Does James Cameron' Avatar suck badly?

[PangolinFeets]

I loved the design of the ecosystem. They had really cool ideas for the biology of the organic life on the planet.

[Commenter 42]

Originally Posted by PangolinFeets

I loved the design of the ecosystem. They had really cool ideas for the biology of the organic life on the planet.

I knew I liked you

[Bry]

It was ooooookay. Not bad, not great. It didn't leave much cultural impact, no. It didn't do anything "new" story-wise and a lot of the script was pretty laughable.

But it did push a lot of technological boundaries and was technically very well-made. The 3-D was legitimately jaw-dropping (before that gimmick was ran into the ground), the design work was rather cool, and the mo-cap/CGI work was quite impressive. I definitely respect it for that, but the actual story was mediocre and forgettable.

It's one of those movies that you "have to" see in the theatre to experience it, but many, many people would never feel compelled to watch it again. I sure haven't. But it was a worthwhile experience that one time.

[TigerClaw]

I look forward to what James Cameron will bring with Avatar 2, and its other sequels after it.

There's a lot of high expectations for the sequel, since the 1st one was ground breaking.

[Commenter 42]

Originally Posted by Bry

It was ooooookay. Not bad, not great. It didn't leave much cultural impact, no. It didn't do anything "new" story-wise and a lot of the script was pretty laughable.

But it did push a lot of technological boundaries and was technically very well-made. The 3-D was legitimately jaw-dropping (before that gimmick was ran into the ground), the design work was rather cool, and the mo-cap/CGI work was quite impressive. I definitely respect it for that, but the actual story was mediocre and forgettable.

It's one of those movies that you "have to" see in the theatre to experience it, but many, many people would never feel compelled to watch it again. I sure haven't. But it was a worthwhile experience that one time.

I agree with much of this. I guess, in a world that is full of ripped-off art design, and clunky crappy **** smeared Photoshop garbage by talentless imps who've somehow gotten a stranglehold on hollywood to the point that they are the only twaddlebrains getting contracts now...

when all 'mechs' look like kitbashed nonsense...

when it's up to one set of unskilled losers for 90% of the films out there...

Avatar is something special. An entire ecosystem that makes sense within itself.
That's a big something.

Story? Yeah, pretty bland...but please, point me in the direction of an original sci-fi/fantasy film that does it all, and does it all well, in the last 20 years.

[Leo656]

Eh. I watched it once. I might see it again but I feel no compulsion towards it.

I find that once you get over the CGI gimmick there's little left of substance. It doesn't do anything "wrong" but I wasn't engaged.

[Commenter 42]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Eh. I watched it once. I might see it again but I feel no compulsion towards it.

I find that once you get over the CGI gimmick there's little left of substance. It doesn't do anything "wrong" but I wasn't engaged.

It's a very pretty GF, who said something interesting one, but now, just stares, waiting...blankly...to think of, something else interesting....to say.

[Leo656]

I think part of it was how over-sold it was by the time I saw it. Literally all anyone ever said to me about it was how good it looked, but nobody ever said a word about the characters or the rest of it, just how good it looked. Then I watched it and it all made sense; not much else to say. They spent a ton of money to say "Make Every Day Earth Day", in Imax 3D.

[Commenter 42]

well **** me...

There's new about what the Russos want to do with Spider-man.

I'm going to be disappointed, aren't I.

[Leo656]

Are you sure you meant to place it here?

Are we a wee tit bipsy? You can be honest.

[Commenter 42]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Are you sure you meant to place it here?

Are we a wee tit bipsy? You can be honest.

I sure did. And yes. Yes all around. 7 round to be honest.
it's late - who cares really...and yeah... you know how happy I am about the super glibb and cheerful BVS...Imagine what I'm thinking right now...

[Amaranthus]

Edgy teen punk reporting for duty.

[drgon78]

The designs and world building were awesome but the story and main character was horrible. It felt like a rip off of Dances With Wolves with smufs+thundercats aliens instead of Native Americans.

[sdp]

This movie was not on my radar until it finally came out and everyone raved about it so I decided to check it out a couple of weeks after. I remember the cinema still being full despite being a few weeks in as well. The 3D was pretty good, I hadn't seen a movie in 3D in years and I like 3D for the most part but I didn't understand how this was the best 3D ever made that immersed me completely, it was definitely nice but not world changing. The story may not be the most original but it was still a feel good movie with a good message and I liked everything about Pandora a lot.

I wouldn't call it the best movie ever or feel it deserved all that money but it was a nice movie and not one that I thought was boring. I have to admit I've never felt compelled to watch it again until recently when I've read so much criticism about the movie and images being posted of it and now I want to check it out again. I thought sequels for Avatar would need to be about the Avatar system of going to other worlds and transforming into those aliens and see new alien worlds and was always disappointed that the franchise was heading towards Pandora only stories but I'll probably check out the sequels at the very least.

[ProactiveMan]

It was an 'event picture'. They were pushing the new 3D process, IMAX was a big deal again, and it was the first movie Cameron directed in 300 years, so everyone wanted to see it. I enjoyed it for the spectacle it was, but I realized at the time that it would never be as good at home on TV, so I have only seen it once.

[CyberCubed]

Its a story about a white man helping blue native american cat people in a forest land to stop the other evil white people from ruining their land and stealing their resources. And of course the white man falls in love with the native princess.

Gee, this sound familiar?

[sdp]

All stories are recycled tropes but it's how the story is told that sets it apart. The Lion King is a great movie even if it borrows a lot from Hamlet, etc. It's a nice story but it just wasn't the next say Star Wars, I don't really see a universe that I want to explore there. Pandora was awesome and while I'd love to see more of it, I can't think of very interesting stories to tell there but maybe I'm wrong. To me what would be far more interesting is the "Avatar" system and visiting different worlds that are totally different from Pandora in a sequel.

I really want to watch the movie again now to see if my opinion has changed, I remember it was alright, enjoyable but nothing to write home about but the more I remember how awesome Pandora was, the more I want to re-watch it. Maybe the movie did need a little more originality in the story to set it apart from a Pocahontas comparison, something to add more drama or not be as predictable.

[Commenter 42]

Originally Posted by Amaranthus

Edgy teen punk reporting for duty.

Dig the new sig.

[CyberCubed]

I wonder if Avatar 2's story will be a ripoff of Captain Planet.

[Commenter 42]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

I wonder if Avatar 2's story will be a ripoff of Captain Planet.

He's spent years on the script(s). My guess would be it's an patchwork of his entire filmography, woven into the definitive Cameron epic. He's getting old, pretty sure this is his farewell to the planet.