As you might have noticed from my previous reviews, my D-BOX SRP-120 Motion Platform, along with my Xbox 360, is one of my favorite gadgets. Since there aren't many people with that cool toy yet, it makes my motion reviews quite original. So far I only reviewed games but if you look at the D-BOX web site, you will notice that they support over 800 movies on DVDs and Blu-Ray discs. The same motion platform can be used for both movies and games (you do need a different controller unfortunately).Is there a better movie to benchmark a system than Star Wars? Of course not! More than 30 years since its release, Star Wars is still the reference. The influence the Star Wars movies had on the whole cinema industry are still felt today. But haven't I already fully experienced Star Wars? I have seen these movies at least a hundred times (no kidding!). I watched them in pan & scan (when I didn't know better) and widescreen. I heard them in the original language and dubbed, in mono, stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1. I have seen them on Beta, VHS, analog TV (with ads), Laser Disc, DVD, digital cable, standard theater (1997 Special Editions and the prequel trilogy), IMAX theater (Episode 2), digital theater (Episode 3). And more precisely, what about the classic trilogy? I have seen the original 1977, 1980 and 1983 editions, the 1997 Special Editions and the 2004 DVD Editions. Yes I though I had seen them all... but I was wrong!
So here it is, a review of the Star Wars DVDs with D-BOX Motion Code!
Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope
I don't think I need to describe the movie. Unless you lived under a rock for the last 30 years, you know the story. It's the one that started it all! Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Obi-Wan, rescues princess Leia with Han and Chewbacca and finally blows up the Death Star. Simple yet effective!
What about the motion though? I only have one word to say: AMAZING! I had chills down my spine when seeing, I mean feeling, the Tantive IV (rebel ship) being shot by The Executor (imperial destroyer) at the beginning of the movie. The motion and vibrations really add a whole new experience to Star Wars. You will feel effects about everywhere you would expect them (and won't be disappointed). You will also have some surprises but you will never feel inappropriate motion and vibrations when there shouldn't be any.
The best motion effects are experienced when you are aboard a space ship. The Millenium Falcon steals the show here when leaving Mos Eisley and being attacked by Star Destroyers, arriving to the destroyed Alderaan and being pulled by the Death Star tractor beam and finally fighting TIE Fighters while escaping the Death Star. The final Death Star battle also includes very nice motion effects. Furthermore, vibrations effects are also used effectively for gun shots (every gun shot feels different), massive explosions (Alderaan, Death Star) and subtle Sandcrawler (vehicle used by the Jawas) movement. There is also an interesting mix of motion and vibration when Luke is using its Lanspeeder, it makes you feel like you are floating. The final fight between Vader and Obi-Wan also uses a good mix of motion and vibration.
I expected these effects and I wasn't disappointed. On the other hand, I felt some unexpected, but very cool, motion effects. I felt like I was being thrown when Vader throws Captain Antilles at the beginning of the movie. Same thing when Chewbacca throws an imperial officer trying to reach the holding cells to free Leia. I think only 1 effect was missing: it would have been great to have a subtle effect of back pitch when a stormtrooper hits his head when entering the control room where C-3PO and R2-D2 are hiding (the fans obviously know about this but the casual viewer probably never even noticed this).
Star Wars: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back
The best movie ever made. Could it be even better with motion? The short answer is yes! This one is about Luke meeting Yoda to continue his training, Han being captured by Boba Fett and, of course, Luke learning that Vader is his father.
As soon as I felt the motion effects of the probe droid pods being dispatched from the Star Destroyer to find the rebel base at the beginning of the movie, I knew this one was going to be as awesome as the previous one.
As expected, the motion effects of the ships are really great. The battle of Hoth with snowspeeders is amazing, you feel like you are part of the action, flying alongside the rebel team. The same can be said about the multiple scenes of the Millenium Falcon, including the famous escape through the asteroid field! Furthermore, there are many scenes screaming for extreme vibrations and we are being served (the scene where imperial troops are blasting their way through the rebel base on Hoth and the one where the giant worm is getting pissed after Han shot him from the inside).
The fight scene between Vader and Luke also benefits from the D-BOX system. It starts with many motion effects that make you feel like you are doing a lightsaber duel. As the fight goes on and the intensity gets stronger, you will really feel the, once subtle, vibration effects upon lightsaber impacts. There is also a nice subtle "floating" effect when carbonite Han is being moved to the Slave-1 (the ship used by Boba Fett) cargo hold.
This proves that the best movie ever made can be even better...
Star Wars: Episode 6 - Return of the Jedi
Return of the Jedi is a good movie to end the original saga. Basically, as you know, Luke and his friends rescue Han from Jabba the Hutt, the rebel alliance destroys the second Death Star and the emperor and Vader die.
The first part of the movie seems to have less motion effects than the previous movies. This is perfectly fine as the on-screen action isn't suited to motion effects at the beginning. The first major scene featuring many effects is the scene where Luke fights the Rancor. Even though it is not a scene including ships, I was impressed at how effective it is. It makes the Rancor seem even more massive, you feel like you are being part of the action, fighting with Luke. Another awesome scene is the one where Luke escapes on Jabba's Sail Barge near the Sarlacc Pit. Many vibrations reproduce the multiple gun shots. The motion effects are also great as there is a lot of moving and jumping around from Luke as well as the flying barge moving.
