Avatar (Non-3D version) - My opening day review

[ramc64]

The movie broke every single record in movie history... and this is not a sequel or a movie based on a famous book... so this has to be seen as an incredible achievement!!! It is a pity you did not predict it would be such a big success... perhaps you should have seen it in 3D in the first place. Now COULD you tell when the worldwide record will fall? 2.8 billions dollars? perhaps in 30 or 40 years!!! Unless it will be kicked out by a sequel of Avatar itsefl... hehe

[KingGingerbread5O]

Compared to Avatar,Pandorum was a waaaayyyy better Alien movie.

[TheTechzorro]

um, it had the repeat business titanic did.

[TaishaJason]

@TheTechzorro yep - and then some! I was certainly wrong on that point.

[Entropy56]

Avatar, a rip-off of "Dances With Wolves"? Nah This movie was obviously inspired by the 1964 movie, "The Incredible Mr. Limpet".

[Entropy56]

They hype this movie as the largest grossing movie ever. Well, if adjusted for inflation, it is far from number one. As we all know, Gone With The Wind is still number one. Not only that, many classic movies had more walk-in theater traffic than movies today. But it wouldn't be good marketing to tell the real truth.

[TheTechzorro]

@Entropy56 gone with the wind is undisputedly No. 1. in 1939 it pulled in more money than the SECOND highest grossing 3D movie ever, which came out this year, Alice in Wonderland (2010). i honestly think though that if Avatar 2 has a much more interesting story, goes to the right points, and keeps the visuals and characters, james cameron has sequels like T2 under his belt! it could really beat GWTW....

[Axmiimlain]

obviously people went and saw it again its the highest grossing film ever and it is a great film w/out 3d but visual effects are PART of the movie so it should go toward your review dialogue was corny though but so is star wars dialogue but I have no idea how you can say it is not a re watchable film. Obviously you are not to good at predicting things I HIGHLY DOUBT iron man 2 is going to beat avatar the highest grossing film ever.

[TaishaJason]

@Axmiimlain Well, I did see it twice after all - once regular and once 3D. But that was enough for me - I won't be buying the DVD. But many other people did - it's the fastest selling Blu Ray title or something now.

I agree that Iron Man 2 won't touch it in terms of BO gross - even Favreau said they missed potential BO $s by not making IM2 in 3D, but I'm glad he didn't change it just for the gimmick and higher ticket sales.

I don't think you can judge my ability to predict based on 1 occurence

[Axmiimlain]

obviously people went and saw it again its the highest grossing film ever and it is a great film w/out 3d but visual effects are PART of the movie so it should go toward your review dialogue was corny though but so is star wars dialogue but I have no idea how you can say it is not a re watchable film.

[11Grayfox11]

This reminds me of when i saw Steven Speilbergs, Close encounters of the third kind. i was blown away with this UFO sci fi movie because to me it was so believable and well made. Although i like sci fi, I don't want it to be too far fetched that i can't follow the storyline or that it leaves me with more questions than answers.

[11Grayfox11]

James Cameron should have made this a trilogy like matrix and lord of the rings because you get the sense of having not experienced enough of Pandora and it's people. Would have been better to put the battle in the third part of the film. So for me it would have been..part 1, revelation of pandora and its people. Part 2 Earth's dilemma of running out of essential resources and the discovery of Pandora. Part 3 occupation of pandora break down of relations and subsequent final war.

[TaishaJason]

@11Grayfox11 I've heard that after the incredible financial success of the first film, that Cameron is indeed planning two more movies, but not set on Pandora. He wants to move the next movie to an underwater moon close to Pandora and come up with a whole new Alien species.

[11Grayfox11]

@TaishaJason That would be awesome to see a follow up to this great movie and to discover how far they can take this ground breaking CGi. If the landscapes of Pandora are anything to go by, an underwater sc- fi would be a chance to create breathtaking sea scapes and creatures as fascinating as Pandora. Thanks for sharing

[11Grayfox11]

Really enjoyed the movie, would have liked the movie to focus more on the physics and understanding of Pandora, it's habitat, it's people and various enviroments which were a major fascination of the film. It would have helped to make the viewer more attached to the preservation of the natives holy ground. I liked the religous, political and social aspects of the film. It's evident this film is a milestone and first of it's kind...amazing CGI i can see where the dollars went.

