Avatar - My Review

[Bodhisattva]

I took my wife to see Avatar last night. You definitely see where the $300M went in this movie. The graphics are incredible. The planet Pandora is breathtaking with its phosphorescent flora, wildly beautiful scenery, dangerous and spectacularly camouflaged wildlife, and, of course, the indigenous 10 foot tall, blue Na’vi.

However, everything else of substance about the movie was wanting. The storyline is highly predictable; you know what is going to happen within the first 20 or 30 minutes. There are no plot twists or complicated characters and the script is very linear.

The plot is a string of endless clichés. Corporations are evil and CEOs are passive aggressive weasels. Military brass are egomaniacal and the troops are eager to commit genocide. (The use of “shock and awe”, “preemptive strike”, and labeling the natives as terrorists wouldn’t be a thinly veiled comment on recent events would it?). Sky People (read "Westerners" or "Americans" or "white people"), despite their technological advancement, are stupid and careless and selfish and destructive. The indigenous and primitive (yet enlightened) Na’vi are pure, spiritual druids who live in harmony with the environment. (But, they aren’t vegetarians and they subjugate local wildlife for transportation. So, I guess their definition of eco-friendliness is a bit self-serving.) In many ways Avatar is a sci-fi version of Dances with Wolves. While these tree-hugger themes are annoying, the lack of creativity with which I’m bashed over the head with it is insulting.

In sum, Avatar is a visually stunning 3-D movie with 1-D characters, a highly predictable script, and annoying/insulting clichés. But, hey, looking at perky blue boobies for two-and-a-half hours isn’t a bad thing.

 

[GPSnakeHandler]

All I needed to know was that James Cameron directed it to know how it would be.

Thanks for the review though. Now I know for sure I won't be seeing in the theaters.

 

[RammerJammer14]

In sum, Avatar is a visually stunning 3-D movie with 1-D characters, a highly predictable script, and annoying/insulting clichés. But, hey, looking at perky blue boobies for two-and-a-half hours isn’t a bad thing.

I inferred as much just from the previews. Let me guess, the guys (or at least one of em) who are disguised as blue people fall in love with the blue people and their peaceful way of life, turn on their own troops, and fight with the other blue people to get rid of the evil capitalists (by using their own intimate knowledge of the capitalist planes and stuff). I have no interest in seeing this movie because I have just gotten tired of all the lame Hollywood "the western and/or American world is evil" plots. It seems like every movie has some form of this cliche in it now.

What I look forward to seeing, though, is the new Sherlock Holmes movie. That looks pretty cool (and light hearted). I'm hoping to take my little brothers to go see it on boxing day.

 

[Tidewater]

The plot is a string of endless clichés. Corporations are evil and CEOs are passive aggressive weasels.

Ironic since the film was made by a corporation.

Military brass are egomaniacal and the troops are eager to commit genocide.

Genocide is what the military trains on on a daily basis.

The film sounds tired and lame.

 

[gmart74]

a friend of mine said there was an intro or advertisement or trailer at the beginning that made almost everyone puke. he said his eyes werent used to the glasses yet and multiple people were mumbling about how weird it was. he said once his eyes got used to the glasses he was fine and it was a visually stunning movie

 

[gmart74]

Ironic since the film was made by a corporation. Genocide is what the military trains on on a daily basis.

hollywood is known for hypocrisy.

 

[DiamondDust]

hollywood is known for hypocrisy.

Yeah... for all it's leftist leanings by most of its creative force, Hollywood is still one of the most purely capitalist industries in this country.

 

[jps1983]

Yeah... for all it's leftist leanings by most of its creative force, Hollywood is still one of the most purely capitalist industries in this country.

Yep; it's pretty ironic that its one of the least regulated business ventures, even though many of its big players are very left leaning.

I agree with the OP on the movie. Visually, I think you should see it in theaters b/c it is amazing, but the story has no substance and has been told in different medium through the years (Dances w/ wolves, even the cartoons of ferngully and pocahontas are stories of a similar plot).

 

[Bamaro]

Yeah... for all it's leftist leanings by most of its creative force, Hollywood is still one of the most purely capitalist industries in this country.

Hmmm, I thought they were a bunch of commie pinkos. :rolleye2:

 

[DiamondDust]

Hmmm, I thought they were a bunch of commie pinkos. :rolleye2:

Like I said, the creative side of Hollywood leans left. The studio heads and executives, though, are a different story.

 

[gmart74]

Hmmm, I thought they were a bunch of commie pinkos. :rolleye2:

well commies are known for making everyone else suffer but the ones in power. so, really they are just toeing the party line in comparison to historical pinkos

 

[JAXFLBAMAFAN]

The Hollywood crowd will do ANYTHING FOR MONEY. From Biblical portray of Jesus, the Ten Commandments, to Pornography. Anything for money and all in the name of free speech.

