Avatar (2009)

[Ursa major]

And you (given your avatar) more able to cope with 3D than most....

[Allegra]

Going to see it on Sunday. Can't wait!

[mygoditsraining]

I got back online all ready to absolutely slate the writing in Avatar, only to discover that the rest of the internet got there first. Really stunning visuals aside, the story arc is so bland that it's actually a little insulting. I was left thinking; is that it? Two instances of deus ex machina and a character who undergoes the major points of his journey in montage.

On the plus side, it had Wes Studi in it and that, along with the scene where Sam Worthington apologises to a deer-thing he's killed, made me want to go and watch Last of the Mohicans again.

[Moonbat]

I've seen it, that is to say I saw it. I hope you guys don't mind if I get a little bit critical. Ok it looked amazing, particularly the flora, the alien plants and the world did look amazing, the fauna, the animals look pretty good too. I liked the black panther/dog things, I liked the hammerhead rhinos too. But I didn't think it was that good a story, I don't even think the 3D added anything to the film.
It looked great, but the 3D sometimes got in the way of the fast paced action. The story was predictable, but at some points very tense. I liked it when Jake was eating as his avatar was about to be squished by the giant JCB things.
I laughed out loud when I saw the general holding a cup of tea (coffee) as they go into battle. But so many problems.
Unobtanium was almost irrelevant, why blow up the tree when there were floating mountains, why were they floating? it didn't really say, they would expect us to assume that they were mountains of unobtanium, but then why not drag a mountain back to thier base instead of blowing up a massive tree that was 'sitting on the largest pile of unobtanium for 20 clicks'
Isn't a click about a mile or a kilometre? so are they that lazy that they can only be bothered to forage for this immensely expensive (imaginary) element within a radius of 20 kilometres on a forest moon light years from earth.
Where was this moon, it took 6 years to get there but they didn't say how, or where it was.
how come the general was able to breathe the air for more than 20 seconds, unlike everyone else he could just stroll out in it and start shooting (with his breath held?)
what was going on with the hair thing, how can a plait (I think thats the spelling) somehow include the optic fibre things that can act like brain wiring neurons? They just plait the hair together and magically the end has some things that talk to all the creatures, and then Jake even shaves some of his head, so how does that not effect the plait things?
I see James Cameron has upgraded his robot suit things from Aliens, cool.
the end battle was good when you got to see how big the Na'vi were compared to humans, the giant arrows were cool. Although at one point they couldn't pierce glass and they later on they could.
sorry for my rant, but I only liked the look of the flora and very little else about this film. Shame

[Thadlerian]

I think it was more like the mountains floated because the unobtainium in the ground. Things like the moon's unspecified location and the USB man-animal connections I can easily accept as artistic freedom. As for the arrows, the first time they were shooting from below, at obtuse angles, while the second time they were shooting from above, at right angles, getting far greater penetrative force.

[clovis-man]

Well, the willing suspension of disbelief can go a long way toward allowing one to enjoy an otherwise quite unbelieveable movie.

And you first have to decide whether it's an issue for you at all.

[Ursa major]

Originally Posted by clovis-man

Then the plot unfolded as part Fort Apache, part Dances With Wolves, etc. Nothing truly original.

I've seen the film described (The noughties are defined by fakery | Hadley Freeman | Comment is free | The Guardian) as Dances with Smurfs.

I've still not seen the film myself, so I couldn't possibly comment.




(And a click - or klick - is a kilometer.)

[nj1]

I saw it on boxing day, my first 3D film. I for one really enjoyed it. It wasn't the best plot but at times it sucked you right in and the visuals were stunning with some wicked looking animals (i liked the way those little lizards flew).
All in all I would recommend it to anyone and for the first time in a long time I felt that it was worth forking out to go to the cinema rather than wait for DVD (would the DVD be in 3D?)

[elvet]

Another milestone movie for me, right up there with Blade Runner, Jurrasic Park and Lord of the Rings. Absolutely jaw-dropping visually, though familar themes made most of the movie predicatable. I'm going to try and see this one again on an IMAX screen.

[tangaloomababe]

I am glad I am not alone in my thinking here. Went to see Avatar with my partener, who loved it, came out saying it was the best, awesome, fantastic etc etc, whilst I was thinking yes it was watchable and the special efects and CGI and whatever were brilliant, the plot was pretty average, probably your boy meets girl etc storyline just set in some futuristic world.
Its not something I would see again and I probably don't understand all the hype around it and it was way to long, however it was one of those movies where it didn't matter if you had to leave for a necessary break because it just wasn't that exciting.