[MrBAMABASEMENTCOMICS]

i hated avatar! i am in that age range but it still does not impress me.

transformers 2 was a huge disappointment as well.

oh i have a question did you like dances with wolves ? its strange because i think dances with wolves is an excellent movie. maybe it is because i really didn't feel connected to the characters in avatar?

[XanaduZune]

Avatar has an excellent story. It's not just eye candy.

[bowmaa]

*i SAW IT 6 TIMES IN THEATERS

[Snorgteez]

i watched this movie yesterday it was amazing.

[Michel423]

The last thing you say about the succes of the film, has been proven otherwise as you know today.

But i'm agree with you about the negative parts of the movie.

But the question is always, would it have been such's a success when they would have made it with another story line?

[TaishaJason]

well - I was totally wrong about it's financial success - it's now the number one movie of all time worldwide if you don't count for inflation - so my hat's off to Cameron - he's done it again.

[Hutchatelli]

Noooooooooo !!!! ... you were totally wrong about the whole movie , NOT just is financial success ......

Duh duh duh duh

[DJDELZTV]

i havent seen avatar yet,i will agree with what your saying with transformers 2. horrible movie.

[thegoldenwalrus]

nice review, almost all of my friends feel the same. I was blown away. My second viewing was my favorite. I've seen it three times. 9/10

[michaelhtvr]

Hello TaishaJason,

Hope to see your video on the 3D experience you had with Avatar. Should be very interesting.

I saw a video of Lucas commenting on this 3D aspect and he said that the 3D version does add significantly to the movie and it makes a difference compared to the 2D version.

So, what is your take TaishaJason on this 3D version?

Thanks for sharing your comment on your experience you had with the 3D version of Avatar. Hoping to see it soon!

[TaishaJason]

I need to post my thoughts on seeing it again in 3D - I will try to get to making that vlog soon!  :)

[JMRFX]

A think if you open your eyes and realize the story is not copied, not corny, and does not have a bad story. The story is obviously too deep for you and the rest of these people. The Navi are like Native Amreicans, but honestly, you cannot compare this to Dances with Wolves. You had a 3/10 review in my opinion.

[schoons27]

No, it's not the greatest movie of all time. Thats not even a viable adjective for it. But, my god, it is fun to look at, fun to watch, and cool science fiction. I go to the theatres for that. When I want great drama I'll rent Atonement or watch The Fountain again.

Great vid Jason!

[ken2597]

great film dont think you a all directors just injoy the film,it pocahantas in space..

[quest8899]

who cares about the script, its all about special effects.

[balinmar]

oooooooooooooooookkkaaaaayyyy.­..rrriiiiiiiiiiggghhhtttt!!!!!­

[DarkNekoStudio]

Avatar=Neo Last Samurai!

seriously im starting to get annoyed by big special effect movie without a decent script..sure special effects are great to have in a movie but not at a point that its the only point of interest...just like 2012...more sp effect than actual story developpement..Zombieland,THAT­ was a great movie,a balanced portion of spe and script.Michael Bay is a disapointment please james don't follow him!

[ryokosdesire]

I have to say I mostly agree with you on this review, but this is definitely a movie you have to see in 3D. It was a decent movie to watch once in a theater, but I don't really see myself watching it again at home. I'm sure Kim will though.

[TaishaJason]

I saw it for a 2nd time today in 3D, so I'm gonna do a follow-up review soon.

[ANGERMAN27]

U Couldn't be more. It's already the #2 film of all time.. It is a better film the second time around, because I was let down by the script as well, but hey, Avatar 2 is gonna happen, and hopefully james cameron will punch out a better script next time. He is known for making better sequels...

[ifukponies]

That happened at "0:10"

[ifukponies]

nananananananana Avatar!

[ifukponies]

Wat the fuck is zeitgeist?

[TaishaJason]

acc to Dictionary(dot)com:

the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time.

[ifukponies]

Can we leave comments if we didn't see it opening day or weekend?

