S ince its introduction in the US in 2014, 4DX, the rollercoaster-ization of the theatrical experience, has primarily been the purview of action movies. And for good reason; the high-speed chases of a Fast and Furious movie, or repetitive battle sequences of an Avatar saga, translate easily to the moving chairs, scent machines and wind/water sprayers of the format, which more closely resembles an amusement park ride than cinema.

As a longtime fan of plane turbulence-style seat movement, I thought the immersive pleasures of 4DX – the second most-popular of so-called large premium formats in the US, behind Imax – reached its zenith in the summer of 2024 with the release of Twisters, a perfectly fine action movie about tornadoes that became an 11/10 experience when jostled in one’s seat to actual wind and rain.…