demagogue on 27/12/2009 at 19:59
I don't have much to add that hasn't been said.
Visually, a few things really stopped my breath ... most of the opening scenes, from the inside of the ship, to planetfall and around the base, then the first tours of the planet. I agree that they seemed to have put more attention to the 3D experience towards the start and less as the movie went on, but that's a quibble... The team that put the art direction to life deserves a massive pat on the back.
The story was functionable; I tried to roll with it and only really rolled my eyes a few times ... that silly nature-hacking ceremony around the holy tree or when they were trying too hard to remind us these guys were really "natives" and these guys really "grunts" ... like having a character whose sole purpose was to embody a cliche. But it was definitely watchable and there were good scenes too. I feel like even with that part of it, I'm glad I watched it.
PotatoGuy on 27/12/2009 at 20:32
Just saw this. Visually great, indeed. The areas were beautiful and it was one of the only films that made me think that it would super awesome cool to live there instead on this crappy earth. I'm normally still quite positive about 'living' in general (Hey, I'm 18. That's meant to be), and now I was jealous of the beatiful nature there. I kinda hate the film for doing that.
The story was predictable, the lines were predictable, the scenes were predictable. So many cliches, so many things you knew that were gonna happen. But for some mystical reason, I didn't care. Normally I hate those things, but... I just didn't care.
I am not afraid to say so: I love this dumb, predictable, still-visually-great-but that's-normally-not-really-important movie. Worst part is I just don't know why exactly.
I'm sure gonna rewatch this, and then in 3D. He can begin making a sequel imo.
mol on 27/12/2009 at 20:33
Cameron has already gone on record saying he'd like this to become a trilogy.
jay pettitt on 27/12/2009 at 21:07
I'm in no hurry to see any more of this; that's not to say I didn't enjoy it, but in terms of script, character, story, philosophy and everything else it was a mess. Too much bubblegum, not enough brain food. Give that technology to someone who can stimulate my own neural network though...
dj_ivocha on 27/12/2009 at 22:05
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
You
do need to see this film in 3D IMAX.
I hate you! :( Nearest IMAX is like 150km away...
I did see it in "normal" 3D ((
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealD) RealD) yesterday, though and was alternating between :D and :eek: the whole time.
:D
:eek:
:D
:eek:
:D
Also $615 million in less than 10 days. Blimey.
Gingerbread Man on 27/12/2009 at 22:23
Actually, I'll tell you what: Last night I felt like it was June of 1977 again. Six year-old me and my dad both stepping out of the cinema and into the evening light, stunned and wide-eyed for exactly the same reason: wtf star wars?!
Scots Taffer on 28/12/2009 at 04:18
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
I have things to say, giggles to gush, "didyouseewhen?" and "holyfuckremember?" and "whataboutthe?" for hours to come. But I don't need to get into a pointless argument with Snobs_Taffer and the rest of his "We Don't Really Enjoy Fun" fangroup.
:D
To be totally honest, my jaw was on the floor for about the first hour (that opening shot as they came out of cryo, holy fuck) and I didn't notice any of the horrible shit (SHOCK AND AWE) that was populating the script but as the movie wore on, I really couldn't help but notice it. I loved the shit out of all of that visual eye-ball orgasmic wonder, but I did feel like they weren't capitalising on the tech after the
twin towers tree town fell down. Shots lacked depth and overall looked flatter. But fuck me, those first two hours are an experience that are unparalleled in the world of film.
It's amazing that we're going to see so many of these in coming years - I saw trailers for Toy Story 1/2 in 3D (which looked great and did the more obvious OOOH 3D hands out into the audience stuff - which I felt they could've put into Avatar once or twice gimmicky though it is) and 3D even made the new Alice movie look palatable.
I did HAVE FUN, I just didn't love THE MOVIE.
nicked on 28/12/2009 at 08:46
Saw this in 2D on Boxing Day (3D is a fad that's not worth £10 a ticket). Very impressive film visually. I think it's the first time I've ever watched a film with a vast amount of special effects, and never once thought "Well that bit's obviously CGI". It all blended together so seamlessly and never looked anything less than completely real.
Sure the plot is recycled, the characters are well-abused cliches and all the borderline-religious-cult-green-treehugger shit got pretty tiresome, but I knew all that when I went in.
The plot may have been used a hundred times before, BUT it seems to me that that's because it's a damn good plot. At least it was paced well, hit all the right emotional notes and made fucking sense, unlike so many other films released this year (Transformers 2 anyone?)
I haven't seen Sherlock Holmes yet (another film that, if it's any good, will likely have to be a guilty pleasure round these parts! ;)) but I'd say this is probably the most fun I've had with a film all year.
TafferLing on 28/12/2009 at 10:21
Isn't Avatar a lot like the oooooooold rpg Albion?
SubJeff on 28/12/2009 at 11:39
Seriously people if you didn't see this in 3D you're not qualified to comment on whether the 3D is a gimmick or a fad or not. And I'll tell you now - its not (and it can't be a fad since its hardly been used wtf). In 2D it will be but a shadow of its real self.
