Palace Amusement Limited has unveiled 4DX technology at Carib 5, its flagship location in Kingston, promising thrill-loving moviegoers an unparalleled cinematic experience.
The 4DX technology connects audiences with films through a blend of motion, vibration, water, wind, snow, lightning, scents, and other special effects, enhancing the visuals on screen.
According to Melanie Graham, a director at Palace Amusement, 4DX brings a theme-park-like experience to the cinema, pushing the boundaries of traditional movie-going with a multi-sensory experience.
After longer-than-expected delays, Palace Amusement began offering the 4DX experience at Carib 5 last Friday, June 7, with the premiere of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” the fourth installment in the Will Smith-Martin Lawrence action-comedy series.
“The learning curve has been very steep and has taken way longer than anticipated. The completion of the project was changed so many times that we couldn’t commit to a date until last week,” Graham explained ahead of a special viewing of the film on Sunday.
The 4DX experience is available in a 112-seat auditorium at Carib Cinema in Kingston.
Currently, the 4DX experience is available in a 112-seat auditorium at Carib 5.
Graham emphasised the uniqueness of the experience, stating, “It’s something that you can’t experience on television; it’s only here that you can get this experience.”
Though Palace is open to expanding the 4DX experience to other theatres, doing so would require significant funding, which the company cannot afford at the moment.
“This was done with a director’s loan, it’s not out of cash or earnings. So, we have to make back some money and then we can hopefully move forward,” she told Loop News after the viewing.
She cited successful implementations in regional markets like Trinidad and Tobago and Puerto Rico, expressing optimism about similar success in Jamaica.
Since opening last Friday, feedback has been positive, alleviating the directors’ concerns about pricing. Tickets for the 4DX experience cost J$4,000 per adult and J$3,000 for children (only those four years and older are permitted).
“The feedback that has stood out is what we were concerned about. We are very conscious of price. They [patrons] have said, compared to what it costs overseas, they think it’s a good deal and worth every penny,” Graham said.
“I hope it will do great things for us. It’s an encouragement going forward,” she said, highlighting the intensive work involved in the upgrade.
Palace Amusement said it has a history of cutting-edge technology adoption and is dedicated to bringing the best experiences to Jamaica. It partnered with CJ 4DPLEX is a, next-generation cinema technology company, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea with international offices in Los Angeles and Beijing offer 4DX locally.
Without providing a full breakdown on the spend for 4DX, Graham acknowledged that the technology “cost us a fortune”.
She explained that Palace completely revamped and downsized its original auditorium, to add the motion-based seating with over 21 different effects, offering an immersive experience.
“It’s all computerized, all the seats … It is so intense, what had to be done,” Graham said. “And then that’s not all, the projection room is full of computers and processors.”
Despite the high expectations and work put into the 4DX experience, Graham cautioned that it might not appeal to everyone. She anticipates its popularity among teenagers and people up to their 40s.
“We warn people when they are buying a ticket to read the disclaimers.”
The experience is not recommended for pregnant women, patrons prone to motion sickness, children under four years, and those with breathing problems due to allergies or scent sensitivities, Palace advised.
The 4DX technology at Carib elevated the thrill of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die”. It delivered an adrenaline rush during high-speed car chases, with motion seats replicating sharp turns and accelerations, wind effects mimicking the rush of air, seat vibrations stimulating gunfire impacts, and flashing lights simulating explosions. Viewers also experienced dramatic weather changes and underwater escapes with water splashes adding to the realism.
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” opened with an estimated $56 million in theatres over the weekend, delivering a much-needed summer hit for Hollywood and marking Will Smith’s biggest success since the controversy at the Academy Awards.
Despite mixed expectations due to the challenging movie-going market this summer, the Sony Pictures release met or slightly exceeded its forecast.
