Roxy Xtreme opens: what it's like to watch a film on the Mena region's biggest screen

Measuring 28 metres by 15.1 metres, the new Xtreme cinema screen at Dubai Hills Mall dwarfs a tennis court

Film fans wait to enter and watch a movie on the biggest cinema screen in the Middle East at Roxy Cinemas at Dubai Hills Mall. All photos: EPA

The 423-square-metre Roxy Xtreme screen at Roxy Cinemas in Dubai Hills Mall. The company says it's the biggest screen in the Middle East.

'Top Gun: Maverick' is the big hit at Dubai Holding Entertainment's Roxy Cinemas. Fans visiting Roxy Xtreme at Dubai Hills Mall can now watch movies on what is considered to be the region's largest movie screen.

Filmgoers get comfortable for their movie at Roxy Xtreme in Dubai. It will be shown on a screen measuring 423 square metres, or 28 metres by 15. 1 metres. That’s about twice the size of a tennis court.

A message from Roxy Xtreme to film fans at Roxy Cinemas in Dubai Hills Mall, where the biggest cinema screen in the Middle East has been installed.

Big seat comfort for the biggest cinema screen in the Middle East at Roxy Cinemas at Dubai Hills Mall.

Roxy Cinemas at Dubai Hills Mall says there's 'crystal-clear laser projection, heart-pounding surround sound and the most comfortable seats in the business' with its Roxy Xtreme screen - plus traditional movie treats like popcorn and soft drinks on sale.

The Roxy Xtreme cinema has 382 premium reclining seats.

A sense of the scale Roxy Xtreme brings to cinemagoers Roxy Cinemas in Dubai Hills Mall.

The Roxy Xtreme screen at Dubai Hills Mall isn't just big. It's huge. Colossal.

Overwhelming in the best possible way, the Xtreme screen is the ultimate cinematic experience every film lover or sports fan is sure to enjoy.

Measuring 28 metres by 15.1 metres, spanning 423 square metres, Roxy’s Xtreme screen is 60 per cent bigger than a tennis court.

The screen opens on Wednesday and promises to usher in "a new era of cinema" in Dubai, with a range of blockbusters and sporting events.

Roxy Cinemas will be screening matches from the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year on the Xtreme screen, which is the largest the Middle East and North Africa.

Measuring 423 square metres, Roxy's Xtreme screen is 60 percent bigger than a tennis court. EPA

Walking into the auditorium feels almost otherworldly, especially when gauging the size of the screen. The auditorium fits 382 premium reclining seats, with plenty of leg room and space on each side, divided into three tiers: standard, premium and director’s boxes.

Seats are comfortable, with a generous amount of space between the standard tier and the screen.

The Xtreme comes at an interesting time. Our access to films has never been better, with most just a few taps away on our phone. At the same time, the Covid-19 pandemic dealt global cinemas a heavy blow, which many are still reeling from.

However, some like David Lynch, the celebrated director of Mulholland Drive, Wild at Heart and Inland Empire, argue there is still demand for the cinema experience.

"If you're playing the movie on a telephone, you will never in a trillion years experience the film," Lynch said in an interview clip on the Inland Empire limited edition DVD. "You'll think you have experienced it, but you'll be cheated."

Martin Scorsese has shared similar thoughts. "I would suggest — if you ever want to see one of my pictures, or most films — please, please don’t look at it on a phone, please. An iPad, a big iPad, maybe," the Academy Award-winning director said on the YouTube show, Popcorn.

While perhaps not as accessible as a smartphone, the Roxy Xtreme screen is exactly the antidote filmmakers, and film fans, are looking for.

But, what is it actually like to watch a movie on the biggest screen in the MENA region? In a word: epic.

First things first, the level of comfort is extraordinary, especially in one of the three director's boxes.

Each of the 12 plush recliners come with wireless phone chargers, heated seats, shopping bag storage and a personal swivel table that’s easy to manoeuvre. Waiters are also on hand with a range of food and beverage services, and can be invited over with just the push of a button.

It is particularly engrossing to watch Top Gun: Maverick — which I previewed at the new venue along with other members of the press this week — the action film sequel starring Tom Cruise and Miles Teller, on the region’s biggest cinema screen, owing to its wealth of dynamic aerial sequences and action scenes.

The aerial manoeuvres and action sequences in 'Top Gun: Maverick' were made to be enjoyed on the Xtreme screen. Photo: Paramount Pictures

However, while action blockbusters, CGI technology and green screen magic are meant to be watched on a screen of equally gargantuan ambition, what about more intimate films as well as inward-looking character studies? How would the nuances of The Godfather, Monster, Forrest Gump or 12 Years a Slave translate on a screen so big?

What about comedies and romcoms? Do audiences need to see Julia Roberts and George Clooney’s upcoming Ticket to Paradise, reviving the beloved 1990s format on something so enormous?

The questions remain unanswered, even during the quieter moments of Top Gun: Maverick.

Cruise’s interactions with his love interest Penny, played by Jennifer Connelly, were coy and romantic. His scene with Val Kilmer, whose real-life battle with throat cancer was written into his character Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, was nostalgic and sad. Both these storylines were meant to add an emotional arc and moments of stillness between all the action.

However, whether it was the size of the screen or something not yet perfected in sound technology, more subdued dialogue sounded echoic and didn’t have the same impact one might expect from a more intimate setting.

The Xtreme screen was made for big-budget features such as Top Gun: Maverick. And surely, audiences will be keen to book their tickets for others of the same ilk.

James Cameron’s long awaited Avatar: The Way of Water — out December 15 in the UAE — springs to mind as a film that should only be experienced here. For those who love watching huge films on suitably sized screens, Xtreme delivers a fitting canvas.

The biggest films of Tom Cruise's career — in pictures

Tom Cruise attends the premiere of 'Top Gun: Maverick' in Yokohama, Japan. Getty

Cruise during the UK premiere of 'Top Gun: Maverick' at Leicester Square in London. Getty

He is one of the few actors to command a share of gross box office revenue, rather than a percentage of final — or back-end — profits. Getty

Cruise walks to the red carpet after riding a helicopter to the world premiere of 'Top Gun: Maverick' in San Diego. AP

In addition to a base salary of between $12m to $14m, Cruise will receive 20 per cent of first-dollar gross for 'Top Gun: Maverick', in addition to potential revenue from streaming sales. AFP

Often described as the last great film star, Cruise’s net worth is estimated at about $600 million. Photo: Paramount Pictures

Cruise portrays Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in a scene from 'Top Gun: Maverick', which was made on a production budget of $170 million. Photo: Paramount Pictures

Cruise has produced 12 films, which have taken $4.8 billion globally. Photo: Paramount Pictures

He will appear in 'Luna Park', which seeks to be the first action motion picture to be filmed in outer space, in partnership with billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Photo: Paramount Pictures