I have to agree with MajorMercyFLush and stryjewski. This movie is a snorefest. The amount of acclaim it recievs saddens me when shallow drivel like this is going to be held as a blueprint of successful filmaking.
It's nothing more than a set of video game like sequences sans the interactivity that makes video games appealing. So you can't interact with it, and the plot is for the lowest common denominator. Where does that leave it in my books? In the trash.
I'm not a movie buff by any stretch, I won't claim to hold knowledge in writing or rant about the scientific names of minerals. I'll just say the movie was blah. I don't even get where people claim it looked amazing visually, it just looked like a crapload of cgi to me.
The story itself is so weak I found myself bored for more then half of the 2 hour plus movie. The bad guys attack and win the first battle but the good guys regroup and win the war.... Isn't that every episode of the A-Team? Not one time does the movie surprise you with a turn of events outside your expectations. Don't get me started on the cartoonishly tough military leader or the final fight scene where the bad guy tells the good guy what he's about to do. How classic. I'm sure the fanboys will flame the hell out of this as apparently some see this movie as life changing. If this movie changed your life you need to get out more.
This might as well be 'Pocahontas' in space.
8 - Great
I've put of watching this movie for quite some times - see release date - but I can say I'm happy that I've watched it now. The story can be a bit black-and-white (humans bad) but overall some good performances and the CGI is good enough (I mean now a days there have been improvements, but it still good). I watched the extended collector's edition which is quite long so keeping myself watching was a bit of problem, but it was worth the hours.
'Forgettable' is the less insulting adjective i was able to find for this movie. I mean it's obviously pretty bland and boring, the story, the characters and all. Yeah the special effect are decent, but nothing truly amazing as the industry advertisers wanted to make us believe... I honestly wouldn't even suggest the one-time watch. It's just a disappointment and, at times, an insult to the spectator intelligence.
ps: i'm a fan of this kind of sci-fi/fantasy movies (as well as other genres) and i've watched many great examples of it. If a movie is well executed i'll like it is so regardless the genre, and i'll like it regardless. So don't even think i'm giving a bad review because i don't like the genre. Accept the fact that the movie is objectively mediocre.
There are many flaws with the story line, but the back story is so pedestrian it is hard to forgive even with all the CGI involved into this production. The indigenous culture is so cliche, it is cringing every time their characters are talking, walking or just interacting with the scenery. If you add to this, a love story and a banal rivalry with the heir to the clan, it become yet another worthless plot. Everything is there to get your hormones pumped up like any other David vs Goliath meets Romeo and Juliette. It was painful to watch the first time, and it is even more so 8 years on.
Sure, if you don't want to think about the story, it is entertaining, but otherwise this is pretty much as shit as you can get with a big budget.
Frankly there are a lot of problems with this movie, but overall I still think it's good and worth a watch. Specifically, I'd say the plot is pretty ordinary, but the technical details are all solid enough to be watchable.
So yea, the plot is basically just what you see anytime a white guy visits a different culture. At first he finds it dumb and then he gets into it and swings against the racist team he showed up with. I'm not saying doing that kind of plot sucks, just that this film does everything exactly the way I anticipate. The scene that really pops out to me is the talk when the head guy of the corp who just flat out lays the plot down with Ripley... I mean Sigourney Weaver.
Other than that, I've got a few nitpicks here and there. Like, whats the deal with the hair sex thing? That would be one thing on its own, but then you do that with animals too. Whaaaaaat? And what's the deal with such frequent slow motion? I mean, the movie is long enough as it is.
But, all of that isn't such a big deal because the effects are interesting enough to watch. This is very interesting technically, especially back in 2009 when it came out. I really like the look of the world they're in too. The forest/jungle looks awesome with those floating mountains, and the animal designs are nice. I love that the horse things sound exactly like the raptors in Jurassic Park. So yea, check it out for the technical stuff and I bet you'll be into it enough for at least one watch.
Visuals/Cinematography: A+
Plot originality: B-
I have never seen both Pocahontas or The New World, but i know the story and it does seem similar. So i guess you have a point there.
You should see this website: http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/sillymolecules/sillymols.htm. There are lots of minerals and acids and molecules with weird names. But than again this is a movie. Its not supposed to be scientific accurate, just entertaining.
I remember reading somewhere that James Cameron was asked why the Na'vi women have breast since they don't need them and he answered "because this movie was made for human people", my point exactly.
