I'm not an avid sports fan but I like taking a look at movies like Ultimate X. Even with the short 39 minute time limit, the movie still manages to make you enjoy it. It's pretty much lots of footage gathered from past X-Games enhanced to fit the huge IMAX screens that it was shown on. Many people don't like watching IMAX movies on video because you lose the greatness of the movie. I will agree but the movie while not being presented in widescreen (it's presented in 1.33:1 fullscreen, not a shock for these IMAX transfers) the image still looks very nice. The audio doesn't suffer much either, because you not only get a Dolby Digitl 5.1 track, you get a wall pounding DTS 5.1 track also. Over the two, I'd pick the DTS because it was more bass filled and more environment enveloping but if you don't want to wake up your neighbors listen to the DD 5.1 because it has almost the same ambience just a slightly softer track. They're both good don't get me wrong but I'd pick the DTS. I didn't get a chance to take a look at the bonus features on the DVD, but from a look at the titles they looked really interesting....
March 3, 2003I just got this DVD, it is the coolest thing. I love the movie, and the extras are awesome. There are so many, I can't hardly watch them all. The menus are really cool as well... I have never scene DVD menus like this before. I definetly recommend this DVD for anyone who likes the X-Games or sports in general. These guys (and girls) are amazing atheletes!!! This DVD Rocks!!!
February 7, 2003ESPN's Ultimate X is the most entertaining IMAX film that I have seen. It features Thrills galore with amazing stunts done on moto cross vehicles, skateboards, BMX racing bikes, and the Street Luge. The music in the film also provides a rush and ads a lot to the stunts performed. The only thing I didn't understand was in the opening credits, they showed a guy doing stunts on a wakeboard, and I got really excited thinking that they were going to have a segment on wakeboarding. But, as the movie time wound down, there wasn't one. So I was kinda disappointed, but it wasn't really a flaw in the movie. It was very well made. I also didn't like how it was only 40 minutes long because I ached for more. It was a fun film, and I think that it has something for everyone to enjoy. The 75 year old grandma taking tickets at the door kept talking to me about how neat it was. This movie is definitely worth your time. Check it out!!!
December 24, 2002Bruce Hendricks's did a wonderful job with this documentary on the X-Games. The film has some of the best cinematography I have ever seen in a sports movie. The best segments were the sequences involving Freestyle Motorcross.
These sequences had booming, yet tastefully used scoring for music. The way the camera is used is very nice, the shots are extremely clean and varied; making the films like "Childeren of a Metal God", and "Crusty Demons of Dirt" look ametuerish. The audience begins to love Pastrana and hate Deegan. So there is a sense of characterization in this flick. Still this pales in comparison to Bruce Brown's 1971 classic "On Any Sunday".
The skateboarding sequences are also suberb. Hendricks's is a good story teller, and makes these seemigly bland andrenaline junkies seem like the real people that they are.
The downsides are the lack of naration other than that of the athletes and commentators. It would have been better without the ESPN commentators for their commentary in the movie seemed to be rather patronizing, and at its worst, propaganda for ESPN.
Also the street luge was well shot, but was just style without substance.
Overall a movie defintely worth seeing if you like good cinematography, well done documentaries, or just like guys going all out.
December 10, 2002I saw this movie at the premier with Carey Hart, Metal Mulisha, and many others. Packed fun and a great movie. Only in IMAX las Vegas!
August 31, 2002More reviews at Amazon.com ...
Daily Birthdays
(6 reviews)
