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[Mad Max]

Surprised nobody's mentioned this on these boards yet.

I just saw it. I thought it was very good, but probably not quite the masterpiece that James Cameron had originally hoped for.

The visuals are the best yet seen, but they're still CGI, something we've had for over 15 years now, and the rendering (particularly of the creatures that inhabit Pandora) still has that plastic feel. The 3D worked well, but became less noticable as the film went on.

The plot itself (a bit like Fern Gully) wasn't especially original, though some of its mechanics were rather ingenious. The whole concept of an avatar, a being that one inhabits in sleep, was particularly intriguing and imaginative. As were some of the biological 'Gaia' type theories expounded by Sigourney Weaver, though they could have explored these in more depth. Also the way in which the main character's stupendous avatar incarnation contrasted so sharply his drab crippled human self had a certain pathos to it that could have been far more moving than all the eco stuff had it been developed further.

Characters were ok, but I thought the General guy was the most memorable, and a very good villain.

Overall I guess it was the predictable plot that let the film down the most. It was difficult to have sympathy for the Na'vi because as characters they felt a bit like every other representaion of threatend indigenous folk that we've seen in so many other films, their human counterparts felt a bit more real somehow, but perhaps this was deliberate. Ultimately it was still a very good film.

I give it 4/5.

[jp2]

Your the 4th person that i've heard liked it. I will have to check it out. Thx for the review.

[gohard]

I'd give it 5/5.

The story is great (better than I was expecting) and is backed up by the incredible CGI 100%.

Seeing it in 3d is a must, there were a ton of WOW moments for me.

Definitely a must-see IMO.

[lilotaku]

Definitely go see it in "Digital 3D" if you get the chance. The movie was insanely good and had the best visuals i've seen in a long time. I can see why James Cameron took so long to develop the movie.

[K.Huget]

I couldn't get involved in this movie. I had no emotion whatsoever throughout the entire movie. In my opinion this was a big, dumb, blundering idiot of a movie comparable to Transformers, although I enjoyed transformers more because it didn't take itself so seriously.

[gohard]

I couldn't get involved in this movie. I had no emotion whatsoever throughout the entire movie. In my opinion this was a big, dumb, blundering idiot of a movie comparable to Transformers, although I enjoyed transformers more because it didn't take itself so seriously.

Transformers was a dumb, blundering idiot of a movie with awful to back-up a plothole-ridden script. The only thing driving those movies is the CGI.

I thought that AVATAR had every right to take itself seriously, and that the special effects didn't outweigh the rest of the movie.

[mr handy]

I'm sorry but James Cameron is not what I would call a visionary. I walked out of the movie and every seine I could remember I could think of another film that he had stolen it from. Hell the walking robot suit thing was straight out of Aliens (at least that one he stole from himself). There were a tun of other seines that were complete rip offs (at least visually) or clones of several other films.

I did however enjoy the film, but I really do not think it is deserving of any great praise or awards.

Ooh people in the theater decided to cheer when the human shoulders were getting killed by the blue "natives" I just felt that this was in poor taste when we have men and women in uniform over seas dying right now... that and I hate when people clap in a movie theater, who the hell are they clapping to?

[K.Huget]

Transformers was a dumb, blundering idiot of a movie with awful to back-up a plothole-ridden script. The only thing driving those movies is the CGI.

I thought that AVATAR had every right to take itself seriously, and that the special effects didn't outweigh the rest of the movie.

I get pretty intense about my movies and music haha I need to take it easy sometimes. In my opinion Pixar's animated film Up was miles ahead of this one in terms of depth and story.

[Mercuryblade]

I'm sorry but James Cameron is not what I would call a visionary. I walked out of the movie and every seine I could remember I could think of another film that he had stolen it from. Hell the walking robot suit thing was straight out of Aliens (at least that one he stole from himself). There were a tun of other seines that were complete rip offs (at least visually) or clones of several other films.

I did however enjoy the film, but I really do not think it is deserving of any great praise or awards.

Ooh people in the theater decided to cheer when the human shoulders were getting killed by the blue "natives" I just felt that this was in poor taste when we have men and women in uniform over seas dying right now... that and I hate when people clap in a movie theater, who the hell are they clapping to?

[bgs1154]

I thought it was a visually outstanding movie. The story was ok, to have a wide audience reception you have to keep it a little light and "fun". What most excites me about this movie though is the potential it has made in an industry that was dying. Can't wait for the next movie that really takes advantage of the digital 3d technology like this one did.

[gohard]

Ooh people in the theater decided to cheer when the human shoulders were getting killed by the blue "natives" I just felt that this was in poor taste when we have men and women in uniform over seas dying right now... that and I hate when people clap in a movie theater, who the hell are they clapping to?

Being a vet I can tell you that this did not offend me in any way. They were not US military forces, but paramilitary contractors that were there for the money (as Sully says early in the film). Think of them similar to Blackwater or etc.

[gohard]

LOL...love the pic.

[Hatred]

I can't read anyone else's post because ..well.... If I were told while watching the movie that if i committed suicide in the next 5 minutes that I could actually go to this place I (somehow..some way) would have taken my own life with the spoon/straw thing that came with my giant Icee/or keys.

I'm not a movie buff,critic or technogeek but I thought it was the best 2.5 hrs i've ever spent watching a movie.

I forgot i had a giant Icee!! I abandoned a half red half blue frozen creation of joy because i was lost in the movie.
The seams between live action and cgi are becoming very difficult to see and I feel this was the best example i've witnessed.
Me <3 Avatar.

[TremL96]

I'm curious to see how much it makes myself. Incase any of you didn't know, Avatar was the most expensive hollywood film made to date. It cost about $500 million. That last movie holding that space was Titanic (another James Cameron movie), which cost only $200 million in 1999 (I think that's the right year). Titanic ended up making $1.2 billion worldwide.