Avatar—James Cameron’s three-hour tech demo disguised as a movie. It’s like someone handed him a billion-dollar budget and he decided to remake FernGully with a few extra layers of CGI gloss. Cameron spent more time designing Pandora than he did the actual script. It’s as if he thought, “Eh, no one will notice the lack of a compelling story if I throw in enough floating mountains and bioluminescent everything.” And to his credit, he was kind of right—people were too busy marveling at the 3D to realize they were watching a plot recycled from every ‘noble savage’ narrative ever made.
By the end of the film, you don’t walk away reflecting on its deeper meaning—you just wonder why you spent three hours watching it.
This is not the first time I watched Avatar but frankly, I remembered absolutely nothing about it except "blue people that fly". (Note: They don't actually fly.) There's a LOT of sci-fi involved here and I'm not the biggest fan of most sci-fi movies ( The Matrix collection being pretty much the only exception, of course...) but I will openly admit that I am seriously glad I took time (and a LOT of it!) to watch this again. It is so much better than I remembered, and so much more "story" than just "the military fighting with a bunch of blue aliens from another planet". It's easy to see NOW - after watching it again - why it garnered so much acclaim and why so many people raved over it when it was first released. There are very VERY few things "wrong" with it as a production. Other reviews have mentioned stuff being "wrong" with it, and I suppose maybe there are (not being a connoseiur of blue people with tails, I can't really tell you all the flaws in this film) but honestly, as a movie, I found this to be exceptional. James Cameron, of course, rarely puts out a dud and Avatar is not the exception to that rule. The camera work, the cinematography, the special effects, the story itself, the acting, the cast, crew, musical score, the lighting... I honestly can't think of any single flaw that was so glaring that it stood out.
Now granted, if you're not a fan of the sci-fi genre, there's a good chance you may scoff this one off...but I say give it a chance. The story is excellent: it just involves a fictional species of "humanoids" from a different world and you have to turn loose of your brain and just let yourself get immersed into the story to really enjoy it. The first time I watched this, I couldn't/wouldn't do that but this time it was much easier, making the film truly enjoyable. One of the better movies I've watched and I would say that I wish the runtime weren't so long but seriously, it was worth the time. Definitely giving this one high marks and a high recommendation to anyone who's ready for something different but completely engaging. Give this one a chance; I honestly do not think you'll regret it.
PS: In retrospect, I suppose if there were one particular shortcoming about this film, I would consider the oh-so-predictable ending to be that one flaw. Granted, it was still "good", but you saw it coming and I wish they'd found a way to make it not quite so easy to foresee. But it's a small thing, and it doesn't change the fact that this was an excellent film.
It's basically Dances With Wolves in space. It's definitely none the worse for it though.
I will ponder this about James Cameron - why not release a film exactly how you want it? Okay, I know why - it's extra money from us mugs that'll buy it.
The release of special/extra special editions is just a bunch of fucking bullshit - just pick one and be done with it.
NB: I've personally seen three versions of this movie.
a visually beautiful yet forgettable and cliche white savior's wet dream.
I thought Avatar was overrated, till around when number 2 came out, and I gave Avatar a go. Never had i been so wrong. James Cameron truly makes his imagination come alive. I then watched number 2 straight after, and the only reason I'm not giving this a higher rating is because, to me, number 2 is 2 times better in every way. The fact this is already brilliant, iconic, revolutionary, immense, emotional, all the above, and yet can still improve is crazy.
One of the most incredibly animated and fantastical worlds you will ever see in your life
I still remember sitting in the theatre, moaning to myself the question "when will this be over?" because, for the first hour and a half, it felt like a nature documentary. It was gorgeous but so devoid of plot. Then, finally, a plot emerged! But it was rushed and basic. More was put into the graphics than into making this a GOOD movie.
…what if I learned to speak Na’vi
What’s there to say it’s avatar
Oh wow. Seriously. I know I've seen this before when I was a kid, but now that the second film in the franchise is out, I thought why not watch it again now that I'm older and can understand the story better. I'm speechless. This is awesome. The story really gets to you, even though it's got that usual linear film flow with the intro, climax, and resolution. But hey, for 2010, this is already a really, really good film. Though it's not the kind of movie I'd want to rewatch maybe because it's a bit lengthy or because the plot feels kind of predictable, but man, it totally got me pumped up for the second film. I'm totally in love with this and oh, I've got a crush na on Jake Sully. 'Yung avatar version ha. Eme!
Not entirely sure why I didn’t watch this when it came out. May well have just been the I was just being contrary to all that was popular at the time. 14 years later and it seems a bit ridiculous now. The plot was completely different than what I had imagined in my head. I’m not sure now what I thought but it wasn’t what it turned out to be. Not sure if that’s good. I think if I had realized “Ana Lucia” was in it I would have watched it sooner. Did anyone else get 9/11 foreshadowing vibes?
