The early press about James Cameron's latest movie, "Avatar" couldn't have been more hyperbolic: this film was going to forever change the way we experience movies. The director -- already famous for wowing audiences with quicksilver robots in "Terminator 2" and sinking an entire ocean liner in "Titanic" -- spent over a decade working on the movie. He reportedly developed a brand new 3-D camera for the flick along with entirely new technologies for motion capture. The movie's budget was reportedly in the ballpark of $300 million. And yet there was almost no word on what the movie was going to be about, and few indications of what it was going to look like.

Though the first sneak peak to a Comic-con audience received raves, the positive buzz for "Avatar" diminished when the first trailer came out in September. It outlined a plot that seemed glaringly familiar and it showed a bunch of half-naked blue people running around a digital jungle. To say it failed to overwhelm would be an understatement. The flick was almost immediately dubbed "Dances with Smurfs" by furious fans on the internet. Blogs made unflattering comparisons between "Avatar" and the CG animated fiasco "Delgo," which is also about half-naked blue people in a forest.

This weekend,released of "Avatar" on 4,000 screens across the USA, audiences will finally get to see what all the fuss is about. Is "Avatar" a landmark of moviemaking or it yet another big-budget Hollywood production with a recycled plot? It turns out both are right.

The movie might have cost the GNP of a small nation but all that money is on-screen: it looks gorgeous. As David Denby of the New Yorker writes, "James Cameron's "Avatar" is the most beautiful film I've seen in years. Amid the hoopla over the new power of 3-D as a narrative form, and the excitement about the complicated mix of digital animation and live action that made the movie possible, no one should ignore how lovely "Avatar" looks, how luscious yet freewheeling, bounteous yet strange."

Cameron's famed obsession with detail -- this is a director who insisted that real Beluga caviar be served during the first class dinner scene in "Titanic" -- is fully on display here. The film takes place on Pandora, a planet filled with lush forests, floating mountains, and a huge moon that fills the night's sky. Each frame bustles with life. And each creature in the movie, from massive hammer-headed pachyderms to six-armed neon lemurs, feels like it has its own evolutionary back story.

Cameron even went so far as to hire a linguist to invent an entirely new language for the Na'vi, the aforementioned half-naked blue people who look like panthers crossed with runway models. And it is with the Na'vi that Cameron's technical wizardry really shines: they are entirely computer generated yet their movements and facial expressions feel almost completely natural. Unlike other live-action/CG hybrids like this year's "A Christmas Carol," the digital artifice quickly falls away and you start thinking of them as real. Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana), the lithe Na'vi princess who falls for Jake the main character, might very well become the first non-human movie character ever to become a full-blown sex symbol.

Where some critics found fault with the movie was with its well-worn storyline. As Scott Tobias of the A.V. Club wrote, "Look past the New Age beauty of Cameron's Pandora -- and whenever the camera swoops through its verdant, psychedelic wonders, that isn't easy to do -- and Avatar is a weak patchwork of his other films." The evil corporation out to pillage Pandora is straight out of "Aliens," the evil general is like the Terminator channeling Dick Cheney, and the forbidden love story between Jake and Neytiri has shades of Jack and Rose from "Titanic."

In short, "Avatar" neatly sums up all of Cameron's strengths and weaknesses as a filmmaker. His stories might be trite and his dialogue might be tin-eared, but his visual brilliance is astounding. And it was the film's beauty, not it's storyline, that no doubt nabbed "Avatar" a a pair of Golden Globe nominations. If you see it (and see it properly in 3D), "Avatar" will be unlike anything you've seen.

Think back to those movies that truly changed the movies. The Jazz Singer introducing sound. Gone With the Wind bringing vivid color to the screen. Jurassic Park turning computer-generated images into something akin to real life. Toy Story sending animation on a digital trip beyond infinity.

What those movies had is what Avatar doesn't, although James Cameron's film is certainly a technological marvel on the level of those classics. It lacks the most essential element of any movie, and what the self-proclaimed king of the world will never admit to being his biggest creative flaw:

A story.

A story that doesn't merely proceed but propels, that doesn't just ladle obvious sci-fi metaphors to current events, that urges viewers to not only believe in what's occurring on screen but embrace it. A story worth following to the end, even when the end never seems near enough.

For all of its sensory thrills and gung-ho action, Avatar seldom uses Cameron's dreamscape know-how for anything except fanboy titillation since those are his peeps. This movie is a bored child's detention hall doodle come to near-life. The child has talent but to what worthy end?