[TaishaJason]

sure

[KingofTownz]

Heres my small personal review: I HATE movies that are mostly CGI, i think they are pure garbage made for children. I glanced over this movie when i saw the previews, seeing just another anamated pile of crap. but when i saw it it (I also saw it first in 2d, later in 3d imax), i cant really explain it, it just pulled me into it like no movie has before. Im 16, but like i said, i hate most CGI filled movies, my personal favorite film is Shawshank redemption...Any movie called boring, ill like.

[TaishaJason]

I plan to take my folks to see it in 3D next week, so I may have to amend my review a bit, and I've already been proved wrong about the box office potential - the movie just became the 2nd highest grossing movie at the worldwide box office.

[KingofTownz]

Think it will beat titanics 1.8b?

[TaishaJason]

it won't beat Titanic's 600 million domestically, but it might cross 1.8 billion worldwide... we'll have to see...

of course, it's making about 70% of its money from 3D showings, which cost more per ticket.

[CubeLuda]

@TaishaJason

My god... I god damn love you! If you where a woman, I would perfose to you... :D

Finnally someone just... "got" what I got. Everyone that I've met said it was the best story in the world... and it made me sick.

The actors sucked, story sucked... graphics? Blew me away. But that was about it.

Why james fucked up so bad is beyond me... I mean, he knows it was going to be the first ever movie in the world to change cinema... And he ruined it.

[RogerRabid]

You should see what the actors went through to bring emotion and realism to thier cg counterparts, you can thank thier performances for supplying the "life" in each Na'vi. The actors had to imagine everything around them to make pandora feel just as real to thier charachter.

[CubeLuda]

@RogerRabid

Seeing pandora was buetifull. Other then that, it sucked. Get over yourself. The actors could have sucked the dick of the director to get the part for all I care, thats behind the scenes, and non of my biz.

I went in, and for somthing that took 10 years to write, and 5 years to make, it was a disapointing story line and plot.

They should had made it morre like LoTR or something. (even though I never really liked LoTR's.)

[Sedalb]

Very good review, I was enjoying it until you pulled out the "Dances With Wolves" film.

Alright...

Yes, Avatar is similar to Dances With Wolves, but why not go a step further and say "Dances With Wolves" takes from Pocahontas. Every story gets inspiration from another, even James Cameron said he used Dances With Wolves for reference, however good filmmakers take old stories and present them for todays audiances. All of your other points were valid though.

Cheers!

[Hutchatelli]

Man ...lemme tell you and every other person at this review that puts out negativity and pass's judgement before you've even see the flick listening to Jason ... your all a bunch of lemmings ....." i am acutally off to the cinema right now to see it regular ". .. REGULAR !?? ... 3D IS regular !! ..... did you drive to the movie with one hand over your eye ? ... do you live your life with a patch over one eye ...... if you liked a review of this movie seen in 2D ..your a lemming

Hutchatelli

[hopgoblen]

you know i have to agree with u .. there are to dam many movies that are all about graphics.. i mean yeah its nice to look at but if i wanted that i might as well go to a museum. where are movies like sordfish.. something that has twists and turns that u dot see coming...

[andrikriveros]

is so so cool how they fight with the creatures. i liked when it was in 3D it was so sad when they killed the father but it was a still pretty good movie.

[wad572]

you dont look 40

[typhonsentra]

Err, I've talked to numerous people who have seen it numerous times. I myself have seen it twice and when I went the second time, pretty sure I heard a lot of people there telling their friends about previous viewings too.

[TaishaJason]

yeah - it's been kicking ass at the box office - thought Sherlock Holmes would beat it, but it won again. It certainly has its fans and has people curious.

[slothsarepeculiar]

I'm not sure if I would have liked it as much if I hadn't seen it in 3d...what about you guys?

Personally the 3d wholly immersed me within the Pandora universe.

[HouseInVisus]

I have not seen it yet, but Ive heard some people talking about its "Anti-American/west" slant. Did you see anything like that in the film?

[conjargon]

anti-bush

[TaishaJason]

There is thinly veiled political allegory in the film - a brute force invades another land for its resources while being dismissive of the native culture - but I wouldn't call the film Anti-Western culture.