Anyway all to say, I guess I won’t wait q4 years to watch the second one.
Great visuals
Likable story
Characters 6.5
Story 6.5
Pacing 7
Visuals 9
Rewatchability Factor 6
Enjoyment or Emotional Value 8
Average Score 7.16
This is a bad Pocahontas remake
The first one was spectacular, not so the latest
I saw Avatar once then it was first released on Bluray. Didn’t like it back than and after my rewatch 13 years later I still don’t.
The film reminds me of a few real life atrocities, but especially of the infiltration, manipulation and murders of the Native American Osage people for their oil in the 1920s... if you steal a bowl, warp the material a bit, then paint over it, is it the same bowl? Is it any less stolen? Cui bono? Still, nice CGI.
Great movie with amazing cgi and a greater story
I really see how this movie was revolutionary for its time. Pretty great visuals, also impressive motion capture, even if the textures partly showed their age. As an overall movie, it's something which you can watch, I didn't sleep in, but I don't feel like watching it again, and I don't even feel like checking out the sequel to be honest. There is nothing great of substance, there are some bits but after appearing once they are mostly just glossed over. Jake Sally is not much of a character, he felt self-insert at some point even; Like for example that he was happy to be able to walk again, it was only one scene. And then not a topic anywhere after, his past, his brother, it's never really explored much. There are monologues, but 80% of the time they are obvious stuff which are mostly already told through the visuals. Character-wise he's the bare minimum, thus he felt self-insert. That applies to pretty much every character in the movie, which are naturally kinda just there because the movie focused on Jake most of the time. Some of the military guys feel like they were just copy pasted from the Alien 2, lol. The story is also pretty basic, and sometimes felt a bit weird but I don't really feel like going deep here because there is nothing really thematically interesting, it's just written as a crowd pleaser. And as such, it's a very functional movie. However, I don't think it's good movie overall. If there is some good points to mention, the world is very nicely depicted and it's interesting how well-made it was particularly how the characters engage with the environment. Avatar would make a good video game, I think.
5.5/10
Fantastic CGI, amazing storytelling! Superb of a movie to say the least.
I LOVR AVATAR!! The cgi is fucking amazing especially for 2009
Rewatching this at an older age allows me to truly appreciate the story and world James Cameron created. He was able to create an entire franchise from a single movie and intends on creating more movies within the world he built.
This movie made waves in the industry without many people even realizing it. James Cameron did such a great job creating a world that allow the audience to forget they're watching a movie.
finally decided to watch Avatar and i now understand why it was so huge back then in 2009, while at the start of the movie and dialogue wise, it did have that old-ish 2010's (and earlier years) type of movie quality from that time, it got better and better throughout the movie, and the visual effects were stunning, i can only imagine what it was like to experience the first ever movie in 3D and to have it be Avatar;
James Cameron has succeeded in making a very beautiful and well constructed world, full of vivid colors and emotions
& i really loved that powerful speech at the tree of life, this movie had some sad scenes where you get so invested in it you manage to feel their rage, pain and sorrow
loved it!
Certainly better than Titanic. I need to see it again someday.
Magical, Aesthetic, Knockout
James Cameron's Avatar is a scintillating product of sheer hardwrork and imagination which not only transcends you into an alien world but make you feel for them. Cameron brings science-fiction into this 21st century with a jaw-dropping wonder that is “Avatar" and he did it with elegance. Starting with sci fi, stunning visuals, astounding world creation, resonating sound design and adequate drama and action Avatar is a sensational triump in cinema.
Starting from the concept, the credit of the entire blockbuster goes to the visual-effects technicians, creature designers, motion-capture mavens, stunt performers, dancers, actors and music and sound magicians. It's a piece of art which deserves the best screen for a viewing. A regret I wasn't mature enough experience this back in 2009. The film being close to 3 hours doesn't feel long as the world building itself sinks your attention into it. Cinematography and Action design is just splendid. A literal cinematic brilliance from Cameron.
Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana as the lead pair are beautiful. Starting from the energy and chemistry the characters have shared the adequate body language to all the VFX which adds to a realistic presentation. Stephen Lang is outstanding in a character you loath. He is feary and powerful and his presence suddenly increases the tension around the scene. He is damn good.