Cameron does endlessly dazzle with his day-glo panorama of Pandora, its floating islands, fluorescent rain forests and sheer rocky cliffs digitally painted on the screen, like a Frank Frazetta canvas come to life. We're meant to be awed and entranced by Pandora, to more loudly boo the nasty things Earthlings are plotting to do to it.

In the 22nd century, a Blackwater-style army of mining contractors is raping the distant moon Pandora of a vital resource called unobtainium (oh, please!). A blue-skinned, indigenous species of humanoids called the Na'vi peacefully lives in a wowsah rain forest near the sacred Tree of Wisdom housing their goddess Eywa (mere earthlings call her Mother Nature). They're standing 10 feet tall in the way of human progress.

You see where this is going. Avatar is part Iraq War allegory, part green message flick, with both messages amplified by extraordinary special effects. This will probably be Al Gore's favorite action flick of all time.

Funny that with all of Cameron's visual imagination, the plot settles for reprising Dances With Wolves. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) volunteers to have his mind melded into a Na'vi body, so he can infiltrate and help destroy the tribe. Jake ends up sympathetic to the peaceful Na'vi, fighting back at his commanders, mainly to impress the lovely Neytiri (Zoe Saldana).

But the plot isn't why Avatar's audience will buy tickets (and by all means pay the extra fee for 3-D). The flora, fauna and critters of Pandora astonish with their variety and vivid colors although simply adding an extra set of legs or wings and a hippie van paint job to quasi-dinosaurs gets tiresome after the first two hours. Avatar loses its pacing with Jake and Neytiri's on-again, off-again romance, regaining momentum for a bombastic climax when Pandora itself rebels against the human intruders.

The Na'vi are amazing creations and Cameron's greatest techie advancement. Basically it's the motion capture animation used in The Polar Express and A Christmas Carol but to the nth degree. The difference is found in the Na'vi's feline eyes, more expressive than any animated gazes before. Saldana is especially effective in that regard.

Yet after all of the stunning sights and sounds, Avatar left me shrugging with admiration and slightly cringing at the final shot's promise of a sequel to come. That's one advantage Cameron didn't have with Titanic, and you can bet he'll milk it.

I was really nervous at first about seeing this movie. I mean, most movies that have been hyped as much as this have turned out to be real stinkers, sadly. Thankfully, Cameron did a REALLY great job on this. I mean, the detail he put into it is Amazing. I read about how it took him 10 years to develop the concept, the characters, the creatures, even the bugs. And truthfully, it really showed.
The story line was pretty basic. Not in a bad way, but it wasn't confusing and anybody could follow it. He said he wanted it to be "relatable" and I think it is. I mean, it hints at a lot of issues that we face today - war, environment, just to name a few.
I also appreciated the female roles in this movie, as in a lot of his movies. They were tough, don't take no bull $hit, and I'm pretty sure a bit more kick a$$ than some of the male characters.

Great film. The versons available here are not the best for obvious reasons, I would recommend watching in the cinema for the full experience, but no question, excellent film. Captures the imagination in the same way Ferngully did all those years ago. The animation, graphics and attention to detail throughout the movie is second to none. The storyline is good, although somewhat unbelievable in the realistic sense. However, Avatar is so good that you are drawn into the film, and my, what a film!

This movie will blow your mind. I truly recommend it for 3-D but its even great in normal viewing. The story attracts you and captivates your attention as Jake tells the story about Pandora.
You can feel the joy and sadness as the story unfolds. You can feel the rage as they destroy Pandora. James Cameron's reputation on making excellent films like the Terminator Movies was really kept up with this movie.
It is one of Mr. Cameron's best movies and it will be an instant classic.
The action is very strong and yet the love remains.

An extraordinary film mate, 10/10

You have to watch this in 3d if there is ever a film to see in cinema this is it!! im a big fan of copied dvds But this in 3d folks is truly amazing!!!! 3d ONLY you wont be coming out of there thinking what a waste of money like i do with every other film

Cameron is the first director to use Motion/Performance Capture Technology properly, no dead eyes, no jerky movements, nothing. You forget you're watching a computer generated character. Meanwhile the other animation, invented surroundings and special effects are seamlessly integrated into the live action. In 20years it may look as fake as bedknobs & Broomsticks, but for right now it's as perfect looking as you could ever imagine. It's a world you've never seen on screen before and it envelops you, AWESOME MOVIE.