[CosmicDestroyer99]

GO IN 3D...You feel more like your in the Pandora world

[TheJpaint25]

u know wat dude this movie was da bomb! i mean u r saying like with all the stuff jake did with da na'vi was stupid? and wat about james cameron? he put all this time , money , and work in 2 this film and 2 here that some people come on youtube and say it was half rate? thats bull ! this movie was AMAZING!!!!!!

[tallpaul2007]

I liked this film alot. The creativity in it was epic like the alien creatures, the noises and the vegetation. I suppose though this all comes under CGI (visuals).

The story did have depth and you can't compare Avatar's story with Iron Man 2 which will only be a visual experience im sure.

Avatar didn't disappoint me.

[62MaGgOt62]

i my self am native american this movie was deeper that most close minded people are letting on one of my favorite quotes was anyone sitting on something you want is your enemy the government thinks they can take what they want

[Hecate1990]

I don't agree with people when they say that this movie is 'about special effects'.

James Cameron has said before that it was going to be similar to Dances with Wolves last year. A classic 'going native' story as he put it.

I personally loved it and I have seen it twice already. As for the cheese? I admit that it was cheesy, but what James Cameron movie isn't? Time travelling robots? Sounds like an Edward D. Wood film. I loved the cheesy colonel and the ending as I was rooting for the Na'vi.

[dogmonkeybottle]

no surprises? not even the climax where all the wildlife comes to the rescue?

[SchoolhouseTechno]

But the story definitely disappointed me, and this is definitely an overused movie trope, Dances with Wolves, The Last Samurai, and in those movies the characters develop, and they were so much deeper than any character in this film. Sigourney Weaver was probably the deepest character in this film and I would say the only decent one.

It might not be available to you, but definitely look for an IMAX screen if it is available. We just got IMAX at the local AMC and the sound/screen was great.

[TaishaJason]

There's a Krikorian theater near by in Vista that has it on a 60ft screen - I'll try it there in the New Year.

[SchoolhouseTechno]

I completely agree, but like you said I definitely didn't hate it. I think it was a good move for 2 reasons:

1. Creates a good fully realized world

2. You completely forget that you are watching CGI...I just realized that I never even thought about CGI in the theatres

and this one you might agree with after you see it in 3D

3. It makes a precedent of not using 3D as a gimmick, EVERYTHING is in 3D, and nothing flies at you just to fly at you, 3D used to be only for stuff flying straight at you.

[laughingfurry]

I'm hearing the same thing about Avatar I heard from others. Sounds like all looks and no substance, I'll pass. The movie will probably bore the crap out of me. Noone has gave a good reason for me to see it, so I won't spend my money on it.

[tony77tony77]

dude r u a comic fan? cool stuff!

[TaishaJason]

yep - check out my main channel page for comic-related vids

[japanbyron]

/agreed even though i havnt seen this movie yet lol

[ThePauleman]

I have to totally agree with you. I saw it in 3D and I had to agree with one critic that said the movie was in 3D but the characters were 2D. I was more impressed wit the 3D effect in "The Christmas Carol". At one point it even looked like it wa snowing in the theatre.

[TaishaJason]

Thanks - I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.

[Swapnil404]

If the effects help the overall movie, then it should get credit for it, and if it doesn't, then it shouldn't. But I'd want to see it, and filter my opinions according to that.

Nice review though. Looking forward to seeing if your opinion changes at all. No idea when I'll actually see it muself.

I fully expect to agree with you for the most part. And I already agree, movies need to stand up on their own, rather than a gimmick, but we should fully experience them as intended.

[Swapnil404]

I haven't seen this movie yet, but I think I'd just see it in 3d, to fully judge it.

Mostly because you might have times where the cinematography was coordinated specifically to emphasize a shot that's 3d, or to emphasize the depth perception, etc.. that wouldn't have been chosen, had it been intended for 2d

To me, it's like watching a movie meant to have a particular color filter, or other visual effect,chosen by the film maker, to create the intended effect or mood.

[42317]

Brother! You speak words right out of my heart.

AVATAR is the flashiest "Dances with Wolves" remake ever possible!

