AVATAR - Like it or Love it?

[BFM_Kiwi]

Very impressive.  3D has come a long way.  Plot was very predictable and full of clichés, but not as bad as I'd expected I suppose.  It was sort of equal parts The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Transformers and Willy Wonka 

I'm glad I saw it, wouldn't care to see it again, very impressed with the technology - I guess I'd agree with 7/10.

[BFM_Edison]

One of my friends described the idea behind the story as a combination of Xenocide and Star Wars. Of course, Xenocide was far superior in story, as was Star Wars, but still.

[Bob Marley]

I am not  fan of fantasy movies like Avatar, Harry Potter, LODR, etc.

But I absolutely loved this movie.  Not just the special effects, but also the plot and characters.

9.5/10

[MrMxyzptlk]

Well, I have a LOT to say about this movie, but I'll keep it short....

- Excellent overall, but the story was lacking - and too predictable. I kept saying that it seemed almost smarmy, like a Disney flick, and my son later realized that it was Pocahontas.... lol

- Frankly, seeing it any way other than IMAX 3D won't do it justice.... (Sorry for/to the folks who cannot see it that way....)

- It's already made US$1B, but the entire family is going to see it again... in IMAX 3D....

- True visual eye-candy, indeed, but it's WAY more impressive to a Computer Graphics nerd that was one of the first doing "3D" wire frame graphics on green oscilloscope screens...

- You don't even KNOW how technologically advanced this project was! The resultant movie bears NONE of the true advances resulting from Cameron's tenacity! Oh sure, you see the END result on the screen, but the advances he FORCED INTO BEING to make this film are going to change the entire movie industry! (I'd really like to post links to some of the technology articles, but they're all rife with reader commentary....    Hint: Nov 2009 WIRED magazine)

- The previous point bears repeating: The Making Of This Movie Was Unlike Any Movie Ever Made Before:

* Created a 350-page Pandorpedia [ example ] describing every aspect of the fictional planet Pandora, complete with environmental and zoological details of all life, as well as similar detail for all the human weapons, shps, vehicles, etc.

* REAL-TIME, REAL-WORLD FULL-MOTION CAPTURE of all the real-world actors in 3D motion-capture suits on 140 synchronized digital cameras on full-sized sets built inside the hangar in which Howard Hughes built the Spruce Goose.

* Invented a new type of 3D camera system (which Sony built esp. for him) to greatly improve upon current 3D capture and delivery methods. (His idea: Trash the current "screen plane" (related PDF technical paper) concept completely and go with a more natural, human-perception-based method.)

* Avoided "Uncanny Valley" problems - notably those that made other CGI movies (e.g. Polar Express) - feel "creepy" to watch by filming closeup (1" away from actor's face), wide-angle, high-def moving images of all the actors' visible facial expressions - right down to their facial pores - and used them to map onto their CGI counterparts.

* Built a computer farm that put all this together IN REAL TIME, so he could watch the "post-production" footage as it was being "filmed!"


Avatar is truly a technological masterpiece that will open the door for a totally new era of visual entertainment, with production "ease" and creative flexibility heretofore only imagined.

[Elensar]

This movie was BY FAR the best movie I have ever seen in my life. I went away from that movie leaving part of my soul. I wanted to pack my bags and move to that planet and live with the Na'vi. When it comes out I will buy it and I might watch it daily!!!!!!

[a_dude]

Story = mediocre
Visual Effects = Awesome
3D = meh

So, I liked it, but didn't really love it. If the story had been vastly improved, then I would've loved it.

[·WídgêT·]

- Excellent overall, but the story was lacking - and too predictable. I kept saying that it seemed almost smarmy, like a Disney flick, and my son later realized that it was Pocahontas.... lol

Funny you should say that...



Just found this on failblog

[Oblique]

my son later realized that it was Pocahontas.... lol

Well its a little early in the year for this but here goes. Is this the biggest 'DOH!', moment of 2010?
Well spotted Son of MrMxyzptlk, not even the critics noticed that one, and they get paid to do so


Sp@rt101

[BFM_Kiwi]

The New York Times critics noticed it.  Besides Pocahontas, said it also matched the plot for Dances With Wolves (white guy infiltrates natives, discovers they are more noble than his own people, marries squaw, leads rebellion against his own people).  Also compared it to the Last Samurai and Fern Gully.

[Oblique]

The New York Times critics noticed it.  Besides Pocahontas, said it also matched the plot for Dances With Wolves (white guy infiltrates natives, discovers they are more noble than his own people, marries squaw, leads rebellion against his own people).  Also compared it to the Last Samurai and Fern Gully.

Thats a double 'DOH!' (Or is it triple?)  The script writers must have been having a lazy weekend on those days

Sp@rt101

[Bowser]

Story wasn't the best, but it didn't keep the overall enjoyment factor go down.

The effects were some of the best I have EVER seen. (Might ever top Lord of the Rings. )


My rating-9/10 Give it a bit better plot and it grades as a 10/10. 


Even with the plot being a bit "corny" I would have to say this movie was a very enjoyable experience, and I recommend it to EVERYONE.


~Bowser

[conrad96]

loved it, the graphics were astonishing and 3D made it that much better. the story was kinda shaky at first but it got better later on in the movie. some awesome combat scenes too!

[Wolf]

I saw the similarities too in the movie to the aformentioned related movies such as Pocahontas. However, where the failure of many critics and other people is that it is a movie. Just go and enjoy it! Who cares if it may be a bit predictable or familiar so long as if you still enjoy watching it.

As for the similarities, they are of course going to be there. Numerous cases throughout human history have visitors coming to different areas and more often than naught wreaking havoc on the indigenous people. Clearest example is as you stated, with Native Americans and European settlers like in Pocahontas. It's a part of our history, sad that it is, that people find significant in a story they wish to create. In a way, it's a healthy reminder of what wrongs we can still do... especially if we find another world to settle that has beings there. Do we commit the same travesty? Even though the plot became obvious to me, I found it interesting in a new setting such as they potrayed.

On another note, I read a story on CNN today that blew my mind. People are becoming depressed and even suicidal over this movie. They are yearning for Pandora and see real life now as something meaningless or bad, in short. I know that the movie left me with disgust on how we've treated the planet so far but those feelings were already there. so it amazes me that people are having trouble distinguishing reality with this movie. Still, I am who I am and not them. I hope they can find the support to help them.

[Lucky]

It was alright. Overhyped in my opinion.

agreed.

[jim360]

Haven't seen it, not going to most likely.

The New York Times critics noticed it.  Besides Pocahontas, said it also matched the plot for Dances With Wolves (white guy infiltrates natives, discovers they are more noble than his own people, marries squaw, leads rebellion against his own people).  Also compared it to the Last Samurai and Fern Gully.

But then I remember something about how there are only so many basic storylines anyway. It's all about variations on a theme, really, isn't it?

On the face of it Sleepless in Seattle and You've got Mail are the same film (even the same two stars, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan), them both being about people who fall in love before they even properly meet each other, but that doesn't stop each movie being enjoyable in its own right. Or Ice Age and The Incredible Journey. Or even Star Wars and The Princess Bride have some similarities (Fezzik and Chewbacca are so the same character really...).

Like Wolf says, enjoy it for what it is. THat's actually why I dislike critics anyway - who always seem to miss the point.