I thought the footage of Mecca was amazing. I've always wanted to see this in detail, and IMAX was the right medium for showing the grand scale of it all. I'm not Muslim, or even a believer, but I was moved by the force and depth of this very outward, visible and geographical expression of Islam. Thank you to everyone who brought this to the screen. My only complaint is that these scenes were far too brief, and perhaps there was not enough explanation about what we were seeing.However, the desert scenes, and the story of Ibn Battuta's journey, did not work for me. Perhaps the film was too short to do it justice. The writing, acting and plot in this part of the movie felt unchallenging and unsophisticated to me. I don't feel I really learned that much about Ibn Battuta.Was this part of the movie about the journey or about the desert? I feel the desert in general does not really lend itself to IMAX. I also feel that if an IMAX movie is to be made about the North African desert, it should present the viewer with mind-blowing and never-before-seen scenes of the desert. This movie didn't do that.Most IMAX movies don't have much of a plot. They tend to take documentary form. This movie couldn't decide whether it was a documentary about Mecca or a 14th century travel adventure film. I wish the filmmakers had made a straightforward film about Mecca, explaining in more detail what we were watching, including the meaning and logistical nightmare that must be involved. However, I suppose that if they had done this, they wouldn't have been allowed to film it at all.However, despite my comments, I don't think you should miss this movie. Its brief images of Mecca and what happens there make it worth sitting through the rest.

Journey to Mecca is really two IMAX films in one. It starts and ends with a documentary approach to modern Mecca and in between is tied with the story of Ibn Battuta, an adventurer from the 14th Century. Obviously, in the length of an IMAX, anyone expecting the Arabian Nights covering 40 years of his life in 40 minutes is going to be disappointed. Instead, the film concentrates on his 'Journey to Mecca', a story of shipwrecks and banditry. I thought it was a smart way to go, spicing up what is at heart, a most serious movie, with sword fights while never letting go of the religious quest that is at the heart of the Hajj. Most impressive of all are the shots of the modern pilgrims. Any one who's jaw doesn't drop at the sight of millions of men and women dressed all in white, covering a mountain top, doesn't know the true meaning of the word 'epic'.

I think I understand Artemis' frustration insofar as very little exists in cinema on Ibn Battutah, one of the world's most influential travelers, unequaled among great explorers in my mind since the 14th Century. A 3 hour Hollywood epic would certainly do his Rihla ("travels") justice but I have to say by focusing on IB's departure from home on his first pilgrimage to Mecca this Imax film blew me away with its stunning imagery and music as well as its open spiritual approach to the Hajj. The aerial shots of pilgrims meandering across various deserts were enough to blow my mind. And as a non-Muslim, to witness the rituals inside the Great Mosque was an unforgettable and touching experience. Perhaps a devout Muslim would be more technical in his/her appreciation of the film. I saw the film at a festival in Paris (where it won Public Prize) and noticed how moved the Muslim audience was, which made up about half of the audience when I attended. I highly recommend this film. Imax films can be spectacular visually but predictable in subject matter, rarely extending beyond animal or sport topics. This one delivers the spectacle you would expect and applies it to a moving dramatic line that enlightened and moved me.

Disappointing. Really. From all the interesting, adventurous and cool things that happened in Ibn Batutta's life none were used. An average person will have a distorted view of Ibn Batutta. If I hadn't read his Book I would too. I feel that the creators of this movie cleverly used his name to sell a documentary on Hajj. Even there too - Hajj is just sloppily touched on and the movie abruptly ends. There is no real in-sight into how Muslims used to live or how Ibn Batutta lived - you go in knowing nothing and come out knowing less. I hear that a lot of 'research' was done but apart from the footage of the Ka'ba (which you just need permission and a camera for) I don't see any of it. There was so many obvious glitches (like every man in the Great Caravan having mustaches instead of beards and the women walking around with their hair loose under small scarves - clearly extras from the eastern film industry and in no way properly portraying the style of Muslims couple of hundred years ago.)Anything you saw in a Moroccan film you'll see here.I don't know what research these creators are talking about. From a plot point of view this movie was bland. We see Zinoune travel through the boring, empty,dry desert most of the time. There was no real substance or story-line. I was expecting more considering how exciting the trailer and synopsis were made out to be. The only good thing is that Muslims aren't portrayed as mass-murderers and the Hajj has accurate details (we'll pretend we never saw everyone coming up from Sijda without the Imaam saying 'Allaah-hu-Akbar'). In short - a highly-pumped, overrated, pointless movie with no idea what it wants to be or where its going. A loose cannon. I can't believe that we're supposed to believe that they actually did research about Ibn Batutta, ancient Arabia or Hajj. You'd have to know absolutely nothing about Islaam to watch this film - if that's you, then go for it, but if you know even a little bit - take a pass. Read his book; it was way better.