All I can add is that I was rather appalled by the total lack of proper military tactics and field procedures in this movie which was all about warriors and soldiers. The battle is just a clash of two brute forces that are different only in equipment.

[TaishaJason]

a review of the film at a website I read (cinemablend(dot)com ) says the same as you about the military tactics - not something that bothered me, but surprising since Cameron made the amazing "Aliens"

[rhoadesd20]

@42317 It is mentioned multiple times that it was a mercenary force. Comprised of, well mercenaries, and some ex-military. So that might be why the tactics weren't the best, but that is a guess on my part.

[42317]

I thought that was an interpretation of the protagonist, who in the beginning says that those were Marines, fighting for economic interests on Pandora, which is why he considered them mercenaries.

Be it as it may - a fighter who does not stick to discipline and order will not live long, and I doubt that ex-militaries will forget everything they learned about combat survival.

But it's also the natives... frontally attacking a heavily armed firing line... with cavalry, in woodland... oh my...

[wetboy40]

I saw the 3D Version and it was AMAZING, In an interview I found on the internet James Cameron stated that if Avatar is successful, two sequels to the film are planned.

[42317]

Two sequels? Showing what? The return of humankind and how they bomb everything to pieces from the orbit?

[TaishaJason]

I've heard him say that he wants to explore the cultures on the other moons surrounding this planet - Pandorra is a moon. So it could be all new characters...

[KafkaOshima]

I'd definitely have to agree with the majority of your review. Stunning visuals, yes, and if you're just out for some eye-candy and fast-paced action, then Avatar is an excellent film in that regard. However, the plot is cliched more than Transformers 2, and Jake's 'fell in love with the planet' speech made me cringe. A good film, by far the best 3D I've seen, but I'm not sure it was the best use of my £8 I could have made.

[temjin44]

Perfect Review. Was also a huge James Cameron fan. I watched T1, Aliens, T2, Abyss, and Titanic weeks before watching Avatar. Relatively, this was Cameron;s weakest effort. For all of you teenage viewers, go watch his previous films and you will be blown away not by CGI but by masterful storytelling. James Cameron lost it . GAME OVER MAN - HUDSON.

[GabnDad]

We saw it in IMAX 3D, and all of us (3 generations) were super-impressed. Not sure a repeat/2D viewing would sustain my enthusiasm, though...! For me, this movie's significance is inexorable from the context of expectations, tech achievments, etc. Life-long film classic? Probably not!

[LukeLovesRose]

Dude, you didn't understand the point of this movie. I've seen it 4 times. Yes, every time I saw it, it was in 3D. But, there is a story behind all of these visuals and its pretty freakin' compelling by itself. It's like saying a certain film about saving a certain private in WWII was just about the violence of the war. It's like saying a movie about a girl named Dorothy was just walking around a yellow brick road for an hour and a half.

There is so much more to Avatar than meets the eye.

[TaishaJason]

I think I understood the "point" of the film just fine. But I stand by my assertion that the political allegory is heavy handed, the quasi religious motif was silly, and the story was derivative and most of the acting was wooden. Having said all that, I did enjoy the movie overall, and found things in it to like and will eventually see it again in 3D. It's a good film - groundbreaking in some respects - deserves to be seen - but it's not a great film.

[copperhead88]

@TaishaJason your probblem is that ur too smart and u think too much if ur stupid like me u would fucking love the movie

[TaishaJason]

haha - ok - how can I argue with that. :)

[emmiranda]

Simply put, this movie was made to be watched in 3D, which makes it very amazing. The story, although predictable, was ok, but 3D is amazing, even when he records the video logs the text log is in 3D. Watching it in non-3D format is just half the experience, and that's what I'd say about it, is just not the movie and the effects and the plot anymore, is about the experience in 3D, really, give it a chance =)

[Hutchatelli]

Ridiculous review ... your review is tantamount to ordering a pizza without any toppings because I want to taste the essence of the dough itself .... or eating a feast of meal like Thanksgiving , but I don't want to put in any herbs & spices so I can judge the basis of the plain bread in the dressing and the gravy on the potatoes .... by watching in 2D you missed 33% of the essence of this movie ... not a fair review when you leave so much out .. Like watching with one eye covered

Hutchatelli

[GoForkYourself]

what a shame that 66% of the movie is 3d eye-candy, and that such a small part of it is story and dialogue.

not a surprise though.

