Skyscraper 3D Blu-ray Review
Updated: Apr 8, 2023
Skyscraper is a 2018 action thriller with Dwayne Johnson as the star. It's about an ex-military dad named Will Sawyer with his wife and kids who live in the tallest and safest (although those two words shouldn't really go hand in hand) building in the world. But when a group of people aim to set the building on fire and get their hands on something that belongs to the buildings owner, Will's family gets caught in the crossfires and it's up to Will to make his way into the building, find and rescue his family, and get to the bottom of the bad guy's overall plan.
Skyscraper is the type of film you watch and then quickly forget. It's more of a theme park ride than an actual movie. Those elements can work well hand in hand if executed intelligently, but that's not what the film was going for here. It aims to go for the likes of Dwayne Johnson's past movies such as San Andreas and Rampage, where the action is fantastic but the story and characters are extremely cliched. But this time, it puts The Rock in the midst of a mixture between Die Hard and The Towering Inferno (I certainly wasn't the first to make that comparison). So if you're coming in looking for a movie on the same level as Die Hard, a film that made its characters, writing, and plot as interesting as the action itself, than don't even bother with this one.
But if you're not asking whether the movie is objectively good but rather if it gives the intense thrill ride the movie promises, than I'm here to say this movie happily does. If you're afraid of heights, this film will certainly get your adrenaline rushing. I'll get to more about how well action works in detail when I get to the 3D review. But if you have watched the trailer for yourself, you know just how crazy this movie is. Sure, we have a bit of exposition to get through when the film first begins. But once the action starts going, it never lets up. And goes to some pretty insane heights, if you know what I mean.
There's obviously not really much to Skyscraper beyond that. And yes, it's not an objectively great movie. But as a forgettable action movie goes with plenty of terror and gimmicky action, I personally had a fun time. And if that's the kind of flick you're looking for on a rainy Saturday afternoon, than Skyscraper will probably be worth checking out.
OVERALL FILM RATING: 3.5/5
Dwayne Johnson, skyscraper, fire, these all combined together seem like a shoe in for an amazing 3D flick. Does the film live up to that? The short answer is yes. There are a few things to get out of the way, but other than that, the 3D is for sure the way to go with this movie.
Let me start out with the more lackluster side of Skyscraper's 3D. There are plenty of scenes that take place inside the building itself, or in other tight areas. And while the 3D still provides good realistic space and separation of characters, the utilization of the 3D itself is still on the unimpressive side. Even when there is action going on involving fire, guns, and hand to hand combat, the added depth never really seems to add much to the overall experience. We do get some guns popping out of the screen at times, but even that seems to be the only real effort this movie takes at going beyond the frame.
Luckily, those scenes don't take up most of the movie. And the scenes that are on the outside of the building are what make this movie in 3D worth the price of admission. When you are on the ground looking up to the building, you get the feeling you are actually looking up the building. Pretty much all outdoor shots look realistic and mesmerizing, with depth going back into the screen an appropriate amount. And that especially makes the experience much more frightening when you're up high. The sequence when Will is climbing the crane and jumping up to the building is a 3D standout with the 3D choreography perfectly giving the feeling of being of actually standing on a really tall crane. Whenever the scene takes us just outside on the wall of the building, the 3D puts us in that terrifying environment. Other fantastic scenes take place inside the "Pearl" at the top of the building. When in the walls from the inside of the "Pearl" change to appear as if you're right standing on the sky looking down over the cityscape, view is simply stunning. The "Pearl" also has many different mirrors that make mesmerizing use of 3D. And while most scenes inside the skyscraper itself might not look amazing in 3D, whenever there is a sci-fi looking elevator or a gigantic room with bridges, jungle-like foliage, and fire, the enhancement of depth makes everything that much more immersive .
Factoring everything the 3D here isn't exactly The Walk levels of impressive. But when we see the skyscraper from the outside in all its high perilous glory, the 3D is simply incredible. Does it enhance every scene, not really. But the ones it does make the 3D conversion absolutely worth it. All in all, Skyscraper is a fun 3D movie for anybody that enjoys action at extreme heights.
3D RATING: GREAT
Other sources that review this movie's 3D (the opinions expressed in these reviews may not always match up with mine. But if you want a second opinion on this movie's 3D, these are some places I recommend checking out):
Cinemablend's To 3D or Not Review: https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2449460/to-3d-or-not-to-3d-buy-the-right-skyscraper-ticket#:~:text=Skyscraper%20would%20make%20a%20killer,not%20a%20must%20see%20experience.
High-Def Digest's Review: https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/61481/skyscraper3d.html
Tommy Boy 3D's Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed7N_duYkNg
Shane Lee's Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbYjcaQM_GU
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Skyscraper isn't by any means a must-buy. But for anyone interested in it, it delivers the action and thrills you're looking. It's a fun movie overall. And if you're going for this movie at all, certainly go for the 3D version. It might not be the best 3D experience around, but it for sure is the best way to watch Skyscraper. With all the vertigo inducing imagery on display aided by the fantastic depth, this movie was made for 3D from the get go. If you want to watch a great 3D action movie, this one gets my recommendation.
DID YOU LIKE "SKYSCRAPER" IN 3D
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