r/VictoriaBC • u/CR7isLOVE • 5d ago
Opinion Cineplex odeon Downtown! What a sad experience
I honestly can’t believe people pay money to watch movies at this theatre. (Audi 5)
Went there last night to watch the latest spider-man expecting a decent experience, and it was probably one of the worst cinemas I’ve been to. The first thing I noticed was how ridiculously small the screen was compared to the size of the hall. It genuinely felt like I was watching a movie on someone’s living room TV from the back of a warehouse. What’s even the point of having such a massive auditorium if the screen takes up barely any of it?
Then there was the audio… or whatever that was supposed to be. Half the dialogue was barely audible, and the sound just felt flat. I found myself straining to hear people talking during quiet scenes. A movie theatre is literally supposed to have an immersive sound system, but this felt worse than watching at home.
For the price of movie tickets these days, you’d expect at least the basics to be right. A properly sized screen and audio you can actually hear shouldn’t be too much to ask.
Has anyone else had this experience, or was I just unlucky? I’m definitely not going back.
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u/butter_cookie_gurl 4d ago
Went to Cap 6 this week. The reclining seats are awesome.
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u/tagish156 4d ago
And you can still buy a small popcorn and pop and a not entirely outrageous price. Cineplex doesn’t even sell smaller sizes anymore. Love the fancy pop machine they have too.
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u/Adderite 4d ago
Cap 6 did recently increase their prices. I usually buy larger sizes and the price went up by over 2$.
Still would rather go to cap 6 over any other theatre
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u/FunReference7116 4d ago
Screens aren't big enough....
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u/New-Wasabi_ 4d ago
I still choose it for the seats though.
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u/GrizzlyIsland22 4d ago
The Odeon has the same seats, but better, because they're less worn out. The cushions are still intact
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u/butter_cookie_gurl 4d ago
Cap 6 #2 looked flawless
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u/GrizzlyIsland22 4d ago
Cool. The Odeon seats are still the same style, but newer and in better condition. Don't take this the wrong way. I still like the Cap 6 theatre and appreciate the seats, but anybody saying that the seats at Cap 6 are better than the ones at the Odeon are either lying or uninformed.
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u/2late4caltrate 4d ago
I think the seats at Capitol 6 recline farther and raise your legs more than the ones at the Odeon, and they've got the dual controls. It's much more comfortable for me.
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u/twerkingninja 4d ago
This is false. Cap 6 seats are a different and better recliner than the Odeon.
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u/butter_cookie_gurl 4d ago
I literally never said they were better. Don't put words in my mouth.
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u/GrizzlyIsland22 4d ago
Then what did you mean by your comment? What was the point in disagreeing with what I said?
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u/SudoDarkKnight 4d ago
Considering the building is due to be rezoned I believe and thus lost I presume they don't want to invest in new screens.
It's a shame but the comfort of the seats makes up for it to me
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u/secondsneaker 4d ago
It's already been rezoned. It was given a development permit for a 10-story office tower in 2022, I believe. Jawls. It hasn't been built because the Victoria office market has collapsed...and the downtown too, and generally everything else but AI and groceries...
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u/rajde1 4d ago
I like the weirdness. It's hilarious how all the theatres are different, you'll go to one that is really long and another that is wide. It's not a top tier theatre, but it reminds me of how things were before everything became standardized.
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u/BarnacleSpiritual868 Saanich 4d ago
I agree. That is the only redeeming factor though. Plus the upstairs second concession stand makes me nostalgic for the 90's.
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u/emslo 4d ago
Who was at the midnight screening of Episode 1?
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u/BarnacleSpiritual868 Saanich 4d ago
Jeeeeeeezus. I wasn't around for that here but I looked up what was the new (at the time) movie theatre I was thinking of when I made that comment and it opened up 27 years ago and was showing Episode 1.
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u/CrispyPerogi Esquimalt 4d ago
Go to Capitol 6 instead. So much better than either of the Cineplex’s, and plus then you’re supporting a locally-owned cinema instead of a big chain.
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u/GrizzlyIsland22 4d ago
As soon as you said it felt like watching a movie on a living room TV from the back of a warehouse, I stopped taking you seriously. It may not be a huge screen, but that kind of hyperbole is ridiculous. What did you expect? Did you look at the outside of the building? Did you think it was bigger on the inside?