[TaishaJason]

I'm sure many people will seek out the film in 3D, but the simple fact is many, many more people over time will see the film in a non-3D format - either at a theater without 3D or at home on DVD or on TV or at a hotel or on an airplane, etc. So I stand by my assertion that the film should work as an entertaining story with interesting characters, etc FIRST and then add the layer of WOW that 3D brings. I will see it again, in 3D, and I'm open to revising my opinion.

[Rictof]

I guess that would make this movie Dances With Smurfs. I'm honestly tired of movies making bank off their special effects alone when a movie is supposed to be a visual story. Sometimes the visuals are too cut up to make any sense of what is going on with the action, like fighting for instance. There doesn't seem to be any creative screen writers in the business anymore, and that is why Hollywood will fail time and time again. Great review Jason, it's good to see you vlogging back at home.

[TaishaJason]

I will say that Cameron knows how to shoot an action scene - all the action in the movie is very well done - not so much of the quick cuts and shaky cam that is so predominate these days. He takes the time to establish the world of Pandora so you know where you are and what is going on. That part of the film is well done.

[jessman1999]

I thought it was a good movie. Nothing to overly impressive like you said (outside of visual). I wouldn't mind seeing it in 3D, but not a high priority. What I do think JC did right was the romance aspect of the film. Call me a sucker for the romance, but the relationship between the two was the best part. Very reminiscent of a lot of epic films (as you said) with Dances with Wolves, LotR, and also the forbidden romance in The Last Samurai. What can I say, I'm a sucker for love.

[TaishaJason]

Having Zoe Saldana in your film doesn't hurt either - she is easily one the 5 most beautiful woman on the planet right now.  :)

[DJTEVAdotCOM]

Forget the predictable story or corny lines...It's all about the amazing 3d visual and effects! But I have to admit, I got ripped off by my local theatre...they charged my $15 for a 3D day show what they called "X-D" which is pretty much Imax without their logo...I could of got the same expeirence for $10 in 3d in other megaplex...And then they expected you to please recycle the glasses so they can charge the next sucker $15...why not let me re-use the same glasses for future 3d movies .

[winDragon79]

Imo(being in the demographic you spoke of), I have to agree with you on "Dances With Wolves" similarities. The story wasn't anything to ponder over, but I did feel mildly engrossed by a few of the characters nonetheless. Being a 3D animation student...its really hard for me to disregard the visuals as its what really made this movie. I think some people take for granted the amount of time and effort it takes to get particle effects down like that. There is much room for improvement story-wise.

[denitson777]

Transformers 2 was Crap,the only good thing about it was Megan Fox.

[TiramisuHappy]

I loved Dances With Wolves with Costner.

I loved The Last Samurai with Cruise.

I should then love Avatar, right? ; P

It's almost $18.00 a pop to see Avatar here in NYC. If I already know the plot line and how it all ends, should I even bother spending that much on a movie? (And I'm NOT really all that into visual SFX, either...)

I actually went to see Crazy Heart (Jeff Bridges) with a friend because Avatar was all sold out last night. Turned out I liked that film quite a bit! : )

[TaishaJason]

If you have any interest in it at all, then yes, you should see it on a big screen cuz I don't think it'll be the same experience on DVD, no matter how nice your TV is.

[AkitaTom]

Great review Jason, i think i'll make a response video some point today to add my 2 cents!

[TaishaJason]

cool - I've been thinking about it all day and could probably make another 9min vid talking about it - so it does have me thinking - I will definitely see it one more time in 3D.

[GuitarSlingerPK]

I saw it 2-D yesterday, matinee(4$). Theater mostly empty! The downside is there were terrible sound problems at the beginning and few minutes passed before the sound was "fixed". The cgi was wonderful. The imagery of Pandora was the best part for me. Unfortunately that meant everything else was lacking. There were a lot of interesting ideas floating around, and the premise was good, but the execution failed for me. That and I kept thinking of Ferngully and Last Samurai often..