The fights on the moon of Endor and in space around the Death Star also don't disappoint. Extensive use of motion is done, as it should be. Furthermore, a more subtle, but effective, use of motion and vibration is felt while Luke fights Vader in the final confrontation. The question you are probably wondering now is which scene is the coolest one with motion effect... The Endor speeder bike chase or the navigation through the Death Star tunnels? I have been thinking about this and can't decide, you'll have to feel them to make your mind. As Han said to Lando, "Good luck, you are going to need it" if you want to decide :).
The 3 movies from the classic trilogy are awesome with motion but, while it is a pretty close call, overall Episode 6 has the best motion effects.
Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace
The Phantom Menace is the first movie of the prequel saga. This is obviously the story of Anakin Skywalker but the important part is that it is the beginning of the rise of Palpatine as the supreme chancellor which will eventually lead to the birth of the Empire: while saving Queen Amidala from the Trade Federation, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan meet Anakin Skywalker who is to be trained to become a Jedi. A special note about this DVD is that the image quality is not very good. This was the first Star Wars movie to be released on DVD and it shows. Unlike the other movies, the picture is plagued with edge enhancement.
As you would expect now, the motion effects are put to good use in every space ship scenes. Very similar motion effects are also played when Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Jar Jar are using the Bongo (Gungan submarine). On the other hand, when the same group first goes to the underwater city, a very cool motion effect (new to me) is used to simulate the action of swimming. I was also impressed by the subtle mix of motion and vibration when the first droidekas (Destroyer Droids) attack Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon at the beginning of the movie. You feel them rolling, deploying, putting their shield on and then starting to shoot.
The final battle of the movie is very impressive motion wise. You get a great range of motion and vibration effects since you've got space ships flying, shooting and exploding, hoovering tanks moving and shooting, a Gungan army and a small militia group from Naboo shooting and, of course, the final lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Darth Maul. The motion and vibration effects are as diversified as the on-screen action so it really adds to the whole experience.
Although this is a really great scene for motion, my favorite scene is the famous pod race. It seems it was designed for the D-BOX motion system. When the race is about to begin and all the pod racers start their engine, you feel the vibration of every engine. This is not a "generic engine effect" used for every pod, it is different for each one and matches the specific sound and visual of the pod. Once the race starts, you feel the acceleration as if you were in the pod turning left and right and even jumping.
The only disappointment I had related to the motion rendering of this movie is that I expected some effect when Jar Jar is pushed by Sebulba when they first meet in Mos Espa. This is a very minor observation but after what was done in Episode 4 (Vader throwing Antilles and Chewbacca throwing some stomtroopers) I expected a similar result.
Star Wars: Episode 2 - Attack of the Clones
Now that the bases are established for the new trilogy, it is time for some action. The story is about the rise to power of Palpatine and the beginning of the clone war. After an assassination attempt on Senator Amidala's life, Obi-Wan investigates a bounty hunter called Jango Fett and discovers the creation of the clone army while Anakin starts to fall to the dark side.
The motion and vibration effects impress almost as soon as the movie begins. We can feel some great effects while Anakin and Obi-Wan chase Zam Wessel (the bounty hunter hired by Jango Fett) through Coruscant. The other effects in the first part of the movie are more subtle, as it should be, following the on-screen events but it doesn't mean these effects are weak. For example, when Zam programs and sends her droid to kill Amidala, we can experience a nice effect as the droid leaves to reach its destination.
On the other hand, the last part (specially the last third of the movie) is quite the opposite. So far, it is the most intense experience I have had with the D-BOX motion system. It starts with the fight between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett on Kamino. This fight is a good opportunity to discover "new" effects since it doesn't really involve flying ships and lightsabers. Then there is non stop action resulting in multiple motion and vibration effects. The space fight where Jango Fett and the Slave-1 drops seismic charges is enhanced by some impressive motion. Motion seems to add even more to the scene as there is no sound when the charge is dropped but it is followed by a high volume explosion, creating an even more dramatic effect. Basically, this scene is followed by the arena fight, leading to the ultimate Jedi battle involving clones, droids, chases and, of course, duels (Anakin, Obi-Wan, Dooku and Yoda).
Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith
This is the best movie from the prequel trilogy and I think it is the Star Wars movie that benefits the most from the D-BOX motion system. You know the story: Anakin becomes Darth Vader and the Emperor executes almost every jedi. The only hope of the rebel alliance is the offspring of Anakin, hidden from him.
I don't have much to say about the motion and vibration effects of this movie except that they are awesome. From the beginning to the end you will feel them since there is almost non-stop action. I would have to describe the whole movie to highlight the strong parts :). This is the movie that should be used as a demo of any D-BOX system!
Conclusion
As you noticed, I made movies to show some of the motion effects (you can't see vibrations unfortunately, you need to sit on the chair to feel them). I chose some of the scenes with the most intense effects that are generated continuously through the whole sequence so that it is easier to see. Remember, if you haven't seen the Star Wars movies with D-BOX motion code, you haven't seen them at all!
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