User Reviews

While the 3D is fun and the graphic enhancements terrific (editors and CGI now have a third dimension to work their magic), it's the performance and the music that make this worth seeing. With no fuss or delay, the concert jump starts and it's an amazing non-stop ride even throughout the closing credits.

A special cheer to Peter Anderson and Tom Krueger's cinematography which revels in the epic size of the crowds, and places the band members in beautiful--if formal--juxtaposition to the mass of humanity that's writhing in time to the music. It's all just a little terrifying when you consider four people step out on a stage in front of these cheering numbers (I've one question: Is everyone in Argentina beautiful? I've never seen a more handsome crowd.)

Olivier Wicki eschews fancy editing and uses the impressive set piece that toured with the band and creates beautiful dissolves that include wonderful use of that new third dimension. His restraint is spectacular to watch.

Not since Demme's "Stop Making Sense" has there been such an infusion of unabashed joy on the screen for a rock concert. The song set from the Vertigo tour includes:

"Vertigo" "New Year's Day" "Beautiful Day" "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" "Love and Peace" "Sunday Bloody Sunday" "Bullet the Blue Sky" "Miss Sarajevo" "Pride (In the Name of Love)" "Where the Streets Have No Name" "One" "The Fly" "With or Without You" and, over the closing credits "Yahweh"

You really need to see this in the Imax format if at all possible, but even if forced to watch in an analog television, you'll be thrilled and touched by U2's famed skill and their social conscience.

The peculiar thing about this report is that I am not a rock fan, not by a long shot. Of course, I could not be allowed to live in San Francisco without some appreciation for the Grateful Dead, but that's about it.

When it comes to U2, I know far more about Bono's commendable social activities than of the band's performances.

A labored preamble is necessary to put this in context: "U2 3D" has simply knocked me - a passionate fan of opera and classical music - on my limited-crossover backside. It is a spectacular, musically and visually superb experience, certain to enchant any classical-music fan... if only the fan is not too fanatic to stay away. Watching it, I kept wishing for the "Ring" to be produced with this kind of passion, commitment, hanging ten every moment, and the creation of such stunning images. An important added bonus: unlike other rock films, this one is not deafening, not even in the IMAX setting.

For over a quarter-century, says the PR release, U2 has been recognized not only for their musical innovation, but for their incomparable gift for reaching millions of fans through new technologies. "U2 3D" - the first digital 3-D, multi-camera, real-time production - reflects the band's longstanding embrace of technology and its belief that "U2 3D" has the potential to revolutionize digital 3D technology. Marrying advanced digital 3-D imagery and 5.1 Surround Sound with the unique excitement of a live U2 concert, "U2 3D" takes viewers on an extraordinary cinematic journey, a quantum leap beyond traditional concert films.

Directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington, "U2 3D" is a production of 3ality Digital Entertainment starring Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.

I would detail my rapture about the screening of this most stunning of concert films, but I was pre-empted: read Eliot Van Buskirk's Wired report -

"With 3-D glasses trained on the Imax screen at the Luxor Casino in Las Vegas, I felt I was experiencing more of the U2 concert from my theater chair than I would have in person. Chalk it up to the impossible camera angles, the breathtaking close-ups and panoramas, or the convincing nature of the latest 3-D technology, but I was really there: watching guitarist-keyboardist The Edge play a Fender Rhodes from a vantage point 4 feet above his head, seeing lead singer Bono's hand reach out to the crowd, and flying through a massive stadium lit up by thousands of cellphones waving in unison like a school of glowing sea creatures.

"The capacity crowds filling these South American soccer stadiums go absolutely mad for the music of U2. Their hands wave to the beat just a few feet in front of you. Their enthusiasm is wildly infectious.

"Every development in the history of cinema has always been about making the experience more realistic, whether going from silent to talkies, or black-and-white to color," said John Rodell, the producer I spoke with outside the theater. "We see the world in 3-D, so this is a natural progression, now that the technological limitations have been conquered."

"The 3-D format goes a long way toward making the movie great, but the film would not have been nearly as powerful with the cameras pointed at most other bands. U2's musicians are masterful performers, and the epic nature of their songs and stage act lends itself perfectly to larger-than-life treatment.