[NikkeinJapan]

Damn Jason! You beat me to it! I'm dying to see Avatar.

Jim Cameron has nary made a bad film (except Piranha II). He's the man that brought us Aliens, Terminator, True Lies, Abyss, Titanic.

I'm glad to hear it's better than Transformers 2.

Is the story, despite being formulaic, "at least" well told?

[TaishaJason]

Yes - it's engaging, but not fresh or surprising. Of course, I recommend seeing the film on a BIG screen if you have any interest in it - I don't think it will be the same experience on DVD.

[nokomarie1963]

I expect to see the movie at our local cinema/pub. One family member likes comedy and action-Iron Man as a for instance was a great one for her. So, we will drink beer and eat chowder and take the movie in all good humour. Probably buy it when it comes out.

[kcazzo69]

Sounds like Last Samurai.

[fightingirishaholic]

i'll be honest i didn't see avatar, nor dances with wolves (lol look at how old i am) but from what your saying about the dances with wolves vs avatar parallels....i can pretty much compare it to the last samurai and avatar

[rhoadesd20]

I have to say, or add, he didn't know anything about them. He even says, he only read a manual. So he went in knowing 'nothing' about them. But you are correct in that there is no real character development in the beginning.I wasn't so distracted by the similarities to Dances with Wolves (and don't forget ferngully) because a lot of things these days are rehashed. What matters is telling the story relative to their setting, which I think they do well. (the 3D isn't pop in your face, it's subtle)

[MediaMaster9000]

@ rhoadesd20 "the 3D isn't pop in your face" I noticed this as well, which was a nice touch. The intention of 3D should be to bring the viewer into the scene so that they, without conscious effort, feel like they could be there. Not to have it shoved in your face.

[lambcaster]

Hi Jason,

When you see this in 3D as intended, the visuals make up the movie more than any dialoge could. And you will realize that the story had to be simple to allow you to better asorb the visuals. The second avatar will improve the story such as Empire Strikes Back did, but by that time we will all be well adjusted to this new level of visual entertaiment and can actually pay attention to the story. Too much story at this stage would destroy the film due to the trans on the visuals.

[MiokovicD]

@lambcaster I completely agree.

Also .. grate review. I have feeling that I would leave theater with same impressions if I saw it in 2D.

In 3D movie worked really well and I enjoyed it a lot.

[TaishaJason]

I will give it a 2nd shot in 3D.

But hold back on the comparisons to the Holy Trilogy - this film is no where in the same league as Star Wars and TESB.

[rhoadesd20]

I saw it in 3D and I absolutely love it! The story was a tad weak and some of the characters were hard to get into, but overall I really enjoyed it. The cgi looked realistic to me, anyway.

And the Na'vi are 10 feet tall ;)

[TaishaJason]

10 feet tall - ok. :)

They do a good job of selling that in the first few times we see them, and then after that the Na'vi are always around other Na'vi, so you start to forget how big they are - but they bring it back at the end in a nice scene.

[Michaelprotectsme]

I see movies to think i hate video games and im 30 these things coming out now arent movies there big video games the only real way to find real movies is the independent genre inglourious basterds should win movie of the year people wanna pay more just for 3d and imax thats not what movies are about never have been never will be i really hope hollywood will go back to not using alot of cgi and more story but i dont see it happening the younger genrations are truely brainwashed

[maximum1]

Hi Jason,

I saw it last night. Yes, I did see it in IMAX 3D, however, I must say, I loved it., and will probably see it again, and this is coming from someone who hasn't gone to the movies in over five years.

The predictability of the plot didn't detract from my enjoyment one bit, and I have to admit I did become emotionally invested. Was it the 3D? I don't know...I don't think so.

Having no preconceived notions, the movie was better for me than I expected.

[WeThePeopleInc]

ONCE YOU SEE IT IN 3d YOU WILL BE FLOORED ...NO DOUBT THE WHOLE TIME I WAS LIKE WHAT!!1!!! NO WAY !!! ETC ...I HOPE I DIDN'T PISS OFF ANY OF THE AUDIENCE YELLING OUT THOSE QUOTES .....I WAS SHOCKED

[matman125]

I'm probably with you, Jason. I'm not one to be hypnotized by visuals in this way, I need a story. Maybe I'll change my mind when I actually see the film, but all I hear is how pretty it looks, and doesn't make me interested in going to the theater to see for myself.