I think James Cameron has some good movies though. Aliens (second), Terminator and Terminator 2, Titanic, and now this. He's nothing amazing, but definately notable. It takes some talent to find something to sequel something like Terminator or Alien if you ask me. I found it amazing that the first Terminator cost only $5 million to make but in the second one he used $100 million (but it did have better special effects). Still a giant jump right there.

[RBB]

i thought it was great. now that i think about it, the story wasn't the most original, but so what? how often do you see a truly original story anymore? pretty much everything has been done before. when i was at the movie i didn't notice at all. i was too caught up in the great visuals. i would highly recommend everyone sees this movie.

[mr handy]

Being a vet I can tell you that this did not offend me in any way. They were not US military forces, but paramilitary contractors that were there for the money (as Sully says early in the film). Think of them similar to Blackwater or etc.

Im am very glad to hear that you were not offended. I agree thet they were contractors so to speak. I just found it to be a bit of poor taste.
I just hate when people clap during a movie.

Other then that the film was enjoyable, but not all its hyped to be, IMO,

[Cirino83]

saw it last night at the IMAX 3d (the only way to see it IMO) and I thought it was amazing. The story was alot better than anticipated. Avatar in 3d = visual orgasm.

[McIrish]

I can't read anyone else's post because ..well.... If I were told while watching the movie that if i committed suicide in the next 5 minutes that I could actually go to this place I (somehow..some way) would have taken my own life with the spoon/straw thing that came with my giant Icee/or keys.

I'm right behind you, Hatred, with a spoon through the brain. At not one point in that 2.5 hour long movie did I once fidget, look at the time, yawn, think about the meals skipped... I'm still completely blown away.

Sign me up for an athletic, 8-foot-tall, blue hunter-chick while I'm at it.

[4g64fiero]

I pretty much hated this movie and the only thing good about it was the cgi and alien titties EVERYWHERE!

Its the typical "white man takes over native land because of greed" movie just acted out with humanoids that suspiciously look like natives in the face. A **** ton of overtones are in the movie about how we destroyed earth because we didnt take care of "her". Thanks James Cameron, I just love lectures in sci fi..............PS **** you.

****, to top it off, it takes the typical white main character to "save" the natives from the white man invader. Thats an insult to the indeginous population. Why the **** could they not do it themselves? Oh yeah, because theyre stereo typically stuck in tradition and need to be led by new comer. That explains it, life is so much clearer now. I am destroying forests on pluto because I drive my car without a cat.

I want my ****ing 3 hours back. Jesus cheese, the only reason I didnt walk out is because I was with 5 other friends and one of them had bought my ticket.

[weasel]

I agree thet they were contractors so to speak.

I just hate when people clap during a movie.

It actually called them "guns for hire" and stuff while he first got off the ship. , but i also hate when people yell or make a scene while i'm trying to watch.

I give the movie 5/5 very worth it to go see I'll probably end up buying it. (although I heard not to go see the 3d one because nearly 3hours of having on the glasses was causing some people to have horrid headaches and nausea.

On stealing the robot suit is in TONS of movies though heck it's in 3-4 very recent films like this one as well as district 9 had one VERY similar.

[Majestic]

It cost about $500 million.

False.

[Altephor]

I thought it was very stunning visually, I was pretty entranced by the world and it's forests/floating mountains/etc. I also think he did a good job of involving the audience inside the new world, and I didn't even see it in Imax 3D. However, I thought he displayed a severe lack of imagination in designing the creatures of the world (I mean really, we have a big leathery cat, leathery dogs complete with DOG SOUNDS, 6 legged horses, and pterydactyls). The whole 'hmm.. the aliens look just like humans, only blue with cat-like faces' was boring but ok since you need something humanish to connect to the audience. It did annoy me that they had similar facial expressions, emotions, concepts, etc (especially the kiss, wtf?).


The plot line was fairly generic and didn't make a whole lot of sense (why did they need Avatars to teach them things, if the aliens KNEW they were just humans in alien bodies?'. It would seem, that the spiritual nature of these people would have been HIGHLY offended by creating fake aliens to inhabit, not welcome them into their tribe.

I'd give it a 3/5 overall, 5/5 for visual effects. I did very much like how the entire movie was a mix between live action/cgi. Usually cgi is so easy to spot because it comes in to suddenly to a live action scenario. I didn't have this problem here because it was a pretty strong mix even in the live scenes.

[Lones Green]

I pretty much hated this movie and the only thing good about it was the cgi and alien titties EVERYWHERE!

Its the typical "white man takes over native land because of greed" movie just acted out with humanoids that suspiciously look like natives in the face. A **** ton of overtones are in the movie about how we destroyed earth because we didnt take care of "her". Thanks James Cameron, I just love lectures in sci fi..............PS **** you.

****, to top it off, it takes the typical white main character to "save" the natives from the white man invader. Thats an insult to the indeginous population. Why the **** could they not do it themselves? Oh yeah, because theyre stereo typically stuck in tradition and need to be led by new comer. That explains it, life is so much clearer now. I am destroying forests on pluto because I drive my car without a cat.

I want my ****ing 3 hours back. Jesus cheese, the only reason I didnt walk out is because I was with 5 other friends and one of them had bought my ticket.

Take it easy man, its a movie, haha. I understand your frustration, but its for entertainment purposes. Its what sells.

I really want to see this movie, I think I'm going with a group of friends Christmas night

[KingWilder]

Wow, some people take THEMSELVES way too seriously

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie...it was FUN, what the hell else do you people want?

[Hatred]

White MAN? Like white Human? Specist. Why it always gotta be about the HUman?