"Still, watching a movie is a passive experience; to keep viewers fully engaged for more than an hour, Sassoon Film Design added a smattering of clever visual effects somewhat reminiscent of the square that Uma Thurman's character draws in the air in 'Pulp Fiction'. Post-production staffers also added animated versions of U2's backdrop videos - most notably a series of icons suggesting that the world's major religions are one. To capture multiple band members in the same frame, the filmmakers added as many as five 3-D layers to the final cut.

"Other than that, U2 3D includes little visual or audio trickery. The band insisted that no audio overdubs be included; every note in the film was played live (although for on-stage close-ups, U2 agreed to be filmed playing one show to an empty stadium). "I could make my cat sound like a good singer with Pro Tools," said Rodell, "but we didn't use any of that. What you see there are those guys, playing that night, in front of 90,000 people."

So I went to see this movie being the true U2 fan that I am and I have to say that I wasn't as impressed with this concert as I have been with other concert DVDs such as U2 Go Home: Live at Slane Castle, or Rattle and Hum. The set list was close to what I remember from when I saw them live for the Vertigo tour however some of the more obscure stuff had been edited out. The most obscure song they perform in this version is "Miss Sarajevo". From the new album they play "Vertigo", "Love and Peace", and "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own", with an acoustic version of "Yahweh" during the credits. None of these could be considered my favorite songs from this album unfortunately and the live versions were slightly annoying in my opinion. Other than that you can hear pretty much all the rest of the songs by listening to the radio on any given day. Not that that's a bad thing. I understand the audience is geared towards a very broad and general group and I understand that I am probably in a small percentile of that group who would rather hear some different songs than these. So based on set list I can't rate this much higher than I have. As for the 3D experience, well let me just say it was amazing. I have no doubt that casual and non fans would enjoy this a lot more than I did. As for me, I'm going to watch U2: Go Home again.

I will start by saying that I am a little biased in this review because I am a HUGE U2 fan. I have seen this band live and up close many times. They are incredible live, no band grabs a hold of an audience the way U2 does.

The new 3D film comes as close as possible to showing the viewer what it FEELS like to be at U2 concert. When this film was announced, I was afraid that the film would be a hi tech 3D thrill ride, while it might be cool to look at, the band would be obscured by the 3D theatrics. I was totally wrong!!! The way that the effect is used take nothing away from the performance. It doesn't feel gimmicky in any way. There are a couple of moments where there are some nice animated 3D graphics but they are used sparingly, but to great effect. The important element of the film of course is the band. U2 is still as passionate as ever, and even thought some critics have turned on them for being TOO BIG, they are as relevant as ever, This band's music has always been wide eyed and bigger than life.

This film capture's exactly that!!!! My only wish is that so many great songs were left out of the film.

U2 is the reason to see this film, not the 3D!!!

Grade: A

I was able to see this film at a special screening in France, and I can't get the images out of my head--it was a visual masterpiece! Avoiding the typical (and now antiquated) shooting and editing style of the band's previous pieces and (intentionally?) omitting any backstage interviews, the filmmakers have brought you to a live show in Latin America--to the center of frenzied chaos in the faster songs, grace in the slower ones and then those inexplicable moments where you promise yourself you won't tear up but do--the three best elements of a live U2 show, if you ask me. At one point, I put my hand in the air thinking I was there, because the filmmakers have cleverly positioned the cinema audience behind the live concert audience in the film--you'll even find yourself wanting to tell a guy to put his hand down in front of you, and you'll have to stop yourself. Avoiding any tacky Jaws 3-D style sight gags where any one object is pointing straight at you, the filmmakers instead just grab you, and bring you along for a visually rich and sonically groundbreaking ride--and all you'll pay is a cost of movie ticket.

I am not a huge U2 fan, I know 3-4 songs of theirs, can sing along 2 of those, but this movie was AMAZING! The concert was brilliant, the direction was amazing, everything was well thought of, really worth it actually! I just wish it was more than 80mins, I really enjoyed it.

The new Real D technology is really great, giving beautiful stereoscopic vision, with images extending in front and behind the screen. Just try to sit as close to the screen as possible, and you'll be trying to touch Bono's face or grab his microphone from his hand!

So, this movie made me want to come home and order some U2 albums, I was singing the "Beautiful day" all the way to home, and I've been told that I had this silly smile throughout the screening. All in all, I really enjoyed it and i definitely suggest to all U2 fans, and not only, to go and see this concert!

