Having really enjoyed the books as a boy, I pretty much knew what to expect, so I wasn't looking for any deep meanings from the film. I found it very enjoyable and watchable. The animation was good, and the actors played their parts well.
I wasn't overly impressed with the D-Box seats though. Don't think they added a lot to the overall enjoyment.
This movie shown on the IMAX 3D is incredible. I believe this will be remembered as one of the major step changes in filmmaking, at least as ground-breaking as Star Wars was. The 3D effects were subtle enough to help draw you into the scenery without having to wait for an arm or creature jump out of the screen. The blending of the animation with real characters was fantastic. In no time it has you forgetting that the aliens are images. And the story line had something for most everyone to connect with. You need to see this movie, and the IMAX 3D only makes it better. We'll be going again.