 

[CrimsonNagus]

The plot is a string of endless clichés. Corporations are evil and CEOs are passive aggressive weasels.

This is typical James Cameron, to expect anything different from him is your fault IMO.

Leave it to this forum to turn this movie into a lefty vs righty argument.

I thought the movie was amazing, visually stunning and just fun entertainment. I just don't like it when people say "this story has been told before" because every story has pretty much been told before in some form or fashion. Cameron puts a new spin on the underdog defeats the mighty empire story and I found it to be an exciting adventure. It is typical James Cameron so, if you like his other movies then you'll probably like this one as well. If you do not like his other movies then don't waste your money or time because Avatar is Cameron, thru and thru.

I thought the 3D was fantastic. I hate 3D movies that resort to 3D gags, always throwing things at the audience like theme park rides. Avatar uses the 3D to draw you into the world even more. It is very subtle at times and used mostly to create depth perception. UP did this as well and is the way I prefer 3D movies. Monsters v Aliens is what I call a 3D gag movie and it just gets old after awhile. 3D should be used to enhance the story not become the story. Avatar did this perfectly IMO.

All I ask from a movie is to be entertained and Avatar did that and then some for me.

 

[jps1983]

This is typical James Cameron, to expect anything different from him is your fault IMO.

Leave it to this forum to turn this movie into a lefty vs righty argument.

I thought the movie was amazing, visually stunning and just fun entertainment. I just don't like it when people say "this story has been told before" because every story has pretty much been told before in some form or fashion. Cameron puts a new spin on the underdog defeats the mighty empire story and I found it to be an exciting adventure. It is typical James Cameron so, if you like his other movies then you'll probably like this one as well. If you do not like his other movies then don't waste your money or time because Avatar is Cameron, thru and thru.

I thought the 3D was fantastic. I hate 3D movies that resort to 3D gags, always throwing things at the audience like theme park rides. Avatar uses the 3D to draw you into the world even more. It is very subtle at times and used mostly to create depth perception. UP did this as well and is the way I prefer 3D movies. Monsters v Aliens is what I call a 3D gag movie and it just gets old after awhile. 3D should be used to enhance the story not become the story. Avatar did this perfectly IMO.

All I ask from a movie is to be entertained and Avatar did that and then some for me.

You're right that almost every story has been told at some point, but what separates one story from another is the detail and depth of the stories and characters. As you say, how they used the 3D graphics was amazing and not some childish muppet show 3D stuff; if the story didn't go overboard with the ideology and actually had some depth to the story/ characters, then it'd have easily been the best movie I'd seen this year.

 

[Tidewater]

Hmmm, I thought they were a bunch of commie pinkos. :rolleye2:

Ever seen The Battleship Potemkin or Alexandr Nyevsky?
Pretty creative, yet made by a flaming commie.
Soviet films were extremely creative and innovative until Uncle Joe clamped down on the film-makers, and then we got "Boy Meets Tractor" type films.

 

[Bodhisattva]

Let me guess, the guys (or at least one of em) who are disguised as blue people fall in love with the blue people and their peaceful way of life, turn on their own troops, and fight with the other blue people to get rid of the evil capitalists (by using their own intimate knowledge of the capitalist planes and stuff).

Oh, no. It's much more sophisticated and daring than that. It's ...... no, wait, my bad, it's exactly like you describe. You are quite insightful, sir.

 

[Bodhisattva]

This is typical James Cameron, to expect anything different from him is your fault IMO.

Leave it to this forum to turn this movie into a lefty vs righty argument.

I'm neither a lefty nor a right, and the movie is exactly what I expected. It was a tired, crappy story wrapped in pretty packaging. If you like nonsubstantive glitz and hyocritical eco-left preaching, more power to you.

 

[Bodhisattva]

Michelle Rodriguez really broadened her horizons in this flick. For the first time in her career she played a tough-as-nails, rebellious, sarcastic, military jock. A bull lesbian? Not so fast, my friends. She still retained her femine side by wearing shirts that enhanced her breasts. A truly groundbreaking role and performance.

 

[Bodhisattva]

The film sounds tired and lame.

Yeah, but it's fancy.

 

[jps1983]

Michelle Rodriguez really broadened her horizons in this flick. For the first time in her career she played a tough-as-nails, rebellious, sarcastic, military jock. A bull lesbian? Not so fast, my friends. She still retained her femine side by wearing shirts that enhanced her breasts. A truly groundbreaking role and performance.

haha lol. She's the female steven seagal (sp?) of the 21st century.