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Innovative world-building sci-fi, dull cliched story Sports_Gambler Send a noteboard - 17/12/2009 01:13:47 PM
Just got back from it today,

Something genuinely new in a sci-fi movie ; this a real attempt at world-building on a scale never done before, and yes, the world presented is amazingly real and gorgeous.

Amazingly detailed world-building and visuals, wide variety of plants, creatures and fully realized ecological system, with various geological structures of an alien world - stunning are the dragons and their mountain. Most impressive is the detailed creation of the alien culture of the Na'vi , complete with their own biology, myths, customs and politics. James Cameron even went out and got a professor of linguistics (Paul Frommer) to create a fully realized alien language to rival Klingon.

I think this is the first truly immersive virtual reality experience (the 3D version and the first-person POVs really do make you feel like you're really on an alien world).

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Unfortunately the plot is totally cliched and derivative (under-dog natives fight against exploitative poweful invaders), outsider enters new culture and comes to respect their ways, then joins them in rebellion. Characters are cardboard cut-outs, not that likable or memorable, script and acting are passable only. Story is OK (enough to hold interest and be enjoyable) but no original ideas.

And the film is over-long - parts of it really drag. The scenes in the forest with the Na'vi are magicial and amazing, but the scenes at the 'grunts' human base are really boring and cheesy by contrast, and there is just too much mindless action with these grunts.

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To sum up, defintely worth seeing for the amazing fully-realized world-building, something never done in a sci-fi flick before, but still way over-hyped and no good story, ideas or characters to sustain it. One of these flicks that will be lauded to the skies at first for the 'wow' special effects, but forgotten fairly quickly.





