BFI London Imax Cinema

What’s not the love about this place?
I’ve watched some of the best movies here, including superman vs batman and harry potter. And boy did I enjoy those.
There’s 3D at your regular cinema and then there’s this!
A screen specifically made for 3D movies, not adaptable.
The picture quality is just so clear, not to mention the surround sound that has you feeling immersed in the movie itself.
I always pay for the VIP seats as they’re wider and higher up away from the screen.
At £19.50 its slightly higher than your average cinema ticket, but remember, it is 10x better ;)

I like the IMAX. It is a pretty unique cinematic experience but that’s what you’re going there for! The last film I came to see here was Superman vs Batman and the film was meh but the experience was good.
However I was in row H and my neck started to hurt a bit so I recommend maybe sitting a few rows back so your neck doesn’t start hurting!

Outstanding main IMAX screen. Biggest in Europe I think? Tiered nicely upward wherever you are sat it seems like you are close. I think it’s bet to sit higher though. Eye level is best 2 thirds up seating. Down might be too dynamic and low. I saw Bladerunner there and it was phenomenal on big format. A truly memorable experience. Great that BFI has so many events and classics amidst new films shown. Perfect to treat yourself to a blockbuster made for big screen.

Wow, biggest screen in London! I caught spectre here when it opened and boy was I blown away. Truly, big screens make movies that much better, because I utterly enjoyed my screening, and all the action was made that much more fun. Always good for catching a huge blockbuster, because you know that the experience will be magnified. Stunning, unforgettable cinematic experiences await you

Awe-​some. My first trip to an iMax didn’t disappoint. Good popcorn & customer service. Comfy seats. Ma-​hoosive screen. What’s not to love?!

Happiness is here. Movies, dinner and drinks happen here. Great atmosphere with great drink deals. 2 for £5 Heineken and more deals. Great people watching stop by the river. Free wifi and clean restrooms. Life in London is great.

Went along to this Imax to see some props that are going to be auctioned at the end of the month. Over 450 iconic lots of original props, costumes and rare production material will be sold on the 23^rd of September at the BFI IMAX. The spectacular live auction will also be live-​streamed online with an interactive webcast for fans to track the bidding. They had props from James Bond to Labyrinth.
The cinema itself which I went to a few years back is also very good. Screen massive, bright and sound quality the best of its kind. The seats very comfy. When they screen 3d movies you really feel like part of the movie.
Highly recommend.

It’s big.
It’s comfy.
And a guy has a chat with the audience before the show starts.
That’s all very cool but it’s one of the few cinemas you can drink beer and wine while watching the film!
Pricey, but what would you expect for the Uk’s largest 3D screen.
Pre buy your popcorn or eat at Wahaca on South Bank before you go in. And make sure you’re centre row F or G for the best view.

I wish I could give this place a higher rating because the screen is unreal and the staff very helpful. Yes the food and drink borders on extortion but what do you expect — this is London! My main problem was the seats, more than uncomfortable. It’s such a shame because the audio and visual that you get take your usual cinema experience to another level but when you feel packed in like a sardine… That being said I will be back.