First off, I'm not a huge fan, but really love their early 80s stuff such as Sunday, Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, etc. My husband is a huge fan and likes the newer music. This blended both and although he wished a few more obscure songs such as "Exit" overall it was great! You can't have everything! I've seen Harry Potter in IMAX 3D and had the reaching out experience and thought I'd be so cool about it, but I did want to reach out and touch Bono/The Edge on several occasions. I also wanted to join in singing/dancing, but it wasn't to be, but my head did bob in time with the music. The camera work was incredible and seeing the monstrous stadium mad me appreciate the smaller ones here in the States! Bono was a little preachy, but that's sort of to be expected Every group needs a 3D movie! I can think of a few to start...

I've been a U2 Fan for 25 years. Unfortunately, I've never seen them live. Until now. And boy was it worth the wait. U23D sets you front row to one of the greatest bands of all time. You feel their presence as though they are playing just for you. The 3D was astonishing, but even without it it stands as one of the greatest concert films I've seen. The lighting, camera work and music make the 85 min running time seem like 20 minutes, I personally wished it was twice as long. This world is filled with atrocities and war, But the one shining star on this planet is Bono. He is a great entertainer and one of the greatest humanitarians on this planet, and for that I praise him and for all that U2 stands for. As a planet we could learn a lot from him. But do yourself a favor, even if you are not a fan, go see this show. You will not be disappointed.

This movie is so good. Nothing I write here can prepare you for how good it is. I though it was crazy that people were paying more to see this at sundance than they would pay to see the show live, but this is 100x better than being there live. We are Lucky to be able to see this show for $10 when it hits theaters this week.

An independent film using 3-D is a phenomenon that we will start seeing more and more of. This movie makes me want to have 3d in my living room. Can't wait for the new 3d player to hit the home The director is a genius. She had every type of 3-d Camera available to her.

You will be hearing a lot about this film coming up.

I went and saw this at the Sundance Film Festival tonight. It is one of/if not the best 3-D movie you'll ever see. If you know you'll never get the chance to see them live, or have an itch for a U2 concert that you just can't scratch, you have to go see this. It was basically that. Much better than your typical concert DVD. There were some pretty good 3D effects too.

My only complaint was that it made me want to get up and and jump to the beat of the music with the crowd, but since its in a theater, you can't get into it as much as you'd like. Otherwise though, you should really check it out.

I took my husband as a Valentine adventure to the IMAX in downtown Austin. My cynical nature had me prepared for unnecessary 3-D actions, but the naturalness the band used when interacting with the cameras was a testament to what consummate performers they are. I did find myself annoyed a few times with the waving arms and the people on the shoulders only because in my enraptured state I thought it was people in the theater.....duh. Glad I fought the urge to shout, "OY! Down in front!" The disclaimer from the theater staff at the beginning about the volume level they were required to play the film at made me nervous at first as I was afraid of having ringing ears the rest of the evening. It was concert loud but not too loud and it helped cover for the fact that I ended up singing along in my nasally off-key Midwestern tones and no one around me could hear it! I wished people in the theater had gotten the urge to jump up and dance and truly immerse themselves in the concert feel of it! I would have joined in, but was too scared to be the first and perhaps only one. I like to have fun, but loathe to be "that person" that gets discussed over dinner afterward. I had to laugh at the times I flinched when crowd action caught me off-guard. I was moved by the whole experience and it made me long for the days when I was young enough to brave festival seating. Only wish I had heard The Edge do "Numb"....maybe next 3-D Dfilm? In the meantime, going to play my Rattle and Hum and Zooropa DVDs to keep the buzz going....

I saw this last night and I was very impressed. I have not been so riveted by any movie in a long, long time. I was wearing a winter jacket and I did not even take it off....I figured, when there is a 5-second lull, I will take it off. There never was. I went with 4 other people, and the person I thought was beside me actually wasn't, and I did not realize until the movie had ended, because I literally did not turn my head that far once until it was over.

Unlike Rattle + Hum (which I liked), there is no yakking, no other musicians. It's them and you and it feels very personal. A couple of times, Bono got right in my face. And 2 or 3 times, it was like, OK Adam, I like you, but just give me a little room please.

The 3-D illusion was very good, honestly nothing 'gimmicky' was done. In 3-D they always have things flying at you, whatever. In this movie it was just used to make you feel you were there, not like you were going to get poked with a drumstick or something. The camera-work was inventive but far less flashy than Phil Joanou's in R+H and the vids he did for them.

