Avatar 3D review (some spoilers)

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!

Easily one of the top 10 best movies I have ever seen. With unbelievable visuals, a great cast, and an intricate and relevant plot, it will satisfy almost anyone.

The film stars Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation) as Corporal Jake Sully, a paraplegic Marine. Using a remote controlled body, called an Avatar, he is to convince the natives of the planet Pandora to leave their home so the government and military can mine it. After they refuse to move, the military plan to use force to kill all who oppose them. While trying to learn the ways of the natives, Jake falls in love with Neytiri, a native of Pandora, played by Zoe Saldana (Star Trek (2009), Pirates of the Caribbean). As the film progresses, he has to decide who's side he is on. Will he help the army attack the beings on Pandora, or will he help his new-found friends?


If you only see one movie this year, make it Avatar. It was truly incredible. With a budget of over $500 million, James Cameron once again delivers with one of the most expensive movies to make. And it has paid off. 3 weeks after release, it grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it the fastest grossing film of all time.

This movie is a must see for any movie goer. It will not disappoint.

Honey, you had me at hello!
I will see it this week on IMAX 3d

Loved it.

I haven't seen it...and I won't, at the theaters, at least. But just as a counterpoint, while everyone raves about the special effects, the plot is being called mundane, hackneyed, overdone, derivative. All the words critics like to use. And even people on the street say the ending is predictable long before you get there.

All that doesn't make it a bad movie, but I did feel like it was important to point out that it's getting pretty universally mediocre reviews.

Just curious. How does the 3D on this movie work? Does it require glasses, or is the kind done with fast multiple images?

I went to see it Friday at a 12am showing and it was sold out! I was so upset, I didn't think it would be sold out because it had came out earlier and it was such a late showing! It was Imax 3D so I should have known! Hopefully me and my boyfriend can see it soon

Could you buy tickets in advance online? That's how we got into the latest Harry Potter movie. However, we still went early, and good thing, because the theater was absolutely filled.

I haven't seen Avatar in IMAX being advertised locally, yet.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I haven't seen it...and I won't, at the theaters, at least. But just as a counterpoint, while everyone raves about the special effects, the plot is being called mundane, hackneyed, overdone, derivative. All the words critics like to use. And even people on the street say the ending is predictable long before you get there.

All that doesn't make it a bad movie, but I did feel like it was important to point out that it's getting pretty universally mediocre reviews.

Just curious. How does the 3D on this movie work? Does it require glasses, or is the kind done with fast multiple images?

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That's why I am not sure I want to see it. I care a lot about the plot of a movie, and while special effects are fun I couldn't sit through a 3 hour movie unless the plot is amazing, 3 hours is a loong time. But maybe I'll give it a try and see if I like it..

I've heard many reviews, on TV, online, and on radio (NPR). Everyone said it was an enjoyable movie.

Strong plot lines are not crucial to enjoying a movie, in my book. I have several favorite movies that are about as silly as they come ("Support Your Local Sheriff," for example).

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Just curious. How does the 3D on this movie work? Does it require glasses, or is the kind done with fast multiple images?

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You're given glasses when you buy your ticket (for $2-3 more than the regular viewing price). They ask that you place the glasses in a bin when you're leaving, but I kept mine (I paid extra so why not.

Also, they're not the different colored lenses, but the polarized kind so it's easier on the eyes.

As for the plot...yes, I found it a bit predictable, but I was really sucked into it the whole time. They really didn't skimp on the effects and did a great job. There were times I really believed the CG characters were people in makeup.

But if you're going for a sensational plot along with the effects, you WILL be disappointed.

For those who want to wait for it to come out on DVD... I would suggest not waiting.

This is a must see in the theater movie, unless of course you are lucky enough to have a home theater yourself . The visuals are just stunning and the big screen does it amazing justice.

As for the plot, it is your basic action/adventure/romance movie. It had to be really, as they needed to appeal to a very large range of movie goers. All the beautiful graphics in the world would have done it no good if it was only a complex drama with deep subplots that only catered to a smaller percentage of movie goers. Same if it was only an explosion fest with no substance and a big lumbering action star. With a $500 million dollar budget to make back, they needed to make sure there was something for everyone in this movie so they had the best chance. And I think they succeeded greatly there. I'm not a fan of romance, but the fantasy aspect of this movie was what drew me in. My SO loved the large action scenes and the sci fi feel to the movie. The main thing is that neither of us were disappointed in the plot, it wasn't mindless while at the same time it wasn't ridiculously full of itself.

Everyone that I have talked to that has seen the movie has all said the same thing... They weren't sure if they really wanted to see it but now that they had, they enjoyed it immensely. Heck we were going to wait ourselves until a friend insisted we go, and we are really glad we did. Although now I'm not sure I will be able to stand watching it on the small screen after seeing it in the theater .

For sure, the basic theme of the movie has been done a gazillion times over. Nothing terribly original.

But...what Avatar does well is to tell the story in such a way that you feel this is the first time it's ever been told, and it does so with a hell of a lot of weight...particularly for a special effects "extravaganza".

