Justin Dante, Staff Writer

By now one might have noticed a trend in 3D movie releases. It seems that 9 out of 10 of the movies released to the public also have an alternate 3D version. Some movies even boast that they were specially made with 3D technology, like the much-hyped Shark Night 3D. But is it really the moviegoers who are addicted to cheap, 3-dimensional gags, or is it the movie executives?

Let’s take a look at this from a movie executive’s point of view. 3D makes tickets more expensive (9 to 11 dollars compared to regular tickets that vary around 7 to 8 dollars). It also makes the cinema setup more expensive, and the new 3D glasses are more expensive than the past paper ones. What does all this mean? It means that movie producers get a whole lot more moolah. Hollywood studios seem to be adding 3D to mediocre movies just to boost ticket prices.

The post-Avatar film industry isn’t the only thing to have jumped on the 3D bandwagon. After Avatar’s success, the industry started focusing heavily on new 3D technologies. This sparked a second coming for 3D and since then several more companies have joined the trend, with television and gadget manufacturers leading the charge.

In short, Hollywood movie producers are focusing on a gimmick, instead of focusing on an actual plot and character development. There has been a stream of cliché and boring movies whose only selling point was being 3D. Piranha 3D is a great example of the bland and predictable types of movies that 3D produces. Of course, 3D doesn’t ruin a movie. Relying on 3D to make or break a movie is what ruins it. If a movie is good, it is good despite 3D and not because of it. 3D has nothing more to do with a movie’s plot and meaning than the quality of popcorn or seats at the theater. 3D is a way for movie producers to distract the consumer from their lack of effort in making a quality film. 3D is meant to enhance an already well made film, not make it.