The sound where I saw it (Winnipeg, Manitoba, at Portage Place) was extremely suitable to the situation. Not uncomfortably loud, but clear and punchy, as you'd want it to be at the real show. Loud enough that I could not hear the 2 teenagers blabbing away beside me.

I went there expecting the admission to be either $8.75 or $12.00. It was actually $15. So they need to update that listing, but it was absolutely very well worth it. It is playing here twice a night for the next 3 months. I will definitely go at least once more.

U2 is my favorite band, and in my bucket list, was to attend one of their shows.

In the past, i tried to hear them from outside the stadium, but i went the day before the concert. How dumb i am !

Now, with this 3-D movie, i share this experience for real! It's all the more important that i get more and more deaf and i don't know how long i would hear their music.

So, thanks to their initiative: At a time when labels are desperate for CD sells, U2 shows that they are truly a great innovative band! From now, if every shows can be lived in theaters, the gold mine is here to exploit!

All the energy from live (music, communion) without the inconveniences (price, crowd, distance,...)!

U2 delivers there a great show and the visual is astounding!

The only minus is their tracks-listings! It never changes: 0 songs from "Rattle", "Zooropa" or "Pop", and they aren't bad albums!

Finally, U2 stay the same and sings with heart for peace and love, but always with the same songs while they got hundreds classics!

However, U2 have my ticket for their next....movie ! Don' wait 20 years!!!

Not my cup of tea...I enjoy bands that aren't so politically biased. Therefore I do not spend or waste my time with U2. I now heard Bono doesn't care for his bands name plus is embarrassed by some of their songs.... I agree😎

When I saw previews for "U2 3D", I thought it would be a normal type concert movie, only in 3D. The problem is, though, I was wrong. I saw it Saturday night at a 3-D theater and was just impressed what I saw, what all the effects were. I saw U2 Rattle and Hum and was good, but this was way better. I thought that the way that U2 3D was made and all of the 3-D effects that there were, it was the best. Now the question will be, "will it come out on DVD?" Hopefully, because I would just love to own a piece of history. For you who haven't seen it, see it now. See it because if they do decide to not put it on DVD, you will miss out on a great piece of history. Even though I'm a U2 fan and even if you aren't, you will for certain enjoy it. Who knows, maybe your favorite band will make a 3-D concert film at a point.

I just attended an advance screening of "U2 3D" and let me tell you, as far as I am concerned I saw U2 in concert. The amazing film literally transports you into the thick of things, and you are right along there with U2 themselves and 100,000 screaming fans.

I agree with a previous reviewer who stated that he wanted to tell the people in front of him to put their hands down only to realize that the hands belonged to people in the movie - the 3D effect is that good. When Bono looks at you - he LOOKS right at you! And the advanced digital sound system that IMAX theaters employ is so crisp, powerful and loud, this is perhaps the only way to hear U2.

If there is one negative, it's that some of the editing is a bit fast - too fast. It's not ultra fast flash-cutting, but within the 3D image, we have so much information and you are naturally trying to absorb it and before you even get half of it, they cut to the next scene.

But that is merely a minor complaint that is actually a backwards compliment. If this is the future of cinema to come, I can't wait. James Cameron's "Avatar" never seemed further away.

$13 is a lot to pay for a movie, but that's not the way to think about U23D. $13 is, on the other hand, a vanishingly small amount to pay for prime, nay impossible, access at a live U2 performance. THAT is what you get with U23D.

I was fortunate enough to have the chance to see the movie with my wife and some friends at the Edwards Marquee IMAX theater in Houston. As a U2 fan since the early 1980s I figured I'd enjoy it, and had the general notion that the IMAX/3D presentation would add to that enjoyment... but I was still unprepared for the riveting, unforgettable experience that this film delivers!

Our friends and my wife are probably less rabid U2 fans than I've been over the years, but they were completely captivated as well. We stood around in front of the theater in the late-night chill afterward and marveled... at the gorgeous in-your-face visuals and well-mixed sound, the startling (but not distracting or overpowering) occasional graphic special effects, and the pulsating energy of the porteño crowd in the film, conveyed flawlessly in 3D.

But above all, the music - as only U2 can conceive and deliver it, with the passion and power that comes from almost three decades of transcending musical, political and cultural barriers wherever they have gone - makes U23D a movie worth the effort to seek out in one of the few theaters capable of showing it.

Whether you consider yourself a U2 fan or not, I can only conclude: Go. See. This.

