Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man

This is the very best 3D IMAX movie I have seen, also the best Cirque du Soleil I have seen. I have seen it 4 times so far.

This movie is very, very beautiful, very artistic, and the acts are no less than perfect in their execution. The sheer strength and control of the performers is awe inspiring.

Everything about this movie is fantastically beautiful.

The production values are exceptional.

The photography is exceptional.

The settings are absolutely beautiful.

The costumes are beautiful and either extremely colorful or perfectly designed for the act they represent, for example the "Living Statues" painted to look like marble. They are all very imaginative.

The 3D effects make this movie alive in a way nothing else can. It leaves you wishing for more and more and more.

I can find no faults with this movie, it is a must see movie especially in 3D, You leave the theatre feeling like you have seen a great work of art.

I wish I could find this movie on 3D DVD. (Shutterglasses) I would add it to my collection.

If you've watched the Cirque du Soleil shows on vhs/dvd there is really nothing new here, save for some cool drumming and a water ballet at the start. Everything else will be instantly familiar. CDS really should have found some fresh talent for a production of this magnitude. Any fan will tell you that while the old standard acts are still amazing, one wishes for something new. As I long I'm bashing a production that I otherwise love, The trite "story" of a man's life cycle is just that...trite. It adds nothing and actually detracts from what the viewer really paid to see...the performances. It was totally uneccesary, CDS seemingly thinks it's necessary to make each production into this mystical, deep and cosmic experience. It's just not necessary, they need to stick to what they are good at, extraordinary human tricks and some darn good music, anything else is just filler. 5/10

"Cirque du Soleil - the Journey of Man" is a visually stunning 3-D film that would be more rewarding if it was longer than 40 minutes and had a fuller message. As is, it serves as an enticement to see the complete Cirque du Soleil performance whether in person in Las Vegas or by recorded videotape. The stream of consciousness involving the little boy becoming an aging man symbolizing his development is not intuitively complete. In showing man's self discovery and his experiences of love and joy with us, the film fails to bring us his uniqueness and his identity. It may be enough, for some, just to see the virtuoso acrobatics of the four set pieces - the underwater magic of five synchronized swimmers, the quartet trapeze artists dangling on rope who twirl their bodies forward rhythmically from their waists, the couple with precise control who raise and lower each other by sheer muscular strength on a water lily platform, and the finale involving multi-level players standing on each other's shoulders and the star figure jumping somersaults to reach a pinnacle. But these are merely appetizers that lead us astray, making us anticipate a piece-de-resistance that will not be forthcoming.

Huh?

Overall, some very impressive acrobatics, but a sketchy, shaky plot line fails to hold it all together. My 3 year old liked it, but it would have been better if filmed and presented as, "Hey, look at us!"

This is an art film that works for the over 45 age crowd. We have been around long enough to see our lives go through phases each with it's own sense of wonder. Look at the ratings by age group and you'll see the over 45 age group is the most appreciative. It may also be that we have waited long to see the promise of an art film realized in this sumptuous format.

If you can go see this film with a relaxed, open mind it will touch you and it will linger. Journey of Man has a solid concept in writing, excellent art direction, and the I-Max format is well utilized with it's amazing image and sound quality and the traditionally shorter runtime. The film exploits the latest 3D technology that has to be experienced to be appreciated.