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Warning: This article contains scream VI Spoiler.

I like going to the theatre. I mean who doesn’t? The chance to see a great horror movie on the biggest screen possible is one of life’s simplest pleasures. And now there are a variety of options to see your movie in RealD 3D, Dolby, IMAX and Laser projection. Call them premium formats, and I do have experienced almost every single format out there.

But one thing has always eluded me for various reasons: 4DX.

What exactly is 4DX?

4DX is a premium format that allows projection of films with various practical effects such as rain, wind, strobe lights and moving seats. The goal is to fully immerse the audience in the film, and the effects allow for the replication of various effects seen on screen. For example: a character standing in the rain on the screen, the water jets installed at the back of each seat will atomize water to recreate the effect (luckily, users have the option to turn off the water), and moviegoers will feel every adrenaline – fueled in turn in the latest Fast and Furious Movie when their seats move them back and forth.

The format, which debuted in South Korea back in 2009, has seen steady adoption over the years but is still not widely adopted. As of 2020, there are only about 32 locations equipped with 4DX in the US, with 5 on the West Coast.

But why scream VI?

You might think from the description above that only the biggest blockbusters make their way to 4DX. Finally, a lot of work seems to have gone into synchronizing the effects and the film. So an R-rated slasher film isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of potential prospects for a film that could be exhibited this way. Imagine my surprise when I learned that it wasn’t just the case scream VI Coming to this format, but also living minutes away from a theater that was recently upgraded with 4DX technology!

Horror is no stranger to gimmicks in the theatrical experience. Perhaps the most famous example is William Castle and the weird gimmicks he used in his films. Anything from an inflatable skeleton that would swing around the theater House on Haunted Hillto the electric shocks that would hit moviegoers the tinger With the rise of more interactive horror experiences like VR gaming or even fan experiences, I was curious if advancing technologies could work in the slasher genre.

So I did something Scream Mega fan would do it and went to a performance at 9:40pm on a Wednesday night. For the curious, a 4DX ticket in Southern California currently costs $20.75 (almost double what I usually pay for my weekly theater trips). I walked into the theater and was greeted by four-section seats like it was a theme park ride, and they were absolutely crammed with electronics. Water and air jets can be seen on the seats, positioned both in front of and behind the spectators. The seats also appear to be on ridges and have footrests with a single rubber tube sticking out below that people call “the tickler” that activates at specific points. Along the upper edges of the theater are huge wall mounted fans which are the source of wind effects.

I wasn’t sure what to expect until a 4DX trailer launched and the seats started to rise; I was tossed about, strobe lights flashing and all. Things got interesting.

Okay enough about the technique! Tell us how scream VI is in 4DX!

scream VI is incredibly entertaining in 4DX! I find scream VI to be a bigger film than previous installments with more set pieces and thrills than the series typically has. For example, right after the gory opening sequence in which Samara Weaving’s Laura character is brutally murdered, the seat shakes violently with every jabbing movement. When blood appears on screen, the water jets shoot out a jet of water that mimics blood spatter, and when characters use guns, flash lights go out to mimic the muzzle flash. Heck, the “clit” even gets some use when Sam tasers a douchebag party-goer.

But perhaps the format’s best use is in the infamous “ladder” sequence, in which Devyn Nekoda’s Anika is violently thrown to her death at Sam and Tara’s apartment. The seats mimicked the violent ups and downs of the ladder and the wind fans were fully effective and presented it in a way that convinced me to stand outside in the cold air. It was incredibly immersive and less distracting than I thought. The subway scene is also a highlight with constant vibrations as the train traveled along the tracks.

The subway scene also happened to make use of the strobe lights to match the lighting in the scene and add to the excitement of the whole. Though probably not the best way to see it for the first time, scream VI in 4DX is a blast. Especially for returning fans waiting for a repeat.

Final Thoughts?

Horror is a versatile genre. In a gimmicky theatrical setting that sometimes feels like a theme park ride, like a wild slasher movie scream VI can be fun as hell. I will always love to watch this film again, but the memory of experiencing it in 4DX and being completely immersed in the moment will always stay with me. I just wish William Castle was there to see it.

You can read Meagan Navarros scream VI rating here.