A terrific live concert performance by a band at the peak of their popularity, you join an MCG sized crowd in South America and listen to some of this supergroup's best songs.

In the past, I've been disappointed by 3D movies which utilised those glasses with a red tint on one side & a blue tint on the other. For the me the effect didn't seem to work & if it did, it was in an unrealistic way.

This movie utilised the far superior system of blue tinted spectacles-& you get a pair for free when you pay the requisite $18 to see this at the cinema. The spectacles themselves are more robust than the red/blue ones, especially the ones you get in those magazine promotions. Of course, the more movies you watch in 3D, the less attractive the premium for the glasses...they'll pile up. A discount if you don't need the glassed would be good.

Combined with some great cinematography, the 3D effects are good but rarely utilised to full effect. The best instances of 3D effects are when you get a top down view of the drummer & his kit and the occasional incidental shot of a mic stand in the extreme foreground...well, the occasional shot of a hand waving in the audience, in the extreme foreground, looking towards the stage is pretty good too.

Towards the end of the concert you do get some better use of the 3D effect-where the bassist & the lead singer do a rock pose & you get a hand or fret poking out at you.

Visually, the effect is hyper-real & lights, spot-lights & smoke are superbly used for effect.

As for the music, I'm not a hard-core fan of the band, but the first few songs in the set kept me glued to my seat (but I never left my seat in any case). The sound is not as deafening as it can be in superplexes sometimes. Bass & drums are suitably rattling. If this movie is showing at an Imax, I'd probably recommend you see it there (check out my review of the last Potter movie, which had 3D for reasons why).

Would give around 9/10 if it had a handful of some of my other fave songs, like Mysterious Ways, Numb and Gloria etc.

Amusingly, the audience reaction for the song "Pride", I think, or maybe it's "One" is like something out of Hillsong...i.e. you know those evangelical singalongs where the crowd raise their hands in ecstasy?

I saw this film at the IMAX in Baltimore on Sunday with a sold out crowd. I must say, as far as I'm concerned, I saw U2 in concert. Not only did I see them in concert, I felt like I was right there in the audience and on the stage with the band. The 3-D technology used was incredible! There were seven in my group and each of us walked out of the theater totally blown away by what we had just seen. Even if you took away the 3-D, you would still have one excellent concert film. The sound was perfectly mixed and at just the right output levels. It really sounded like you were at a rock concert without needing earplugs. However, adding the 3-D dimension took this concert to the next level.

From the show opener of "Vertigo", to the closing number "With or Without You", this concert film pulls you in and makes you feel like you are there. It's U2 playing for you! And believe me, at times it will seem that Bono is not only singing to you, but also reaching out to you (some people in the audience reached back).

A must see-you won't be disappointed. 10 out of 10 stars!

As a life long U2 fan who has seen the band live many times, including in LA, Seattle, Berlin and Vancouver, B.C., I went into this skeptical a movie could capture the experience of a live U2 performance.

But U2 3D was an absolutely amazing experience that anyone who even remotely likes U2 should see.

U2's music takes flight live, and this movie captures their passion and energy, managing to transport you into the stadium and even onto the stage in ways I never imagined possible.

Bono sounds great, the Edge is his usual brilliant self, the heaving, sweaty South American crowd goes nuts and the unique 3d experience helps bring the beauty and power of U2's music to life.

Inspirational. Spiritual.

I loved it. Go see it.

How so? Consider that I am the most casual of fan. I don't own any of their albums, haven't and don't intend to buy a concert ticket, and am largely unfamiliar with their catalog outside of their mega-hits. When their songs come on the radio I don't switch the channel, but I don't turn up the volume either.

That being said, I was amazed with this film. I watched slack-jawed the entire time. The best 3d I've ever seen. I must admit, the band was incredible. It's the convergence of their performance in this film and the new "3ality" technology that make this an absolute must- see. Not to mention the almost lyrical shots make this seem more like a work of art. A singularly incredible sensory experience!

Even if you have a multiplex close to you equipped with digital projection showing the film (it comes out Feb 22nd for many non-Imax runs), I suggest going out of your way to find this at an Imax location; the bigger picture and better sound will make a difference. At the very least, see it on the big screen. It will lose much at home, 3d or not.

I suppose if their music grates on you, then sure, wait for the next live-action film shot in 3ality to be released. All others, move this one to the top of your list.

9.5 out of 10