Check my Instagram:
www.instagram.com/stream.genx
It’s not about the visuals, it’s about the ability to create an entire new amazing world and a story that we can relate
At this time, I’m probably the only person on Earth who hasn’t watched the first “Avatar”, but the trailers of the sequel made me feel like giving it a try. Although I’ve heard the worst things about the supposed lack of substance in the plot, I haven’t noticed anything that couldn’t be said about most blockbusters. There are times things suddenly move forward through easy gimmicks (like the bird, for example), yet I’m grateful they didn’t drag on even further, as the movie is indeed bloated, and the length is already quite challenging. The only thing that turned me off a little was the writing of the dialogues, a little too clunky and cartoony even for 2009. The way the characters are introduced also felt strangely old-school for a movie that was supposedly meant to take its audience to a new era.
Everything else is still holding up well. The special effects and action sequences are arguably on par with the most recent blockbusters, if not even better. Pandora is not precisely the best incarnation of my aesthetic ideals in movies, yet I enjoyed most of the journey. In particular, I was surprised to see how hard they hit with collateral damage in what’s supposed to be a comforting mainstream movie.
I like to this movie it was very similar to the first one the graphics and a special effect was amazing very enjoyable movie
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘Avatar’:
Is it just me, or did anyone else wonder what the Na’vi initially knew of Jake, Grace, and Norm? Did they know they were humans in Na’vi bodies? Did they think they were actual Na’vi, but from a different region? Or maybe Na’vi working with the Sky People? Clearly they knew they were different, but it wasn’t really established in what way. And that lack of clarification kinda drove me a little crazy. It’s fairly important.
Points go to the film for being beautiful to watch. It’s a technologically impressive feat for sure. Enough to be deserving of no less than a 7 out of 10. But the story itself failed to pack a massive or memorable punch, preventing a score of anything higher.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a little misty at times. The beautiful message of our connection to nature, to each other, struck more of a chord than the characters.
10/10 - One of the best movies ever!
It's 13 years old now and it's still super impressive. Technically it's a masterpiece/benchmark and I really like the story too. The age shows a little bit now, especially since theres still not a remastered 4K version, but it still looks really good and IMO it can stilly be considered a AAA movie by today's standards. Some parts look a bit like they could be from a AAA next-gen video game but overall it's of course still much better than what realtime rendering is capable of. I cannot wait to finally see the second movie (OV in 3D in an IMAX - unfortunately I never saw this first movie in a cinema... :o).
In addition to the superb CGI I also love the awesome Sci-Fi designs ((space) ships, HUDs, robots, etc.) and the beautiful scenery.
Not everything in the story is bulletproof but that's rarely (never?) the case and IMO it's definitely solid enough. I really felt the story, fell in love with the characters (especially Neytiri), and felt like living/being there.
RIP Grace and Trudy (Rogue One) btw!
What a bunch of heros <3
The Colonel really doesn't know when to stop / when he has lost... :o
The end is a bit abrupt but I do actually like it as the story is complete enough, I like imagining how things could continue, and it definitely makes one excited for the second part (although we had to wait much longer than we initially thought).
The "I see you" song at the end is super beautiful as well!
This was a re-watch in anticipation of Way of Water. First off, I chose to watch the extended edition, which I had never seen previously. Having now read up on the various additions included in this version, I feel pretty comfortable recommending that people stick with the theatrical. Much of the new content is superfluous and/or awkward exposition (I don't need to hear some half-baked scientific explanation as to why the mountains float, and certainly not one that ends with Jake Sully hand waving it away by saying "...or something").
Now, as for the movie itself... the plot is still as simple as ever, and the spectacle is unfortunately starting to show its age. When this film came out in 2009, it was leaps and bounds beyond what video games could accomplish. But tech has come a long way, and now there are many scenes that feel more like a video game cutscene than James Cameron would probably like. This isn't to say that any of it looks bad, in fact, much of the critical CGI still holds up quite well (i.e. the close-ups on the Na'vi), but as a whole, the film no longer feels groundbreaking. This is a problem, because the spectacle was a large part of the film's success. Without it, we're left with a solid sci-fi action film, but not something that blew me away. The story/characters are simply too one-note to really leave a lasting impression.
A fantastic film which is one of my favourites ever. Unfortunately it lacks versatility as the film is simply nowhere near as good in 2D as 3D however, that is the only thing prohibiting it from a perfect score for me.
I re-watched this before the new one comes out.
After all these years, I still like the movie. I know people have opinions, but I can't wait for the day when saying "Avatar is overrated/not good" would just die.