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"Avatar" discussion thread ironclad - 17/12/2009 08:10:04 AM 2311 Views
Innovative world-building sci-fi, dull cliched story Sports_Gambler - 17/12/2009 01:13:47 PM 991 Views
Agreed for the most part... Craig - 17/12/2009 11:05:27 PM 981 Views
Doesn't that last paragraph describe Star Wars? *NM* Chas - 18/12/2009 03:33:58 AM 532 Views
*snorts* *NM* ironclad - 18/12/2009 09:03:05 AM 411 Views
Re: Doesn't that last paragraph describe Star Wars? Sports_Gambler - 18/12/2009 09:49:23 AM 910 Views
Star Wars had many things. Good characters was not one of them. *NM* Chas - 18/12/2009 09:06:18 PM 423 Views
Re: Star Wars had many things. Good characters was not one of them. Sports_Gambler - 19/12/2009 02:57:43 AM 880 Views
Avatar is basically Return of the Jedi, at least the part on Endor. But less militarily plausible Cannoli - 19/12/2009 02:22:35 AM 1106 Views
Re:Avatar is basically Return of the Jedi, at least the part on Endor. But less militarily plausible Sports_Gambler - 19/12/2009 03:04:37 AM 1156 Views
Watch the movie again. Dannymac - 19/12/2009 03:08:05 AM 1100 Views
It's a watered-down Dune. *NM* Raserei - 21/12/2009 08:41:39 AM 626 Views
What struck me the most about this movie... MightyYT - 22/12/2009 01:25:00 AM 951 Views
Predictable with a tired & preachy plot. (spoilers) Also, the ending was completely ludicrous. Cannoli - 19/12/2009 03:02:21 AM 1369 Views
You need help *NM* John - 19/12/2009 07:33:52 AM 657 Views
A rebuttal! For the points I disagree with, anyway. Aemon - 20/12/2009 05:07:59 AM 949 Views
Re: A rebuttal! For the points I disagree with, anyway. Cannoli - 21/12/2009 08:48:55 PM 1036 Views
It would help if you'd leave my quotes by the arguments, but whatever. Aemon - 22/12/2009 10:36:42 AM 932 Views
Heh... Gher - 29/12/2009 11:01:41 PM 903 Views
wow, you really do need help Aisha - 21/12/2009 07:23:12 AM 1132 Views
If the bad guy has all the stones and still loses, how heroic were the heroes? Cannoli - 21/12/2009 08:53:00 PM 964 Views
Wow...you're serious? Really?? MonCul - 22/12/2009 04:56:20 PM 892 Views
lol Aisha - 22/12/2009 04:59:47 PM 850 Views
That's uncalled for IMO AgentOrange - 25/12/2009 09:04:01 PM 1053 Views
I am pretty sure she refered to the fact that he sheered for the bad guys and wished the Na'vi ill. ironclad - 25/12/2009 09:19:32 PM 905 Views
He didn't cheer for them AgentOrange - 26/12/2009 01:05:40 AM 890 Views
...an attitude I always found a bit worrisome, too *NM* ironclad - 26/12/2009 11:48:40 AM 528 Views
I tend to agree wheelwright - 21/12/2009 03:23:54 PM 860 Views
I thought the same things, but... AgentOrange - 25/12/2009 08:29:09 PM 883 Views
I agree with your social commentary about the movie as ideological mirror for Cameron. *NM* The Shrike - 28/12/2009 05:09:56 AM 554 Views
A fun time. Predictable, but not in a bad way. Minor Spoilers. Dannymac - 19/12/2009 03:05:19 AM 863 Views
you said Fern Gully ^_^ LadyLorraine - 19/12/2009 09:01:58 PM 894 Views
Spectacular Sidious - 19/12/2009 02:54:53 PM 947 Views
A wonder of a movie experience *minor spoilers* ironclad - 19/12/2009 08:47:06 PM 986 Views
Very good and fun, but not world-shattering. smaug - 19/12/2009 11:19:26 PM 1183 Views
Saw it a few hours ago, and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Aemon - 20/12/2009 05:14:11 AM 780 Views
An absolutely breathtaking film whose beauty is surpassed only by its predictability. Ghavrel - 20/12/2009 10:57:53 AM 840 Views
Has anyone seen this in 3D and not enjoyed it?? MonCul - 20/12/2009 06:11:52 PM 986 Views
Cannoli, presumably. *NM* Craig - 20/12/2009 10:41:48 PM 632 Views
Sure make fun of the visually impaired, asshole. Cannoli - 21/12/2009 08:57:33 PM 945 Views
Yeah, that's totally what I was doing. Craig - 21/12/2009 11:59:26 PM 992 Views
Do you buy them from antique shops? *NM* Raserei - 22/12/2009 01:10:12 AM 550 Views
Does this include the new 3D? MightyYT - 22/12/2009 01:17:07 AM 1078 Views
same here badassashaman - 22/12/2009 02:59:32 PM 782 Views
I'm tempted to make a joke about the depth of your posts. *NM* Ghavrel - 22/12/2009 04:31:04 AM 434 Views
is that what we are calling tunnel vision these days? *NM* damookster - 24/12/2009 07:04:08 PM 541 Views
Dammit! So much better than mine. *NM* Ghavrel - 26/12/2009 05:19:19 AM 491 Views
Saw it with my family. PhotoJim - 20/12/2009 09:10:56 PM 834 Views
Sci-fi Pocahontas Gher - 21/12/2009 01:12:02 AM 974 Views
My friend and I spent the whole movie Darth_Katie - 07/01/2010 12:50:56 AM 800 Views
Oh so you're the kind of movie-goer in the seat behind me... ironclad - 07/01/2010 11:20:56 AM 778 Views
No way! Darth_Katie - 07/01/2010 03:48:48 PM 707 Views