Why do we fall in love with the Star Wars films? What makes us embrace the inhabitants of Middle Earth, and relish The Lord of the Rings saga? Why do our hearts beat so fast when those dinosaurs chase the humans in Jurassic Park?

We know those worlds don't really exist, we're aware that what we're seeing is just hokum. And yet we go along for the ride anyway, because - let's face it - it allows us to have such fun.

Every once in a while comes a film that grabs you by the gut and throws you into an experience so profound that nothing else really matters. These are films that stay with us our entire lives; films that touch both heart and mind; films that make you surrender completely to the power of the experience.

James Cameron's decade-in-the-making sci-fi dream project Avatar is not only a groundbreaking film it's also the definitive cinematic event of this generation.

As every film geek in the world already knows Avatar, set in the year 2154, involves a mission by US Armed Forces to the planet Pandora, light years away from Earth. The fearsomely well-equipped army of former Marines has arrived on Pandora to mine a rare mineral named "unobtainium" in order to solve a devastating energy crisis back home.

The mineral cannot be obtained without the cooperation of Pandora's native population, the Na'vi, a tribe of tall, blue-skinned, nature-loving forest dwellers who pose no threat to Earthlings. Since humans cannot breathe on Pandora, they must use avatars, or genetically engineered Na'vi look-alikes that are mind-controlled by them while they're wired up in an unconscious state on the space-craft.

Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) is an ex-Marine who has lost the use of his legs, but signs up for the program because his avatar allows him to walk again.

Sully finds himself caught between two camps: the well-meaning scientists led by Dr Grace Augustine (played by Sigourney Weaver) who wants to connect with the Na'vi and persuade them to move from their traditional land to make way for the mining; and the mercenaries led by Colonel Miles Quaritch (played by Stephen Lang) who is happy to use brutal force and explosives to wipe out the natives.

Sully is a changed man once he tastes Na'vi life and falls in love with lissome warrior princess Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana) who teaches him to shoot arrows, to tame and fly stubborn psychedelic creatures, and to fight off scary jungle beasts. Thanks to his deepening relationship with Neytiri, he begins to question the legitimacy of the mission he signed up for, and eventually joins the Na'vi side to help them win a battle against the greedy humans.

With Avatar, director James Cameron doesn't just deliver solid fan-boy entertainment, he pushes the boundaries of technology in a manner that seems to bridge the gap between imagination and the practical limitations of the day. From looking at the film, it is clear that almost anything that can be imagined and illustrated can be realized on screen now. There's evidence of that too - the lush forests of Pandora, lit up by fluorescent plants and luminous insects; the floating mountains; the snarling six-legged dog-like creatures, the hammer-headed rhino beast. Virtually all of this is created on the computer, using a new generation of special effects and CGI. Even the Na'vi characters are brought to life by actors wearing sensors and performing on an empty stage while motion capture techniques turn them into those absolutely realistic blue-skinned natives.

The 3D technology Cameron's been developing for years has finally allowed him to create a gorgeous, mind-boggling, dangerous, alternative reality that has never before been seen on screen. Even Peter Jackson had to fly his actors all the way out to those gorgeous New Zealand landscapes to create Middle Earth. Cameron merely filmed his actors on empty soundstages, and the computer turned the blank walls into Pandora.

Among the most breathtaking scenes in Avatar is a thrilling sequence in which Sully captures and tames a dragon-like beast on a mountaintop, and of course the film's climatic battle between humans and the Na'vi.

Much like his last film, Titanic, the basic plot of Avatar is simple and predictable even, but look out for the various allusions and messages that Cameron sneaks in. You cannot miss the film's obvious reference to America's wrongful invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, or America's callous treatment towards its indigenous races. The warning bells about the repercussions of destroying nature are also too loud to ignore.

Because Cameron paints in broad strokes, Avatar doesn't connect emotionally in a manner that Titanic did, but only the stone-hearted will be unmoved when innocent Na'vis are shot or brutally killed in the final battle scene.

Ultimately however, Avatar belongs to one man and one man alone. The man who dreamt it all up in his head, spent years creating the technology it would require to translate his dream onto celluloid, the man who convinced an army of cast and crew to participate in this ambitious dream, the man who never let his fans down.