As good as it gets. it’s a little tricky to get to if it’s your first time. You’ll be at ground level looking right at the IMAX, but realise there’s a whole roundabout between you and the theatre. Soon enough you’ll realise however that the entrance is one level below ground.
If you’re watching a movie here, you’re in for a real treat. The screen is mahoosive. Choose a row as far back as possible. Note that the last 4 – 5 rows are deliberately reserved for VIP seating, however the rows just in front of these give you the best view.
Sound and picture are stunning as you’d expect, even with films not shot with IMAX cameras. These are often remastered to make best use of the IMAX screen, but based on the aspect ratio it’s possible detail might be lopped off and such through the process. Not something you’d really notice unless watching two films side by side. Plus the brilliance of IMAX is that most of your peripheral vision is filled with content and your eyes generally focus on the centre, so extremely immersive to the point you can sometimes believe you’re right in the movie. Excellent sound helps.
Generally people at this cinema are well behaved. I guess if you’re paying £20 a pop for a ticket along with whatever snacks, you’re gonna want to get your moneys worth. The crowd is also going to be slightly older based on the location, around Waterloo, where most patrons will be catching a screening straight after work.
In all, great cinema that delivers it’s core product well. Note that being an Odeon cinema, it follows the cold food and drink allowed policy meaning no need to «sneak» snacks in. Just don’t try to get a coffee or toasted sandwich and you’ll be fine.
One small annoyance is that the guy at the screen door had one job, to direct me to my seat and give me glasses. He failed at the glasses part meaning I had to go right back and get them. Annoying a few people on the way in/​out. He did this to plenty of others from what I saw, so either he was incompetent or just trolling people.

WHAT A LET DOWN!
Just came back from Jurassic World. The movie itself is awesome, BUT:
Waterloo Station had a big promotion, where they had a booth selling Limited Edition collectible tickets. There was also an option to buy a Jurassic World themed tin that keeps the ticket snug and safe inside a foam mesh. Me being the Jurassic Park fanatic I am, I had to buy it. The people at the counter in Waterloo told me to MAKE SURE the staff at BFI IMAX gave the ticket back (as that’s the whole point — you paid for a limited edition collectible ticket).
SO THE BIG NIGHT (tonight) COMES ROUND. I step up to the ticket counter, and the guy had absolutely no clue what our tickets were, even though each ticket said «BFI IMAX ADULT TICKET» with Jurassic World all over it… Each ticket had a unique serial number on the back. He kept telling me «I KNOW you bought those, but I don’t have any seats left!» and I had to explain to him again and again that they were already booked tickets, yet he kept insisting he knew what they were and kept saying he didn’t have any seats left… In the end, he asked us to pull out our reference number from our email. After doing so, he took our tickets away and gave us paper receipt tickets. After asking if we could have the collectible tickets back, he said we weren’t allowed them back! Which made even less sense, because I didn’t pay EXTRA for a COLLECTIBLE TICKET and pay EVEN MORE FOR A JURASSIC WORLD TIN TO HOUSE IT IN, FOR IT TO BE TAKEN AWAY!!! HOW DOES THAT EVEN MAKE SENSE!!!
To top it off, everyone was rushed into the cinema, and both our drinks had no ice in them, literally room temperature pepsi. Great.
Horrible experience, I want my Jurassic World collectible ticket back :(
It’s just sad they put so much money into the promotion of the movie (especially in Waterloo Station), paid extra for the collectible tickets, and the guy had no clue what our tickets were, AND THEN TOOK THEM AWAY. My Jurassic World tin looks so empty and sad with just an empty rectangle in the foam mesh :(

We went here a couple of weeks ago to see Fast & Furious 7 and it was great. We chose to book the premium sofas on the upper level and the seats had a great view, although the very far one on the end was a tiny bit obscured by the safety arm for the aisle. I’m not sure I was call it a ‘sofa’ — it’s basically two cinema seats joined together! But still it gave lots more room and was very comfortable and nice to snuggle up. I think the price is reasonable compared to other London cinemas and what you get for the money. I’d definitely go again, particularly for a 3D film, which is where I think the Imax comes into it’s own.

