We’ve always been a big fan of the James Bond Franchise (most specifically the Sean Connery and Roger Moore incarnations, although we have come to truly appreciate Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming’s Superspy), so much so that it has even influenced our own work, and while we recently reviewed Skyfall, Bond’s latest outing, we just recently got to revisit that outstanding thriller on the giant IMAX screen at the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium, where we were all but overwhelmed by the outstanding visuals to which we were treated while (re)viewing this outstanding film.
The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk has the largest IMAX Theater in Conn, with its screen towering as tall a six-story building. The Aquarium recently renovated the theater installing comfortable new seats — complete with cup holders — new floor and wall treatments, as well as a new stage for live presentations. Even the ticket lobby has been overhauled and a concession stand installed. Given that an IMAX film is the world’s largest format rendering films some 10Xs larger than “standard” films you are completely engulfed in the movie as the IMAX format captures the slightest details with an amazing clarity.
Needless to say, with Norwalk’s IMAX theater, it’s not just about the amazing visuals, the theater also boasts an astounding 12,000-watt, laser-aligned, digital surround-sound audio system that allows you hear even the slightest whisper, while also being able to totally rock the house during the film’s more flamboyant sequences. These systems combine for the most immersive movie-going thrill you’re ever likely to have. Equipped with 310 seats, there is plenty of seating for not only box-office films, but the wonderful documentaries for which the theater is primarily used. It is by supplementing the theater’s revenue stream by showing Hollywood films that the Aquarium (a non-profit institution) is able to support its mission to protect Long Island Sound.
As a rule, the IMAX Theater shows documentary and nature films during the day on during the week and on weekends with Hollywood films shown in twin evening performances on weekends. Currently Skyfall is playing Fridays through Sunday nights until February 10th.
As for the Bond film itself, MI6’s leading operative, Bond (Craig) are on a mission in Turkey to recover a computer hard drive stolen containing a list of Britain’s undercover agents that have been embedded into numerous terrorist organizations. Unfortunately, during the chase, Bond is accidently shot in the shoulder (by his novice co-agent), and is considered “missing, presumed killed”.
Needless to say, reports of his death were greatly exaggerated, and Bond eventually returns to active service when MI6 HQ is targeted by a terrorist and blown to kingdom come. Bond is then tasked to track down Raoul Silva (Bardem), a former MI6 agent who holds M (Dench) responsible for his torture and imprisonment by the Chinese several years earlier.
Eventually Bond tracks Silva down and captures him, only it turns out that Silva is something of a master planner and used his own capture to get close enough to M to kill her. Even though this film proved to be something of a more personal nature in regards to Bond’s character, it did manage to introduce a new cast of actors into several old roles theoretically with the intent of moving the franchise forward as we are (hopefully) treated to more traditional Bondian-style adventures.
Skyfall at The Maritime Aquarium's IMAX Theater
At 6:30 & 9:15 p.m. Fridays
At 6 & 8:45 p.m. Saturdays
At 6 p.m. Sundays
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Robert J. Sodaro has been reviewing films for nearly 30 years. During that time, his movie reviews and articles have appeared in numerous print publications, as well as here and elsewhere on the web.
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