Last time I watched this was at the cinema in 3D when it came out back in 2009. Watching it at home now on the small screen does reduce the experience a little but not by that much it's undeniably a great sci-fi action adventure movie. The special effects are otherworldly, the worldbuilding is some of the best and the adventure in getting to know the alien planet was a treat. The creatures are all so cool and make me want to know every one of them we haven't seen yet. I wish the characters were as layered though it's lacking in that. Our main character Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) I feel we know nothing about and he felt a bit annoying and pretentious in the beginning but maybe that's just the acting. Some character motivations aren't made very clear like Trudy (Michelle Rodriguez) and Norm (Joel David Moore) which I have no idea why they chose the side they chose. I forgot how beefed up Stephen Lang used to be compared to today, he made a really cool villain I really hated him. My favorite character is by far Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña). 2h42 is very long and that's a big reason why i've never rewatched it until now. The last third of the movie was absolutely epic!
James Cameron unquestionably created a technological masterpiece with "Avatar". Especially in 3D on the big screen, it was an incomparable experience to watch this film. There are so many great sequences that really take your breath away. Even in 2D on the TV, it works great. Still, there's a reason I'd only seen this science fiction spectacle once before, and that was during its initial release week. The narrative just didn't manage to grab me. The characters are uninteresting, and the story is flat. The film is also far too long. Nevertheless, thanks to the awesome effects, it rarely gets boring. And with a box office take of almost three billion dollars, perhaps the problem is just me. Clearly, enough people have felt driven to go to the cinema again and again.
Just can’t wait… period
Génialissime cool :pushpin:
Vivement, avatar deux
Landing at the convergence point between the advent of uncanny CGI capabilities and the peak of the 3D movie revival, Avatar was the right film at the right time to reap a swath of popular rewards. For one season in 2009, it seemed like everyone in the world was going to see this movie. Often more than once. It's the type of cultural lightning most mainstream filmmakers dream of bottling, then spend the rest of their careers chasing. Writer / director James Cameron showed tremendous foresight (and maybe an awful lot of luck) in waiting for the right moment to unleash his vision, having conceived the basic idea a decade earlier, and now may be showing a tremendous lack of the same in scheduling four very-belated sequels. But that's beside the point. For now, the future of this franchise remains unwritten and I'm just here to assess the ground level.
As plots go, the first Avatar entry is simplistic and naïve. We see the glaring character archetypes for what they are, right away, and the blanks essentially fill themselves. The mean, self-centered industrial types can never understand the unspoken bond their mindful, tribal counterparts share with the land. Greed imposes upon empathy, inciting armed conflict. It's essentially a Captain Planet episode. Shades of gray pepper both sides of the argument, so there is a bit more depth here than in a Saturday morning cartoon, but not much. It's entry-level writing, establishing a rudimentary threat and then working loose suspense until the third act. Avatar's storyline will neither surprise nor enlighten, but that's not what sold the show, anyway.
The film's real strength is in its knack for attentive world-building and its celebration of bright, colorful artistic representation. If this didn't look like it does, teem with life as it does, exploit the 3D craze as effectively as it does (Or as it did? Does anyone still watch 3D movies?), it wouldn't have landed with a fraction of the magnitude it once did. Its affinity for bright color and unusual hues, almost completely foreign in the cinematic language of the time, might be its most influential feature. Certainly, the creative minds behind Guardians of the Galaxy took notes and continued the trend. And the alien landscape of Pandora is exhaustively developed and realized. It buzzes, both literally and metaphorically, with biology. When the protagonist is staggered by his first exposure to the local fauna, we're staggered right alongside him. In this sense, it often feels like the cart has lapped the horse; like the storyline took a third-row seat behind the tantric urge to flesh everything out. So, while the spectacle of watching that six-legged, gill-breathing equine critter live and move is absolutely magical, its actual role in the story is limited to... er... living and moving for a few slow-paced scenes. After that, it's background fodder. The same is true of almost everything else on the map. There's an abundance of dazzling creativity, but no great underlying substance beyond the "hey, we're all like, connected, maaan" mumbo-jumbo. We're mesmerized by the beasts' intrinsic majesty, but any meaning we might take beyond the superficial is purely viewer-appointed. It's a billion-dollar tech demo, a wonderful place to dwell and take inspiration, nothing more and nothing less.
And hey, that's not the end of the world. Sometimes it's okay to cast aside a deeper meaning and a richer cast in favor of a different set of features. I love non-narrative art films like Koyaanisqatsi and Baraka. However, the trouble with relying so completely upon this brand of visual fidelity and computer imagery is, eventually, those bills come due. And, while Avatar's trees and airborne jellyfish and spinning, glowing lizard thingies have weathered the past thirteen years marvelously, its blue humanoid representatives are already showing their age. And those guys chew a vast majority of the screen time. As they continue to degrade, so does the associated movie magic, leaving audiences with a meager, barebones plot for sustenance. That just isn't a recipe for success. This felt thin but spectacular in the theater, but now? It's fading. How will it look in another thirteen years? How will the sequels?