You know what was a visually stunning film? Speed Racer, and no one freaking saw it.

[tedstar]

Normally I would agree with you. I hate special effects driven movies like 2012 and transformers 2. Without good characters, dialog and/or story a movie just doesn't work for me. But for avatar I'll have to make an exception. I saw it in IMAX 3D last thursday and I really was blown away. I have never seen a 3D movie before, so I don't know how much of an improvement Avatar is over other movies, but it definitely was spectacular to look at.

[TaishaJason]

there is of course a reason we go to the movies rather than say read a book - the visuals do matter, but they have to married to something interesting or it's just a 160 minute music video/video game. I think you should see it on a big screen and with lowered expectations you might be pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it, but there are better films this year, better films from Cameron and better films in this genre.

[markshmily]

I'm 36 and I thought the movie was amazing...

There were a few times when I could predict things happening, but I was very entertained and I plan to see it again.

[MediaMaster9000]

I saw it in amazing 3D last night. Surprisingly I wasn't disappointed in the un-original plot. But I think it's because I rarely see a movie now days expecting to find much of anything original, so expectations aren't high enough to be let down. When you go see the 3D version, forget the story and try to really immerse yourself VISUALLY. Imagine standing, walking and flying with them. While this won't change your opinion of the story, I think your overall experience will be much better. :)

[Graehaus]

Too each his own . I enjoyed TF2, tho for the effects not the drivel writing. Prime ripping The Fallens head Apart, that rocked. Same with 2012, great effects, The Park blowing up, amazing.. Writing.. Not so much.

Avatar, even seeing the trailer, saw the parallels to Dances.. Sadly, most stories are re hashs, even Star Wars can fall under that. Lucas even admits it. Still I see movies as a way to escape the real life, and bask in the eye candy.

[regularkid]

the movie is fucking incredible. you have a small mind. this movie was transcendent and deeply moving.

[TaishaJason]

well I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. Movies are somewhat subjective and everyone finds different things to like. I've just seen way more movies than most people and my standards, especially for Cameron, are a bit higher.

[sapporokatie]

Oh, and I thought the main character was completely unlikeable. He was so obnoxious and didn't have any redeeming qualities even by the end, I think.

[sapporokatie]

Saw it today in non-3D--yeah, it was pretty derivative--but I was entertained I did think the creature designs were pretty standard. Personally I got pretty disoriented, haha--there was a lot going on and I don't think I could have handled it in 3D. Overall, not bad. Actually better than I expected.

[klynik]

I haven't seen it yet, but plan to.

Hollywood is dead as far as good original stories. Most everything is just a remake with special effects.

I'm actually in college for CG and special effects. And whats crazy is now I know how a lot of the stuff works. So I sit there and pick everything apart, even when I don't mean to. So most of the time I don't even get "wowed" by the special effects, so it doesn't even make up for the plot. Then the whole movie is just bad. Lol.

[TaishaJason]

For me - CGI characters interacting with other CGI characters in a CGI environment just doesn't hold much appeal. The genius of the original SW trilogy is that these fantastic creatures and robots interacted with recognizable human characters and were anchored to a very real environment, which I think started to go astray in the prequels. I'll see if my opinion changes after I see it again in 3D.

[emergencyincas]

The plot was a bit bland, but I loved the world-building stuff. The Navi reminded me a bit more of the sort of imaginary cultures invented for fantasy rather than scifi. And the creature design kind of gave me a hint of the joy I had seeing tauntauns and rancors for the first time long ago. Mindblowing CG I can live with or without, but I am a sucker for solid monster design, (dug Hellboy 2 for the monsters, definitely not the plot.) especially when it's as cohesive as Avatar's.

[APOKALYPSE34]

hey maybe Im the first 25 year old that will be the story. Movies no a days need to get a real good story to back it. Not saying there aren't good movies coming out, but you know what I mean. As for kids making noise that really piss me off cuz you come to see a movie not to hear them.