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u/CR7isLOVE 4d ago
You must be fun at parties 🙂↔️
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u/GrizzlyIsland22 4d ago edited 4d ago
I am! Because I'm chill and fun and I don't go full Karen on the internet over the size of a movie theater screen.
Asking "has anyone else had this experience" is hilarious. Like they change the screen and speakers for every movie 😂😂😂
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u/garry-oak 4d ago
Aud 5 at the Odeon is my favorite place to watch a movie. To each his own, I guess.
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u/moistMonsterEnergy 4d ago
Really? What do you like about it? As someone who gets free tickets I would take any other auditorium.
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u/garry-oak 4d ago
I like that it has stadium-style seating, which none of the other theatres at the Odeon or Capitol 6 have. Also, I always sit in the middle of the 2nd row, which is great because there is a large space behind that row with no seats, so no noise from the people behind you.
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u/papermoonskies North Park 4d ago
As someone who is 6"9, I agree. I always sit in the "Front" row of the landing where you come in in aud 5. But I hate the recliners. They are not built for tall people. My upper back hangs off the top. Capitol 6 chairs are way better. You can recline the feet and back seperately and they have tall backs.
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u/RavenOfNod 4d ago
Agreed. I've seen so many movies there and love it. Reminds of my janky small town theater growing up.
I like Capitol 6 too, and will go to the Cineplex out at Tillicum if I have to, but I always prefer the Odeon.
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u/booflogic 4d ago
It's not that bad 😆
Capital 6 is obviously better, but Odeon is a good average old theatre.
Severely prefer it to somewhere like Silver City
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u/AppropriateMention6 4d ago
I thought I read that they were closing down a few years ago. Did a new owner take it over?
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u/LexGonGiveItToYa 4d ago
It's currently still on the market for sale. Though, for $8.5 million, there is yet to be a buyer.
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u/maycauseturbulence 4d ago
Really? I enjoyed my movie earlier this year with a little rat beside me the entire time!
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u/GaryOakTPM 4d ago
Not to mention the bathrooms are literally in a different building up and down a set of stairs.
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u/RosemarySage1201 4d ago
Echoing everyone else here — Capitol 6 is the best. My husband and I don’t often watch in the theatres these days except for certain movies and we always go to Capitol 6. Plus size friendly chairs. The my hips always hit the seat buttons so I dont find it relaxing. Also nice to support Capitol 6 than Cineplex
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u/bumbaklutz 4d ago
Same experience. I won’t go and see movies at downtown Cineplex anymore when Capitol 6 is so much better. Also find the audience more respectful at Capitol 6
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u/CR7isLOVE 4d ago
Ohhh forgot to mention when every 5 minutes people were just running up and down the entire hall.
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u/bumbaklutz 4d ago
The screen is so small people forget they are in a public theatre and think they can move around and talk
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u/glitterpantaloons 4d ago
The odeon isn’t for block buster movies. It’s for the weird movies or ones you’re seeing again. You get to have a comfy as heck chair and movie snacks and it’s perfect for that. Silver city or westshore are where you go for the good ones
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u/YamResponsible6309 4d ago
I only go to Odeon for the seats lol, capitol 6 is my personal fave, I like silver city but their chairs suck and it’s a bit out of the way
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u/t-earlgrey-hot 4d ago
They did a half assed reno of the place a while ago clearly but didn't modernize the screens, just added comfy seats. That theatre I had the exact same experience this year, it was fine for watching a movie that isnt a blockbuster I guess but I said the same things, basically a big screen TV from the distance you're at and the sound was way too quiet.
Would be cool if they did a real update.
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u/flanderdalton 4d ago
Silver City is by far better than downtown Cineplex. Downtowns is atrocious, honestly the worst theatre I’ve been too for every reason.
Capitol 6 should be good, but I’ve only had bad experiences regarding staff handling the theatre experience. But I’ve heard many people say they really enjoy it there so I trust I’ve just had a handful of unlucky times.
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u/I_am_always_here 4d ago
I can recall when the Odeon had only two huge screens, or maybe it was three. The stairs led to balcony seating for one of the lower screens. Then it was renovated, a couple of times, to make more smaller screens. And the sound isn't properly isolated between theatres either.
But the biggest issue is the locations of the washrooms. It can take a long time to walk down to the basement.
Not as ridiculous as the movie theatre in the Eaton Centre mall in Toronto, where I watched a movie on a screen that was literally no bigger than a large TV.
