SDCC 2009: In 3-D with 'The Hole' and 'The Final Destination'
It's been an interesting Thursday here at San Diego Comic-Con. Word is that Twi-hards began lining up more than 24 hours in advance outside Hall H (the largest panel room at the Con, about 7K seats) for a panel that wasn't set to start until 2PM today. There were a lot of upset 3-D nerds that couldn't make it into the Hall. However, thanks to Ryan Rotten, Editor-In-Chief of ShockTillYouDrop.com, I got in. More after the jump.
Having covered Comic-Con for years, I can honestly say that being given a pair of 3-D glasses as I entered Hall H was an interesting experience. The 3-D was flawless starting with a clip from kids' movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, but we were really there for The Hole and The Final Destination. For Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling) The Hole is a return to family friendly horror following some children who find a mysterious hole in their home that brings your deepest fears to reality. The 3-D was impressive, if a bit gimmicky (gratuitous yo-yo shot). We were also shown a 5-minute clip (not in 3-D) featuring a child trapped in a basement with a creepy doll that had a mind of its own. The clip received a very warm reception energizing the room. From what I saw, think The Gate, but with ghosts. If Poltergeist scared the crap out of you as a kid, this is likely to as well.
The Final Destination producer Craig Perry (confirming this will be the last of the series) stole the show with some impressive 3-D clips from the film including the opening race track car wreck and a scene in which a guy is pushed so hard against a gate; his torso pushes right through it. The 3-D is impressive and while most of the effects are heavily driven by CGI, the flick uses the 3-D gimmick well and looks to continue the tongue-in-cheek vibe of the series; especially that of Part 2. Lots of gory blood-splatter, a real crowd pleaser. Really looking forward to this one.