It is one of the very few movies which puts me in a good mood, the 3D is amazing, the story and the movie overall is outstanding. I have watched it in IMAX 3D 5 times so far :) And I would watch it again and again :heart_eyes:
Beautiful movie, but the visuals are ruined by the 24fps theaters are obsessed with (and no, the "remaster" didn't fix this, it's still 24fps 90% of the time except now there's a few scenes that won't give you nausea at 48fps to remind you the rest is disgusting and to make sure your eyes don't adjust). It could have been so much more visually.
Still, it's worth a watch.
Checking the movie in the cinema tonight as they re-released it - this time in 4K 3D HFR Atmos. It is most definitely amazing to see it like this and a great way to refresh my memory in anticipation of the upcoming Avatar 2.
by far better in 3D
First time I watched this movie was in the theatre in 3D back in 2009. I remember being blown away by the visuals and enjoyed the movie well enough. Once I left the the theatre and reflected back on the movie, I realized the story was pretty generic and it really wasn't a great film, but the beauty of the movie distracted from that. Here I am watching Avatar 14 years later on my living room TV. This movie has not aged well and it is less impressive. Those jaw-dropping visuals are now dated and have a very fake, video-gamey look. The story is still generic of course and unfolds in exactly the way the viewer would expect. Stephen Lang is an awesome villain though and seeing him get his comeuppance is worth waiting for.
A pretty under-rated experience. Yes it was nominated for Best Picture but despite that many hate the movie. The movie is visually stunning and exciting. Even if you can call it “Dances with Wolves in space.” Or even Ferngully in space lol.
13 years later and the amazing computer animation still holds. When saying computer animation, most people forget the 11 years of making this movie come true from a team of people invested in every detail of this universe. The story is the most simple and most common one, to attract and affect the broadest of viewers. It's not over complicated, does not pretend to be more than it is : a new jurassic park for our generation. The detail in photography, art direction, concept design, sound mixing and animation directing still amazes movie makers until today. This movie started not only technologies that made the bed for Marvel Movies of today, it cemented itself as one of the greatest achievements of a movie maker to this day. Cameron delivers the most simple of stories in a compelling way, knowing when to pause and frame the action so the viewer can understand what is happening. The movie has its calms and reflexive moments about the culture of this planet but it nevers slows its pacing. Despite the criticism of people that or fail to understand the cinematographic achievement of this movie or its impact in the entretainment business, Avatar is about to get its sequel 13 years later and it's well deserved to see what Cameron can do with the technology available today.
I know it’s popular to hate on this nowadays, but some of the ratings on the top reviews are quite ridiculous.
I’m not a massive fan of it either, but some people rating this a 1 must be under the impression that it’ll gain them cinema snob credentials or something. In reality, it’s quite the opposite.
A lot of this is saved by the production: the filmmaking is top notch, action’s well helmed, cutting edge visual effects, impressive cinematography and lighting, standout score, all that stuff’s great and memorable. In fact, I’d argue very few movies are as immersive as this one.
The characters are ok (little too cartoony and cliché for my liking) but it’s the script in particular that brings a lot of the movie down. It’s way too tropey (both cinematic and literary), lots of bad dialogue, highly predictable and far too om the nose. It doesn’t have enough meat on the bones to justify the 3 hour runtime, and casting some better actors would’ve gone a long way as well (Zoe Saldana is the only person giving a legit good performance). You can hear Worthington’s Australian accent throughout the entire film, and it’s very distracting.
So, it’s fine, good on Cameron for making all the money in the world with an original idea. You could honestly do a lot worse than watching this. But you could also do a lot better.
6/10
As a film, it's okay - cliche-ridden and as a result it is similar to so many other movies.
Graphics-wise it is very impressive.
I saw the Extended Collector Edition clocking in at 2h 58 and I could have lived with about 20 mins less as the fighting got quite monotonous.
The story and the indigenous people aspect was praiseworthy though a little heavy-handed.
Will I race out to see a sequel to this? Nah.
7/10
Avatarrrr
Respect Indigenous uprising #landback
It was a eye-candy, literally. The animation or whatever it was, was beautiful and the story was also painfully believable. The depiction was all interesting and realistic to the point of me rating it 10 hearts!~
Edit: I'll be changing my rating to 8 stars instead of 10, because I realized it's not great to be high on emotion all the time when it comes to ratings. Lol?
Amazing movie ....storry good effects.