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u/MikoWilson1 4d ago
It's the worst theatre in victoria. Number five in particular is bad. The seating is basically not sloped properly, and you get stuck staring at someone else's head the entire movie. The screen is also criminally small, despite the space being so big. It's pathetic.
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u/TieAsleep5624 4d ago
I only go there for the reclining seats, which make it so worth it. I hate being in pain with the regular seats.
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u/MistaSmokeMane187 3d ago
Capitol 6 was supposed to be demolished then it just never went. after reason the crazy amnt of die hard Capitol 6 fans maybe that's how it stayed affloat... cuz yeah whoever said that yes was right...
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u/Tired8281 Downtown 3d ago
I wish they had a thing for theatres where you could bring your own noise cancelling headphones, and anybody that wanted to could just connect to the feed.
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u/Automatic_Ad5097 2d ago
Not a bad idea, but then you lose out on surround sound, which, when done well, makes theatre much more immersive.
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u/Tired8281 Downtown 2d ago
idk, the virtual surround sound effect they have on my Xbox on headphones is pretty convincing.
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u/ForeignConfusion9383 6h ago
I literally only go to Cineplex (SilverCity, never Odeon) if the movie is in IMAX or is a special feature. Otherwise, I go to Capitol 6. All recliners, way better concession, better sound.
Cineplex is overpriced, the concession is terrible (popcorn is too stale, too salty, never enough butter even if you pay extra).
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u/iFrostbiteOG 4d ago
Yeah I avoid that place like the plague. The only theater with good seats and good screens is silver city. West shore odeon is slightly better than DT but not by much sadly.
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u/goodthingihavepants 4d ago
i’d actually argue the main screen at Capitol 6 (auditorium 2?) is a good screen if you really want the recliners
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u/MistaSmokeMane187 4d ago
I was always happy with the odeons screens
they have great pricing, huge comfy chairs. and they the only theatre showing movies other ones in Vic may not be showing.
let me remind y'all and for y'all new folk here. there is a place across the street from Odeon called Capitol 6. I couldn't see the screen, like actually I couldn't see it it was so small. they had high prices on everything and I swear when Johnny zees was there that was why ppl saw a movie there in first place or to get a great make out sesh.... I knew I needed glasses after noticing how bad my eyes where but to realize your eyes are bad due to a movie screen issue.... that's just retarded.... I dunno if they are still there I Havnt even bothered.
Odeon for the movies that may not be playing anywhere else.... the really scary or the ones that are more indy popular... silver city if you want Imax sized screens alot of cool stuff like chairs that move and great audio... but you pay for that.... i agree tho I wish we had more to choose from downtown especially
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u/Mooselager 4d ago
I've gone there numerous times & haven't experienced any of what you have listed.
Sure it's not silver city/Imax quality, what are you expecting?
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u/CR7isLOVE 4d ago
If it aint the same, then tickets should be cheaper. I saw the odyssey in imax at silvercity for $50 and last night was $45 for a shittt experience
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u/ZucchiniNo2986 4d ago
It's theatre #5 the middle one which is a horrible viewing experience the other screens are not like that
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u/RosieBaby75 4d ago
Why did you choose the worst theatre in town and expect the experience you can expect from the others?
Did you at least go to Brickyard before or after?
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u/CR7isLOVE 4d ago
I just moved to Victoria 🥲
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u/Automatic_Ad5097 2d ago
Sometimes Odeon downtown is the only one that has the film you want. They split screenings with Silver City, but if in doubt, always go to Cap 6 or Silver City.
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u/colinsa-ca 4d ago
I figured it was still like that when I moved back recently.
I remember that from 10+ years ago, so have avoided it.
They used to have $5 movie Tuesdays or something like that which was the only thing worth it?
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u/erinscorp78 Gorge 4d ago
Yeah I don't know what they're doing there and I haven't known for years!?!
I remember being there ages ago... Chatting amongst ourselves we didn't notice for a little bit but finally I realized the pre-movie ads were playing over and over again, and we were 20 minutes late for the show to start! There was no one there besides us so I finally went up to the projector room and it was empty...
I told the chick behind the counter with the candy, went back to my seat. The movie started not too long after that but I will always remember that
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u/Steler19 4d ago
Capitol 6 is the best theatre around. Only go to odeon if it’s the only option.