Basically, the overall message the movie is projecting is something that - if you're already sensitive to certain profound realities that it's mirroring - will find you leaving the theatre feeling heartbroken and jubilant all at the same time. If you're not particularly sensitive to them, you'll leave critiquing the story, talking about the special effects, and probably forgetting the movie within minutes.

I saw it this weekend and I will admit that the whole ride to the theater, I was dreading seeing it... And then after forking over $14 a ticket, I REALLY had a bad attitude. "I sure hope this is going to be worth $28!" was what I said to my husband. I didn't think I would be able to handle 2.5 hours of it. I was preparing myself to have a miserable time.

And I will say that I saw it and loved it and I shed some tears. I thought it was really great!! And it did not seem too long. It had my attention the whole time and it did not feel like 2.5 hours. I thought it was worth the money in the end.

I kind of forget I'm wearing the 3D glasses after a few minutes - I get so caught up in it. We had crappy seats a couple rows away from the front - but it was just wonderful. I don't think it'll be the same at all on DVD on our small tv. So if the money and time is there, I definitely recommend seeing it.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I haven't seen it...and I won't, at the theaters, at least. But just as a counterpoint, while everyone raves about the special effects, the plot is being called mundane, hackneyed, overdone, derivative. All the words critics like to use. And even people on the street say the ending is predictable long before you get there.

All that doesn't make it a bad movie, but I did feel like it was important to point out that it's getting pretty universally mediocre reviews.

Just curious. How does the 3D on this movie work? Does it require glasses, or is the kind done with fast multiple images?

Click to expand...

I haven't heard anyone calling the plot mundane, hackneyed etc., and I certainly don't agree that it's receiving universally mediocre reviews?? I go by rottentomatoes.com often to see what the consensus is for a movie, which scores by reviews by all the noted critics (and general public?), and it's got 83% positive reviews which is a pretty good number - especially for a special effects filled 3-D movie.

Yes the storyline is predictable, but hey, so was Titanic's and it's the highest grossing movie of all time What James Cameron does is he tells the story in a way that keeps you captivated, and has you rooting for the good guys, and he spends the money to make sure everything is perfect, and it absolutely comes through.

Don't wait for the movie, see it now in 3-D, Imax 3-D if you can. Hubby and I saw it just before Christmas in 3D and we're hoping to make a trip up to San Francisco this week to see it again in Imax 3D.

James Cameron pretty much created the 3D technology they did for this movie (great article about it in the current Wired magazine) , and the effects aren't over the top - people reaching out toward your face, it just gives an extra depth to the movie to make it more realistic. And I certainly didn't have a headache after 2 1/2 hours of 3D.

Originally Posted by sarahp

James Cameron pretty much created the 3D technology they did for this movie (great article about it in the current Wired magazine) , and the effects aren't over the top - people reaching out toward your face, it just gives an extra depth to the movie to make it more realistic. And I certainly didn't have a headache after 2 1/2 hours of 3D.

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Yep. He said that if he just wanted another basic movie, he could have had this in production by the beginning of 1998 and finished for 1999. He just had to "wait for technology to catch up" to his dream of what it could be.

And yes I've heard mixed reviews. Some loved it (me included) and some didn't because it was poorly written or it was predictable or whatever. But then again those critics are the same ones that gave movies like The Godfather and North by Northwest 50%.

Fantastic movie, 3-D is awesome, totally worth seeing in the theatre! My favorite movie of 2010!

Just one typical review:

Avatar Review

However, the reviewer didn't see it in 3D.

I do note, however, that even some of the reviewers who panned the plot still say that it's a great story. And after all, literature teachers have said for two centuries, at least, that there are only 16 different plots in all of writing.

I wonder how soon 3D will come to home theaters? I have heard that the modern LCD screens are capable of some of the new 3D technologies.

We must all be atypical then since everyone here has raved about it

Let me just add my mega approval! We saw it yesterday afternoon. We didn't bother with IMAX, since it would have meant going much farther to see it -- though we could definitely have our arms twisted to see it again in IMAX. 3D is definitely worth it -- I'm sure it would not be nearly as effective otherwise.

When I saw the plethora of heavy machinery in the beginning of the film, my heart sank -- I don't deal very well with that kind of movie, and I was afraid that it was going to be a total bust for me. It didn't take too long for that impression to be totally dispelled and for me to be captivated.

Oh, and when was the last time you saw a movie in the theatre and there was applause from the audience at the end? Me? Not since I was a child, back in the dark ages. And it was well deserved.

Originally Posted by rapunzel47

When I saw the plethora of heavy machinery in the beginning of the film, my heart sank -- I don't deal very well with that kind of movie, and I was afraid that it was going to be a total bust for me. It didn't take too long for that impression to be totally dispelled and for me to be captivated.

Oh, and when was the last time you saw a movie in the theatre and there was applause from the audience at the end? Me? Not since I was a child, back in the dark ages. And it was well deserved.

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Our audience clapped at the end too!! And I thought the same thing in the beginning.

There was some clapping in our theater too. And yes you definitely have to see it in 3D. It just makes you feel like it's so much more real. I didn't want it to end and return to reality.