that you mock at all is incredibly disrespectful LadyLorraine - 07/01/2010 05:31:55 PM 884 Views
You're overreacting. Darth_Katie - 07/01/2010 06:20:06 PM 843 Views
You said you do it quietly ironclad - 07/01/2010 08:18:07 PM 859 Views
Fair enough, fair enough. *NM* Darth_Katie - 07/01/2010 08:57:23 PM 553 Views
Except maybe the purist who really needs to be kept in a total sensory deprivation chamber. *NM* Ghavrel - 08/01/2010 10:51:58 PM 452 Views
Nothing's more satisfying that seeing and hearing the crowd around you react like you do ironclad - 09/01/2010 01:36:36 PM 772 Views
*NM* Darth_Katie - 09/01/2010 03:59:28 PM 500 Views
You should never watch a movie with me. Ghavrel - 10/01/2010 01:23:30 AM 873 Views
There's a gentlebot to see you, says his name is Tom Servo. Craig - 08/01/2010 03:59:34 AM 875 Views
3D IMAX is worth the extra money... Raserei - 21/12/2009 08:40:57 AM 930 Views
The only thing I am upset about Lord o' Salv - 21/12/2009 09:38:17 AM 1099 Views
Oh yeah, that puppy's been selling out like crazy. Craig - 22/12/2009 12:01:18 AM 774 Views
Visually stunning. Chas - 24/12/2009 02:12:42 PM 789 Views
As usual, Hollywood shoves an ideology down peoples' throats. *NM* Tom - 26/12/2009 04:30:20 AM 411 Views
Once they've paid their ten bucks to get in. *NM* Craig - 27/12/2009 04:31:59 AM 494 Views
A good ideology assault doesn't come cheap! *NM* MonCul - 28/12/2009 10:03:08 AM 498 Views
$14 evening show with 3D glasses. *NM* Raserei - 29/12/2009 07:15:03 AM 600 Views
one point i haven't seen discussed yet.... moondog - 26/12/2009 05:43:05 AM 1057 Views
It stinks!! *NM* Jay Sherman - 26/12/2009 05:51:30 AM 632 Views
So, a silly thing I found distracting... Raserei - 29/12/2009 07:26:02 AM 938 Views
that caught my eye too LadyLorraine - 29/12/2009 07:36:46 AM 836 Views
A silly thing I found distracting was that the aliens were humanoid. *NM* Ghavrel - 29/12/2009 09:48:46 AM 573 Views
Umm you would rather watch non-humanoid aliens? Yeah thats fun *NM* Dark Knight - 29/12/2009 03:29:26 PM 469 Views
*sigh* Ghavrel - 30/12/2009 11:09:16 AM 802 Views
Yes. Yes. Raserei - 01/01/2010 08:19:58 AM 861 Views
I have missed you so much on this site. *NM* Ghavrel - 02/01/2010 04:13:56 AM 436 Views
well. it's not necessarily erroneous either. LadyLorraine - 30/12/2009 06:28:57 AM 788 Views
See my response to Dark Knight above. *NM* Ghavrel - 30/12/2009 11:11:27 AM 489 Views
ah okay. carry on then *NM* LadyLorraine - 30/12/2009 04:44:12 PM 559 Views
Yes. Chas - 03/01/2010 05:08:17 PM 899 Views
I believe she was speaking about their tails. LadyLorraine - 07/01/2010 07:37:46 AM 780 Views
If I remember it was the "USB Plug" in their hair. *NM* Bergioyn - 08/01/2010 08:29:38 AM 596 Views
Yep ironclad - 08/01/2010 09:33:08 AM 878 Views
*facepalm* yah, that's what i was talking about LadyLorraine - 08/01/2010 05:31:33 PM 825 Views
I figured ironclad - 08/01/2010 05:50:22 PM 849 Views
Yes, the plot is simple, predictable and ideological LadyLorraine - 29/12/2009 07:41:36 AM 817 Views
It was the best movie I've seen in ages. I'm seriously thinking of going to see it again. *NM* Bergioyn - 29/12/2009 12:20:11 PM 641 Views
We definitely will. ironclad - 29/12/2009 03:30:07 PM 845 Views
Wife and I saw it yesterday. We're going to the IMAX a town over to catch it again. StormCrow - 29/12/2009 09:22:01 PM 858 Views
Going again tomorrow. *NM* Bergioyn - 02/01/2010 05:14:53 PM 636 Views
Project 880: The Avatar that might have been AliasRY - 31/12/2009 10:30:21 AM 1121 Views
That is very interesting. badassashaman - 31/12/2009 01:25:19 PM 789 Views
yeah ironclad - 02/01/2010 01:56:15 PM 905 Views
i think that would be interesting to see LadyLorraine - 31/12/2009 04:29:19 PM 916 Views
Avatar is/was gonna make a pile of money anyways. AliasRY - 31/12/2009 08:30:34 PM 1077 Views
Re: I hated the 3-D effect. It was horrible. Danae al'Thor - 10/01/2010 09:39:25 AM 840 Views
Stephen Colbert on Avatar Darth_Katie - 15/01/2010 03:18:29 AM 688 Views
I liked it even better the 2nd time. *Spoilers* MonCul - 16/01/2010 12:23:50 AM 803 Views
Yeah, I really liked the music. *NM* Darth_Katie - 16/01/2010 06:04:55 AM 605 Views
It just took the double at the Golden Globes. Werthead - 18/01/2010 04:04:08 AM 917 Views
Ok, wow, I didn't expect that to happen. *NM* ironclad - 18/01/2010 08:59:51 AM 415 Views
I can't say I'm surprised it did. Not that I agree with it. *NM* Craig - 18/01/2010 07:37:08 PM 369 Views
Okay I bit the bullet and went to see it Wibble - 18/01/2010 11:56:28 PM 814 Views
I always forget that I saw movies in 3D. Darth_Katie - 19/01/2010 01:11:05 AM 898 Views
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