You may argue that you've seen better films than Avatar recently, but try remembering the last time you enjoyed the movie-going experience so much.

I'm going with an unprecedented five out of five and two big thumbs up for James Cameron's Avatar. Watch it in glorious 3D; that's how he intended for it to be seen. It's films like this that make going to the cinema an out-of-the-world experience.

Rating: 5 / 5 (Excellent)

Avatar is truly a breathtaking film. James Cameron has exceeded all expectations with this movie. The man who can't make or chooses not to make bad films has raised the bar. I just hope he doesn't cloud his next film with the shadow of Avatar. The 3D experience is a must for all. This a must watch film for all. There is no excuses. Fantastic, all round.

It’s been 12 years since “Titanic” sailed into cinematic history with $1.8 billion in global box office receipts and 11 Oscars in tow. On that fateful night at the Academy Awards, director James Cameron proclaimed himself to be the “King of the World” thanks to his film’s impressive accomplishments. Soon after, he vanished underwater to make a couple of documentaries and left film geeks around the world wondering when he would surface long enough to bring a true narrative to theaters again.

As it turns out, it would seem that we’ve been waiting for one of the most shallow cinematic experiences in recent memory.

A film we’ve been told “will change movies forever” hinging on it’s techonological innovation at the expense of anything resembing an original thought with regards to the story. An effects driven tour de force by a director who is always on the bleeding edge of technology, “Avatar” is a hollow and uninvolving undertaking for the viewer. It wants to envelop us in it’s painstakingly created world of Pandora, but we’re always kept at arm’s distance by the unimaginative story and characters that are painted in such broad strokes that one has to wonder if a child was involved in their creation.

Avatar is James Cameron doing what he does best – blowing things up with awesome special effects, while tying the set pieces together with a story worth telling. The king of the (sci-fi) world is back. Long live the king!It's the breathtakingly beautiful CGI landscape that somehow pulls the audience in on this tale of profit and progress versus nature's power and infinite variety.

I must say this film is freaking sweet. Audiences and Critics loved it, their will always be a group that justs hates everything. And those few who find any reason to complain or just get hung up on minor details that are stupid. I realy hop the next 2 sequels are as good. So far I woudl say this is the best Sci Fi filmever made, I never thought the Starwars Trilogy (original ones) would be topped, but Cameron proved me wrong, He more than keeps up with his talent, He is definitly one of the best if not the best director of all time, seriously look at his films they are great.

It won Oscars, Golden Globes so even the critics realised its greatness, it's also the highest grosing film of all time. The only thing people get hung up on is the story is nothing new, However people fail to realise every story has bean done and done again, every movie is a copy of a copy of a copy, think about it Fast and the furios was a copy of Point Break, Superbad was a copy of American pie which was a copy of Fast times at ridgemont high. This film was a masterpice.

Peopel also clammer to Jim cameron cannibalising his prior films, however nobody complained at the Dark Night with the whole you choose who to save and hte other one dies, (harvey or Rachel) which was done in Spider-Man (Mary Jane or bunch of kids) and Batman & Robin (Robin of Dr. Meridian) so if you got issues with that, think again. This movie promised groundbreaking ivsuals, and terrific story telling, and it more than delivers. 5/5

amazing visuals and filming, average to poor acting, bad to brutal writing and storyline...throw piles of money at it and the sheep will follow....how about less money and visuals better story and acting....is this the new wave of amuse them with car chase crash scenes and they won't notice how stupid or poor the accual story is?

The movie Avatar is a really great movie! I left out of the movie theater amazed with all of the visual imaging, and 3D effects. Not to mention, the story is absolutely amazing! If you want to watch a movie with a deep plot of love, caring, and humanity I suggest you watch Avatar.

this movie was awsome one of the best new scifi films in years it show was movie graphics have become and how the newer generation now has a story to look forward to it rates right up there with batman and superman and some of the other great films yahh!

Excellent! I'm buying this one when it comes out! An all out adventure. A bit of a classical tale written in the future with some familiarity to it. Bound to be a favorite for all. Seems like there might be a sequel coming by the ending. Wouldn't mind seeing more of this story. Possibly with the return of you know who.

The Best Sci Fi film ever made.
The only thing people complain is that the story is not original.

NO movie is original, every possible story has bean done and was done before that person did it.

Seriously think about it; The fast and the Fuious was a rip off of Point Break. And Point break was a rip off of The lost boys all good films all very very similar plots.