it will take, what are the operating parts as of now... it just gets itself satisfied in showing zero-g life and visuals of Earth - may be for not to bore audience?

Futuroscope

[FiveLeafClovr · 10/10 · 3 January 2005]

I saw this movie on the biggest screen in Europe , in Futuroscope Park; France, this summer after seeing many things fun there but seeing this movie in a bubble of some sort, that was pretty much the highpoint of my day. At first i thought this was gonna be like them boring space movies but this one actually made sense and having Tom Cruise as the narrator was not a minus. This is a movie about how great space is and how lame earth is, Tom Cruise goes on and on about how you can move things more easily in space and how you need to be a genius to become an astronaut and basically how great space is...now i want to be an astronaut but my teacher says i don't have the grades...anyway great film for everybody 10/10

Okay, I'll Support the Space Program Now!

[lawprof · 6 May 2002]

"Space Station," an IMAX 3-D film is a first-rate vehicle heralding the success of Lockheed Martin, NASA and the space industries and astronauts and cosmonauts of many nations. I'm not particularly interested in space exploration - we have enough challenges on terra firma - but this short film is awesome. Especially in 3-D.

I'd love to know how they maneuvered the notoriously bulky and complex IMAX cameras around the International Space Station. The film is at once intimate (isn't everything up there?) and yet broad in its grandeur.

If someone had been waiting outside the theater as we emerged with petitions demanding more money for the space program I would have added my signature.

This film is for everyone!

Ferguson and Myers have done it again!!!

[Opie-7 · 30 May 2002]

The only thing that I didn't like about this movie was threading it through the projector. IMAX 3D movies require two prints, one for the left eye, and one for the right eye. So it takes us projectionists twice as long to get it ready.

But enough of that, the movie was very good for an IMAX 3D movie. The best parts are when the astronauts have a little fun while filming. For example (MAYBE A SPOILER!) : the astronauts are eating and some of the food is flying around and one of the astronauts takes an orange and pushes it towards the camera. Everytime I run that movie I watch the audience and I see them covering their eyes and trying to grab some of the objects floating around.

The movie was made by the same people who made "The Dream Is Alive" over 15 years ago. It is truly an amazing experience!

Wow!

[AEBarschall · 4 May 2002]

I didn't even know that they had actually built this space station. I thought it was still in the planning stages. How did they manage to get all these huge pieces up in the upper atmosphere without it hitting the media in a big way? And all these international astronauts getting to go up! Here I thought I followed science news pretty well -- guess that shows me both a) that I don't and b) how the news media can get focused on a few big stories and black everything else out. I'm glad they made a movie about it so that we could find out.

You really could see what the space station looks like inside and out and what the earth looks like from space. It almost felt like being there, without the substantial disadvantage of having to go up there in a rocket and without getting motion sick and all. Plus you get to see a lot of different astronauts and the training areas.

Hearing Tom Cruise narrate was fun. His expressive voice really perked the thing up, so it wasn't ever in danger of being dry. I'm glad he's taking an interest in the space program. The space program could sure use his help.

I've never been to an IMAX before, so a lot of this was new to me.

The 3D goggles were kind of uncomfortable, but basically they worked pretty well, even over glasses -- though I did have some struggles with them, like when some of my hair got trapped down over my nose and trying to get the things over the clips in my hair that stick out. Maybe women with long hair should wear a bathing cap for this.

When things flew at you, it really did look like they were going to hit you.

Our theater let us go up and see the projection room afterwards, which was well worth the trip. It looks almost as complicated as the space station. The poor guy in there was running around after various reels of film like crazy.