[Rothgar]

Finally saw the movie today in 3D IMAX. I had no idea the technology had advanced so far!

It was fantastic! When I say that I mean it in two ways. 1: it's a science fiction fantasy story- it isn't a hard science film which means it's going to require some suspension of disbelief. 2: as a film in 3D it was amazing. I haven't been drawn into a film like that in years. Is it perfect? Of course not. But there is real character development and as the story progresses you really care about these characters when they and their world are facing total destruction.

For those who complain about it not being 'original'- What truly is completely original these days? Yes, it has similar story elements to 'Call Me Joe' and 'Dances with Wolves' but you can relate it to a lot of other stories also. 'The Last Samurai' with Tom Cruise, 'Aliens' with the evil corporation messing with a world they don't understand, 'John Carter of Mars', 'The Matrix' running around in bodies that aren't your own, 'Starship Troopers' with beefed up mech suits, 'Dune', there were even a couple moments that reminded me of 'Excalibur'.

The bottom line is that this movie can stand on its own. If you don't care for it that's fine, but decide that after you've seen it.

[Mary Hoffman]

Saw it last night with husband, who goes to very few films, and both really enjoyed it. The dialogue is clunky and the plot predictable at every point. And the 3D did not add much to the film in my opinion, but the characters were attractive, especially when they were Na'vi (is that where the apostrophe goes?).

The images linger in the mind.

[Parson]

Let me say that I am glad I did not read this thread before I went to the movie. I loved it and I'm not sure I would have if I had known about all of the carping about the details. I sat on the edge of my seat with my heart pounding the whole time. Okay, you knew how it had to end. But I had to reassure my wife, she was ready to walk out because she was afraid of a bad ending. I would not hesitate a second to recommend this movie to anyone who wants to see a good movie. For me this movie ranks right up there with the original Star Wars movie, which to me, is far and away the best SF movie I've ever seen.

[bobbo19]

Originally Posted by Moonbat

I've seen it, that is to say I saw it. I hope you guys don't mind if I get a little bit critical. Ok it looked amazing, particularly the flora, the alien plants and the world did look amazing, the fauna, the animals look pretty good too. I liked the black panther/dog things, I liked the hammerhead rhinos too. But I didn't think it was that good a story, I don't even think the 3D added anything to the film.
It looked great, but the 3D sometimes got in the way of the fast paced action. The story was predictable, but at some points very tense. I liked it when Jake was eating as his avatar was about to be squished by the giant JCB things.
I laughed out loud when I saw the general holding a cup of tea (coffee) as they go into battle. But so many problems.
Unobtanium was almost irrelevant, why blow up the tree when there were floating mountains, why were they floating? it didn't really say, they would expect us to assume that they were mountains of unobtanium, but then why not drag a mountain back to thier base instead of blowing up a massive tree that was 'sitting on the largest pile of unobtanium for 20 clicks'
Isn't a click about a mile or a kilometre? so are they that lazy that they can only be bothered to forage for this immensely expensive (imaginary) element within a radius of 20 kilometres on a forest moon light years from earth.
Where was this moon, it took 6 years to get there but they didn't say how, or where it was.
how come the general was able to breathe the air for more than 20 seconds, unlike everyone else he could just stroll out in it and start shooting (with his breath held?)
what was going on with the hair thing, how can a plait (I think thats the spelling) somehow include the optic fibre things that can act like brain wiring neurons? They just plait the hair together and magically the end has some things that talk to all the creatures, and then Jake even shaves some of his head, so how does that not effect the plait things?
I see James Cameron has upgraded his robot suit things from Aliens, cool.
the end battle was good when you got to see how big the Na'vi were compared to humans, the giant arrows were cool. Although at one point they couldn't pierce glass and they later on they could.
sorry for my rant, but I only liked the look of the flora and very little else about this film. Shame

Yo dude, he could not reveal everything now could he, how else is he gonna make a trilogy? lol

And the palnet is in the Alpha Centauri A system, aka one of the closest stars to our dearest Sol.

[Allegra]

Watched it yesterday and really enjoyed it largely because of the visual effect. It's a shame a film like this does not have remarkable music.