Amis cinéphiles, et qui plus est de passage à Londres, ce cinéma est pour vous ! Mille fois plus intéressant en termes de sensations que le London Eye non loin, le BFI Imax est un mastodonte qui renferme le plus grand écran de Grande-​Bretagne, rien que ça !
Parce qu’il est implanté en plein milieu d’un rond-​point, on accède au cinéma via un passage sous-​terrain éclairé, donc pas glauque. A l’intérieur, on devine mal le gigantisme de le salle de projection. On né peut que trépigner d’impatience à l’idée de découvrir cette merveille.
Le cinéma en lui-​même est très propre, la clientèle est posée. Les caisses sont juste à l’entrée du cinéma et les séances sont clairement indiquées sur les écrans, aucune erreur possible. Côté portefeuille, il vous faudra vous délester de 18.40 £ (!) par adulte pour une place (numérotée) en fin d’après-midi. Notez qu’il existe des tarifs préférentiels pour les moins de 15 ans, les seniors, les étudiants, et les familles.
Au rez-​de-​chaussée, on peut siroter un café avant ou après une toile et à l’étage, une large gamme de boissons et gourmandises se propose à vous.
Quand les portes s’ouvrent enfin, les employés vérifient les tickets et c’est l’heure d’en prendre plein les yeux. Les sièges sont attribués, donc les premiers arrivés sont les mieux placés. On n’échappe malheureusement pas à la traditionnelle page de pubs diverses et variées, avant d’enchaîner avec une grosse page de pub pour… l’IMAX: les superlatifs se succèdent pour nous vendre ses qualités sonores et son rendu visuel. On découvre quelques bandes-​annonces et voilà qu’un employé du cinéma se lance dans un petit speech de bienvenue au micro. Ici, on né rigole pas avec le prestige IMAX !
Tout ça pour quel résultat? Même si le dernier film en date de Neill Blomkamp, «Chappie», n’était pas le film de l’année, c’était pourtant bien la séance de l’année ! On se prend une vraie claque. La qualité du son et de l’image est juste dingue ! Je me demande même si un navet né serait pas meilleur vu dans cette salle… Autant vous dire qu’on doit ressortir de la séance d’un grand film avec une certaine valeur ajoutée.
Si aller au cinéma fait rarement partie des distractions que l’on prévoit lors d’un séjour à Londres, cette expérience vaut pourtant largement le détour !

It’s the biggest screen in Britain. It’s huge. It’s also clean and has many toilets. Don’t forget about the bar and café! The introduction to the film person is usually pretty witty as well.
You can get there in a couple minute walk from Waterloo station (go clear to the end where the tube line/M&S is– go outside down some stairs. There is a underground subway with stairs and a lift that is the tunnel to take you straight there).
In addition to Imax filmed films, 3D films and other blockbusters, they also play «classics» that belong on the big screen (Jurassic Park anyone?)
It can be a bit pricey, and if it’s a popular movie, you may have to book well in advanced to even get a seat. However, for big movies that used Imax cameras, it can be well worth it!

Los cines IMAX se convierten en el cine por excelencia para ver películas visualmente espectaculares. En concreto este le fallan las palomitas, algo pequeñas para mi gusto; y el espacio entre butacas es algo justo. No obstante volveré para ver películas como The Avengers o la ansiada Star Wars Episodio VII.

The seats are awful. The food is so overpriced. But the cinema screen is out of this world, literally breathe taking. Make sure your watching a film that does it justice though.

I loved it here!
I’m not a fan of 3D films as it makes me feel queasy, but the experience here was so comfortable that i really didn’t mind.
And I love the location. The Southbank is one of my favourite places in London.

Ah, IMAX, beautiful, beautiful IMAX. I’ve never actually been to an IMAX before so I wasn’t quite prepared for the size of it but it DEFINITELY made watching the film (Pacific Rim, in case you wanted to know) much more awesome. It’s kind of hard to find the entrance if you don’t realise you have to go down subways to get there.
It’s not too extortionate to go, considering how expensive film-​going has gotten recently. The food is understandably expensive, and not very good. You may want to consider nipping into the Sainsburys outside Waterloo for sweets (Yes, yes you’re not ‘supposed’ to, but we all do it). There’s also lots of other places for snacks when you first go in, though their prices are likely to be inflated.
The one issue I had is, I’m not sure if it was the film or the screen or the glasses they gave us but the 3D wasn’t always working properly, you could still see the 2 images to an extent which was a bit strange. Hope it was just how the film was and not the theatre itself because I DEFINITELY wanna go here again.