It took me a decade to finally watch it in 3D, the way it was meant to be seen. It's definitely more visually interesting this way, but just as long and lacking story-wise as I remember from theater.
White Savior Syndrome: The Movie.
Without the theatrical 3D experience this is a solid movie. It still looks pretty but the story is simple and overlong. I'm interested in the sequels but not really that excited for them.
EDIT: Getting to see this in 3D in a theater and it makes it better. The 3D is really cool and not as gimmicky as I thought it would be. The sequel looks great and I now am getting more excited for it.
EDIT2: This rewatch just had me captivated the whole time. This 4k Blu ray looks incredible. Probably the best looking disc I've seen.
Totally Awesome Effects. Kirk Did A Great Job On His First Go Around
Sigourney Weaver in bad shorts instead of party panties.
I may tick many nerds off but this movie was overrated in its day. It was entertaining, but then again I am not a big fan of CGI.
its been long since this movie has come out, and i have to say its just fabulous especially in this time, i cant say how much ive watched this movie, well lets say more then a 100 times, because every time you watch, you learn or find something new, and that i believe is because of the amazing graphics in use, anyhow if you havent watched it by now please do...
Wonderfull at all levels, especially in the ecological message. A story that is great but realistic: this is very important for me.
The longer I watched it, the lower my rating for it got... and well, I quit at about halfway. It's pretty, but even that is not much of an advantage, as I feel like these scenarios are not exactly new? It honesly felt like your standard magical forest, and being high-res did not make up for the lack of creativity.
Favourite film of all time
The wet dream of every white man with a savior complex.
Ok so.
Theatrical version: 8/10
Collector's Edition Extended Version: 9/10
Those extra 16 minutes were worth every second to get it to almost a 3 hour runtime. Not a lot is wrong with this movie. But it still lacks great dialogue and cohesion with the plot. Some things just happen, which isn't good for a 3 hour long movie. Plus ideas are dropped with nothing to say why it was there, or what toll it took on the characters. Also worth a note, James Horner does another fantastic score for one of Cameron's films. But overall this is an tale or epic proportions.
I hope they don't screw it up with... 4 sequels.. god..
When I saw it on the 3D Cinema I thought that it was the best movie I have ever saw. When I saw it in bluray I discover that some of the amazing 3D scenes are boring in 2D and, paying more attention to the script, I tought it's kind of a "meh". This movie could have been shorter too.
This Movie Innovated in Every Domain relying on CG.
from Special Effects to Gaming industry.
Didnt know what this was going into it. But the over all feeling of this film did it for me. The great acting and a some whot different story line gives it a high rating in my book.
The plot might be simple, the idea that a world like this could exist somewhere out there is thrilling. Beautifully made.
Watched this at the movie theater back in 2009 and gave it a try at home this year: while the 3D effects are still OK (although not that impressive anymore after having seen quite a few other action flicks with decent 3D effects since 2009), the story is just too flat, as are all the characters IMHO, to let it stand out besides all the other mediocre action flicks available!
Take a look a the original Matrix movie: this provided mind-blowing action sequences (for the time it was released) and still managed to provide a story and characters one cares about. Avatar is nowhere near that level of brilliance and for me a perfect example of Cameron flick that is hyped and provides no real sustenance.
Fantastic Movie, admittedly, I watched it when it first came out, Only just got this app.
I see lots complaining of this and that, Half of you have missed the point, even though you hated it, you still watched it till the end.
It's a Sci-Fi Movie, and that for me is enough, seeing what could be one of the millions of possibilities of the kinds of worlds that just might be out there, Waiting to be Explored, makes my mind explode with the joy of finding lifeform's to which we have no concept of.
If you are to rule out such a planet may exist, Then I feel for their Imagination's!
I can't believe most comments are people whining, ... Who cares, It was a Sci-Fi Movie people, get a grip.
If you don't like that particular type of Genre, Then why have you bothered watching it for ?.
(I guess Curiosity isn't your strong point)
Personally, I'm most certainly a Space Cadet, I live for the Stars and what's out there!... I Thought this Film was a Great piece, It's best Watched it with an Ambient lighting and 3D.
As long as I'm still alive by the first Manned Mars Landing, I'll be happy to leave this Earth, Though It's not always the same sharing moments when single.
I guess I've got my work cut out for me!
Predictable plot and flat characters but somehow you just have to see it all play out...probably because of the visuals. It's worth one watch at least. #ShiftvW8
Not what I expected -- and happy that it turned out that way. Excellent graphics and fabulous action. If you're a fantasy buff then this will fill you up. I'd watch if there were a sequel.
One of the best cinematic experiences ever...
Aside all the hype surrounding the release of this movie......Its great.
