【Marathi Archives】

You may be Marathi Archivesa Last Jedi superfan. You may have seen Rian Johnson's galaxy-sized hit five, 10, 15 times. But will you ever truly see it unless you've chosen to be on the Light Side or the Dark Side -- with special effects to match?

Light Side and Dark Side versions of Last Jediare a thing in Japan. In the rest of the world, FOMO is a thing.

The special screenings, first reported by THR, come courtesy of 4DX, which describes itself as "the world's first 4D cinema company." Launched in South Korea, 4DX seems the epitome of gimmicky -- it tilts and rumbles the seats, it sprays smells and fog, it adds wind and strobe and lightning effects. It can even blow bubble into the theater.

Gimmicks they may be, but they're also increasingly popular. There are 4DX theaters in 51 countries now, and their average occupancy -- roughly 40% full -- is above the movie industry average.

"Laser blasts and lightsaber strikes shown on screen are accompanied in the auditorium by seat vibrations that help fans feel like they are in the middle of the most dramatic battles," reads the 4DX press release on The Last Jedi.

You also get a blast of air with every blaster fired, and presumably strobe lightning when -- spoiler alert -- the ghost of Yoda destroys the Jedi temple.

The experience isn't completely immersive. With apologies to Rian Johnson, shown in this exclusive 4DX interview, there's no smell linked to the Porgs' appearance:

However, only in Japan -- probably the most Star Wars crazy country on the planet, where The Last Jedistill reigns supreme at the box office a month after its release -- have the special light and dark versions of the movie been released.

Theatergoers are asked to choose which side they prefer going in; their experience will be slightly different depending on their side. What those differences are, no viewer has yet reported back. THRclaims audiences are split 50-50 on which side they choose, which sounds about right for all things Star Wars.

It may be a novelty with only minor changes, but the concept is fascinating. A Choose Your Own Adventurestyle of moviegoing could reinvigorate an industry that is having trouble competing with the Golden Age of TV.

We look forward to seeing 4DX screenings of Jurassic World 2where you get to choose between human and dinosaur -- or maybe a re-release of Captain America: Civil Warwhere Cap fans and Iron Man maniacs get a different screen experience.