We had the opportunity to attend a cinema screening in the famous Sphere in Las Vegas. The technological prowess is undeniable, the audiovisual immersion is crazy, but the ecological hypocrisy of the project leaves a bitter taste. Narrative.
The Las Vegas Sphere // Source: Aroged
Dizzy. I have the impression of falling into this ravine, of drowning in these seabed, of being blown away by this storm, of suffocating in this eruption. This elephant passes a meter from me, this giraffe towers over me to its full height, this spider really jumps on me. I even come to fear that this sign installed on a branch above my head will drop a smelly dropping on my skull.
Inside the Sphere // Source: Aroged
And the sound, let's talk about the sound! I can distinguish each step, I perfectly locate this stone rolling down to the left, each word, each rustle. All with astonishing clarity.
Breathless, eyes wide, shivers down to the tips of your nails, looking blissful. Here are a jumble of elements giving a small idea of what I felt in front of the sumptuously masterful film shown at the Sphere in Las Vegas. An incredible and unforgettable experience tinged with contradictions with hypocritical overtones. A story that I will try to tell here.
Facing the immense screen of the Sphere // Source: Aroged
An atypical building in the city of extravagance
Let's just put the context back a bit. It is January 2024, at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. The largest tech show in the world is the perfect opportunity to discover the Sphere: a spherical building covered with Micro-LED screens which ignited social networks when the first images flooded the web.
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From the outside, the Sphere always catches the eye, day or night, by its geometry and by the animations – very often advertisements – which are displayed on the external screens. The spherical shape allows you to create sometimes hypnotizing optical effects.
The Sphere seen from the outside in Las Vegas // Source: Aroged
No breaks, the Sphere shines 24 hours a day. Even when you are quite far away, as soon as there is a relatively clear view of the Sphere, you can see people taking photos. This place is truly an atypical oddity in the city where extravagance is king. It needs to be done.
A technical and immersive feat
However, if the Sphere is an incongruity on the outside, it is an exceptional feat on the inside. The cinema has absolutely nothing to do with what I have experienced so far. I must point out here that I am not a big fan of dark rooms and that I have always been content with fairly standard screenings – and once at the Géode in Paris. On a technical level, I was really transported from one planet to another.
Facing the immense screen of the Sphere // Source: Aroged
Facing the immense screen of the Sphere // Source: Aroged
Facing the immense screen of the Sphere // Source: Aroged
Facing the immense screen of the Sphere // Source: Aroged
Ironically, the big star of the film projected in the Sphere is our planet itself, the Earth. The name of the footage is quite self-explanatory: Postcard From Earth. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, it transports us into an epic where each scene is more grandiose than the other. The work is an ode to the blue planet, to its landscapes, its fauna, its flora, but also to the different human civilizations, their diversity, their ingenuity.
Facing the immense screen of the Sphere // Source: Aroged
Then the narration slides slowly, but surely towards the harmful consequences of human activities. Pollution, climate change, natural disasters. The altered, weakened and destroyed nature is masterfully shown. I have a hard time remaining indifferent. Especially since from the start, the quality of the image has been breathtaking and, above all, it encompasses me almost completely. Looking carefully in front of me, I really have the feeling of being in the filmed landscape. I have to turn my head elsewhere to remember that I'm dealing with a finite display area.
Looking closer, you can see a little of the structure installed behind the screens. This doesn't spoil the moment at all. Another downside on which it would be dishonest to dwell on: if you are not installed right in the middle, you will inevitably notice a distortion effect. This is especially noticeable on the plans of megacities where the skyscrapers are twisted. We see it, we notice it and we forget it almost immediately. Or, you pay a whopping $356 to be right in the middle. Three times nothing…
Inside the Sphere // Source: Aroged
On the audio side, the Sphere offers a superb crystal clear and surround experience. Finally, I hadn't mentioned it yet, but there are also some “4D” effects. To accentuate the dramatic effects of certain scenes, the seat can vibrate. At times, I also feel an artificial wind caressing my face, going from a simple breeze to a very disturbing blow during a long sequence where the film takes us as close as possible to a cyclone.
In short, the immersion is fully there. It goes several notches further than Futuroscope or Géode. My colleague Vincent also had the opportunity to attend a session. Accustomed to IMAX and Dolby Cinema theaters, he confirms to me, after rereading my feedback, that he also took a visual slap. Same story from him on the 4D effects, which can also be found in France in 4DX, but without this XXL screen and with equally staggering definition.
LEDs outside the Sphere // Source: Aroged
I come away blown away, amazed and conquered… or almost. Because a thought is nagging at my mind: haven't I just witnessed the most impressive greenwashing operation?
Greenwashing to save the planet
I use this anglicism here to designate the misguided communication processes used by companies wishing to ease their conscience and divert the public's attention. The goal being that the latter does not dwell on the polluting activities of the firm. A way to restore its image and minimize its impact on the environment. We have several examples of this in the world of tech.
The Sphere seen from the outside in Las Vegas // Source: Aroged
The Sphere represents a fascinating case in this regard. This building, 115 meters high and 123 meters wide, entirely covered with screens, shines, outside, 100% of the time, without pause and most of the time for commercial purposes. Imagine the energy consumption. This is an impossible building to envisage in a society collectively aiming for energy sobriety and a questioning of the consumer society.
The Sphere seen from the outside in Las Vegas // Source: Aroged
The Sphere seen from the outside in Las Vegas // Source: Aroged
The Sphere seen from the outside in Las Vegas // Source: Aroged
It’s excess, the intoxication of technology, the madness of grandeur. In fact, the Sphere is incompatible with the environmentalist message conveyed by the film broadcast inside.
So is this an immensely hypocritical measure? Or did the director try to convey his message as best he could? It is with this question left unanswered and a bitter taste in my mouth that I keep this precious memory in mind.
NB. Our journalist Omar Belkaab — accompanied by our video manager Arnaud Gelineau — were able to attend a session at the Sphere on the sidelines of their coverage of CES 2024 and thanks to an invitation from Samsung.