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U2 in 3D: GIANTS AMONG US |
Bono, Larry, Adam and The Edge lived among us. On rare occasions, we
caught a glimpse of them. Maybe a shadow, an outline. But wherever
they walked, U2 left a big impression. We'll tell our grandkids about
these four gentle giants.
One of the stranger, more elliptical verses in the Bible comes in
Genesis 6:4: "There were giants in the earth in those days." Somehow I
don't think that refers to dinosaurs. But what does it mean? People
were bigger then? They walked with more presence? Carried themselves
differently? I never understood that verse until I saw U2 in 3-D.
The sheer magnitude of what they have accomplished overwhelmes me. How
can four rather modest Irish gents galvanize an audience with such
authority? How did four rich, spoiled rock stars remain grounded
enough to stick together, to create something much larger than
themselves? How can God raise up such unlikely prophets? Their
career and back catalogue is a miracle we've all been privileged to
witness.
I saw them in Atlanta during their Unforgetable Fire tour. They sang
"Pride in the Name of the Love" on the same day they talked with
Martin's widow, Coretta Scott King. I saw them in Los Angeles during
the Zoo TV tour. What an overwhelming audio visual experience. And yet
the most memorable U2 show I have experienced occurred in a movie
theater, watching them projected in 3-D.
The size, the scope, the intensity of their concerts comes alive in
this cinematic breakthrough. I feared that the technology would prove
distracting. Visions of plastic glasses with red and blue lenses
danced in my head. But U2 3D is wholly unlike any three dimensional
movie we've ever seen. The images are so tactile, the sound is so
crisp, that it literally puts viewers onstage, bouncing with the band.
U2 3D documents a stadium show in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Vertigo
Tour includes songs from "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" like
"Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own" and "Love and Peace or
Else." But the core of the concert is U2's greatest hits. It is a
"Thank You" to their fans, a literal valentine.
Congratulations to directors Catherine Owen and Mark Pellington for
resisting the temptation to indulge in camera tricks. They trust the
music to make its own provocative case. After the initial "wow"
factor, I settled into my seat for a powerful musical experience. The
editing is smooth, the use of fades and dissolves quite compelling.
U2 3D effectively incorporates the visual elements from the stage
show, especially the graphics and lighting. There are dramatic
highlights that took my breathe away and reduced me to tears. U2 3D
brings it all back home.
U2's best songs still sound remarkably prescient. "Sunday Bloody
Sunday's" shouts of "How long?!" are unfortunately relevant today.
"Bullet the Blue Sky" is all too apt for Iraq. Bono straps on a
headband that urges us to "Coexist." The cooperation of the Abraham
faith traditions–Jews, Christians, Muslims–is more necessary than
ever. If we refuse to build bridges, that headband will become a
blindfold, an accomplice to terror. "Miss Sarajevo" rises as a tender
ballad and a desperate prayer. U2 upholds the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights as a timely reminder to us all.
The latter half of the concert pulls out classics like "Where the
Streets Have No Name", "One," and "With or Without You." They sound
more like heavenly visions, biblical psalms, with each passing year.
Kudos to producer Sandy Climan and the 3ality team that put together
this awesome fusion of sound and fury. It premiered at the 2008
Sundance Film Fest this-and is playing at IMAX theaters around the
world.
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