Have you ever spent a night where for no reason you decide to consume large amounts of candy, and then you get this insane sugar rush and it feels soooo good? well, that's exactly what watching Katy Perry 3D is like: A night of candy consumption that leaves you with a good sugar rush.
Katy Perry Part of Me 3D is part concert film, part Katy Perry back story,and part behind the scenes of the concert. I went in wanting to get an "I was there" feeling, and sadly the film doesn't fully achieve this effect except during the last song (a candy-coated version of California Gurls). For the most part, the film instead aims to bring you into the hectic-ness of Katy Perry's life, and for the most part it succeeds in this area.
The film, surprisingly, isn't just for teenage girls. There are some pretty in-depth, mature moments in the film. There is a sizable portion where we delve into Katy Perry before she made it big (focusing on her Christian roots, etc), and there's another part where we actually get to watch as Katy's relationship with Russel Brand dissolves and this was actually one of the strongest parts of the film as she put her grieving aside to put on the show (we do get to see poor Katy break down several times. It's nice for a film to allow a superstar to show her human side) . Throughout the film, we learn that for Katy Perry, her fans will always come first. She does meet and greets before or after her show, and even brings fans on stage to dance with her during one portion of her concert.
Now, I saw the film in 3-D....was it worth the extra price of admission? Yes, mainly for the last song which FINALLY fully engulfs the audience into the concert. It is painfully obvious that they shot this film with both 2D and 3D cameras, this is clear since most of the footage that isn't from the concert doesn't pop at all and fails to have depth. Curious, I took my glasses off....sure enough no blurring at all.....definitely shot in 2D. There were a few interviews with Katy that were in 3D, but for the most part it appears the 3D cameras were mainly used for the concert portions of the film.....so, are these potions any good? Yes, yes they are. There is some noticeable amount of depth in these scenes (not much, but it's there), and there are some parts where it looks like the screen is not a screen and the concert is there in front of us (doesn't linger on these parts long enough for us to fully get that effect though). I was most looking forward to the effects where certain elements from the film would fly out into the audience....and for most of the film I was kept waiting (frowny face). There aren't as many of these parts as you would hope, but when the effect is used it really works (lazers fly right into your face, confetti flys around the theater, and icing gets sprayed right into your face). While the 3D is not as impressive as I had hoped I would still recommend it for the effect it achieves during the final song of the film (easily the most memorable part of the film).
The only real complaint I have with the film is that, there is not one song that gets a chance to play all the way through without getting interrupted by a behind the scenes/backstage/interview/fans screaming segment. This was annoying. The songs usually get a chance to play all the way through ( more-or-less), but they are chopped up in order to do so. I don't know if this is how all concert films are, I would hope not.
Also, yes...this was my first ever 3D concert film. So, what were my thoughts? I liked it and had great fun getting to dance in my seat to some of my favorite summer songs and even sometimes quietly sing along with the film. I just would like to see a film like this where it's mainly concert and less behind the scenes/back story/interview/fans screaming. I would definitely see another film like this.
Katy Perry Part of Me 3D is a film that is bursting with tons of sugary goodness and it has a sprinkle of maturity on top. The film gains points for allowing it's superstar to be human instead of some untouchable super being. We get to see her at her most vulnerable and this works to the films advantage. While you may not feel as fully immersed into the concert as you may hope, you will feel fully immersed in Katy Perry's life and that is just as cool. You should walk out of the film feeling like you know Katy Perry a little bit better. If you are a Katy Perry fan this film was very much made for you (in fact, I'm surprised that the film didn't come with some sort of dedication to her fans at the beginning or end of the film), and even if you are not a huge fan of Perry but still know her songs I'd bet you'd still glean some enjoyment from this film. Katy Perry Part of Me 3D is the most sugary sweet summer film to come out this year, it's a cotton candy treat.
3.5/5 STARS
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