What a piece of shit letdown. It's a simple, sad digest on racism and xenophobia - which is good - but it's told so badly, that even Rodney King did a better job at dismaying anyone from...anything? Effects, effects, effects, neon... It was not engaging and not worth anybody's time.
leave bad comment alone.can't wait to see to see the sequel.the story and cinematographic is up to another level of sci-fiction genre.what a acting.
Hate this film. Can explain why in many words. Don't want to waste even more time than I already did while actually watching the thing.
Visuals: 10/10
Story: 8/10
Soundtrack: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
Probably one of my favourite movies!
The only good thing about this movie are its visual effects and maaaaaybe soundtrack. Everything else sucks. The plot is especially bad.
"I see you" best line ever!!
I think this movie was one of those love or hate types with leaving little room in between. I loved it and looking forward to the next one should it ever get made..Personally I think a 2 year wait would have been more than enough and don't understand why they are waiting so long to bring out the follow up.
So very Hollywood fairy tale of good and love. Visually beautiful, innovative and wonderful to watch in the format in 4DX. But very schematic plots.
One of my favorite films that I would recommend to everybody. Some would say the plot is very simple or empty, others don't like fiction at all and will get bored watching it, but it made me dream and very few films did that.
If it wasn't for the visuals and the amazing 3D, it would have been a let-down. However, it was made for the effects and I think it did justice to the 3D world and what a world it was.
This Movie is basically Pocahontas. But in stunning 3D.
Review by Ragnar DanneskjöldBlockedParent2021-02-27T09:55:04Z— updated 2021-03-01T02:50:02Z
After reading all the hate reviews surrounding this movie, I've really come to pity the Millennials and their successors, These generations have become so jaded to life, while never having any actual exposure to an environmental revolution other than what they've been indoctrinated to believe, are now so tainted that they can't simply enjoy a new experience like Avatar. Every character is shallow unless they constantly preach an agenda-driven mantra of extreme global cooling/warming man-made destruction, trans-bisexual anti-homogeneous gender nullification or some other left-wing dribble involving renewable energy, a meat-free diet or that somehow one race's life matters more than another because of the indignities they suffered centuries ago. Now, you have to deny that 4k eyecandy graphics are BORING to fit in with the new generation of beatniks and that CGI is killing the movie industry, even though all those that insist on it would never sit down and watch a standard definition B&W film from the 1950s, even if their life depended on it.
Creating a self-sustaining universe is something ever so difficult. Only a few (Tolkien, Lucas, Roddenberry & Stan Lee come immediately to mind) have been able to pull it off with success. The DETAIL that you need to weave is so intense that only a few Masters have been able to pull it off and have their legacy extend beyond a single work. The world of Avatar could easily be included into that mix. Just watching how the unique creatures breathed, their interactions with the surrounding environment and how life on that planet communed with itself was enough to make me want for more. Yes, the graphics today in 2021 might not be that impressive, but for something a decade old, they truly were breathtaking. Of course, this is coming from a person who grew up during the Beta-Max - VHS war, in an era when your home phone broke, you had to get to the Ma Bell Telephone Store to get a replacement (because you only rented your home phone from the utility) and where 4-bit video game graphics were groundbreaking.
There are 2 aspects of graphics that are the most difficult to program: running water and the human hand. These are the two things that the industry grades the most difficult and expects to expose the weakness of substandard work. Both of these are flawlessly done in the film and come off as exceptionally lifelike. After that, everything else is gravy and is believable to the standard eye. The amount of background activity is breathtaking and if you happen to look beyond the main protagonists on the screen, you can get lost with the environmental interaction. Unfortunately, most people won't be able to see the forest from the trees and never enjoy the graphical ballet going on in the background.
While those less-versed might not see it, Avatar is a modern version of the American Western; where the white-male protagonist is adopted by the native tribe and instructed in their ways of life and existence. It has been done time and time again (Bianco Apache, The Savage, Little Big Man, The Light in the Forest), and this film follows the doctrine to the letter. Avatar is nothing more than a new-age telling of the same old story of Empire vs. Indigenous people on a planetary scale, albeit with better graphics and new age technology. Yes, it's not a new tale. But honestly, after millennia after millennia of humans telling stories, how many original tales are still untold? Besides that, everything else about the film is almost perfect. The cinematography, the editing, the graphics and even the dialog fits the movie like a glove. If you weren't impressed, then go take a peek at Cool World or Who Framed Roger Rabbit and see how far we've come in just a few short decades. While not the perfect film, it definitely entertains and leaves the viewer wanting for more. Highly recommended.