I had some fairly high expectations when visiting the IMAX and really liked the feel when I was walking towards it. It is just by Waterloo Station, a round building with lots of trees and plants growing around it (makes it look a lot nicer). Upon entering the machines to get the tickets where of course not great. Had to insert the credit card used to buy the tickets to get the tickets out of the machine — for me having numerous cards it took several tries before finding the right card (improvement suggestion: include a few digits of the card number on the booking confirmation as one has to start over from the beginning at the machine if inserting the wrong card).
Went upstairs to pick up some snacks before the movie. Selection of candy is fairly good but that of drinks is poor. No cans or bottles of coke for sale — only the nasty ones in cups. Ordered some popcorn with salt. Apparently pre-​salted so virtually no salt on them and when asking for salt they just said we do not have any salt! Amazing that they cannot keep some salt there — proposed we go and ask downstairs in the bar as they may have some.
Not a great start but we went into the movie theater. A bit surprised that the screen was not very big. Had expected much more (thinking of the other IMAX I have been to) and sound quality during the movie was perhaps not bad but in no way great. All in all a very average movie theater that charges a premium price.
Very annoying is also that there are staff walking around during the movie (as some people arrive late and need to be showed to their seats and also people getting up to go to the toilet during the movie). Will probably not go again as the experience was average in terms of quality of sound and picture.

Yes its pricey but I literally will never want to go to another theater. I forgot how amazing a movie with good cinematography though great in a regular theater will transform you into feeling like you’re a part of the movie!
We went to Les Mis, which admittedly isnt the best use of the iMax but it was amazing nonetheless. The seats were comfy and large. Clean, crisp sound, great high-​def resolution… loved it.
IMAX has ruined every othercinema for me, I’ll never want to go to a non IMAX theater!

Like most movie houses, the concessions are overpriced and after 20 minutes of ads you start questioning why you aren’t charging them for your time. But once the main feature starts playing, it’s a fantastic experience.
Not only is the screen giant and the sound impressive, but the seats are comfy and the aisles so steep that you don’t have to worry is some soul brothas from the 1970s sitting down in front of you.
Seats are assigned so if you going to attend a popular flick, take 5 minutes and reserve your seats ahead of time. They have ATM-​like machines in the lobby o collect your tix… no waiting.
The only film I wouldn’t want to see here is Boogie Nights, as I already feel inadequate enough as it is.

This is IMAX the way IMAX should be done.
The BFI Imax is located outside of Waterloo Station, taking the Southbank exit. It;s the giant round building that’s hard to miss. Of course, without knowing any better, it’s also hard to find the entrance. It was night, so I might have missed a sign, but I walked all the way around the massive building (dodging traffic the whole way) until I realised there were underground walkways that lead underneath and straight to the door. Ahhh, Look out for one of these, lit by neon lights, and walk in.
As far as I could there, there is only one screen here, but it is ginormous. I’m sick of too many theatres setting up a semi-​bigger-​than-​normal screen, calling it IMAX and raising prices. Not here. I believe I read that this screen is as big as two double decker buses on top of each other. Hell to the yes.
We saw the opening of the BFi Film Fest here, which was Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie in 3D. And it was awesome. Sound — great. Picture — great. Even the 3D, which I’m not normally a fan of, was great.
Tickets are expensive (at about £17 a pop) but when you need to see it giant (with or without the 3D), this is the spot to go to.

J’ai eu l’occasion d’aller voir Beowolf en 3D dans ce cinéma, et ce fut une expérience grandiose!
L’écran, gigantesque, et le son vous transporte dans un autre monde. Vous avez l’impression d’être dans le film!
Bien que les lunettes que l’on vous fait porter vous donne un air totalement ridicule, vous en avez pour votre argent (environ 12 livres la place)