Film Review: Best of 3D (The Ultimate 3D Collection)

I’ve become a big fan of 3D films since buying a 3D TV and so just had to try the ‘Best of 3D’ Blu Ray from the Ultimate 3D Collection when I saw it on Amazon for only £10.

I knew it was a collaboration of award-winning short films and clips with a total running time of just over two and a half hours, but the reviews I had read online seemed to be very mixed. Naturally after watching and developing my own opinions, I felt it made sense for me to write my own.

‘Best of 3D’ begins with a short animation starring Surly the squirrel and Buddy the rat from 3D feature film The Nut Job. Being a fan of the feature length version, I was pleased to see the two characters and more importantly very impressed by the excellent short which boasted awesome 3D effects. The clips that follow include a documentary on outer space which (despite incredible visuals) goes on a little too long and sadly passes the point of being interesting. Unfortunately I became bored enough to fast forward to the next instalment – underwater footage of a deep sea scuba dive. My overall comment for this part would be that it is also far longer than necessary but nevertheless gripping. The shipwreck scenes are particularly impressive with many different types of fish collaborating to create an onscreen visual spectacle. There are also superb shots of turtles swimming around freely in their natural habitat. Additionally there are a couple of short films presenting footage from various locations around the world, the first of which is ‘The View’ which showcases breath-taking sights throughout America. I particularly enjoyed the images of New York City’s skyline as the 3D effects were astounding. ‘Easter Island’ is also excellent but surreal enough to make you feel dizzy! A stunning montage of a hot air balloon experience is next. With a high degree of verisimilitude, this is absolutely fabulous and makes you feel as though you’re actually experiencing the ride for yourself at certain points.

Random exerts of 3D follow in a high quality montage of short clips ranging from smashing wine glasses to bouncing balloons and from blossoming flowers to burning embers. There are plenty of sporting shots too – of surfing, skateboarding, and more diving. These are all amazing but some clips are a little hard to focus on at times. My personal favourites are the basketball and boxing clips in which the images literally reach out away from the screen and therefore have the wow factor for me. Other clips are far less impressive, including the card trick scenes which I felt were very poor. A short film showcasing a firework display follows, which is very realistic and absolutely mesmerising in terms of its visual effects. There are also some spectacular shots of bars, restaurants and numerous methods of transport. The final section is the ‘Storm Surfers’ documentary which again is a little longer than necessary but demonstrates excellent use of 3D during extensive displays of splashing water. On the whole ‘Best of 3D’ is definitely more of a visual spectacle than a narrative based film. It does include some mediocre footage and it is far longer than it needs to be, but the good parts are absolutely excellent and ultimately make watching it worthwhile. As a result, I feel that this is a must have for any 3D fan that likes to be immersed in what can only be described as a great viewing experience.

MY RATING: