Avatar (December 18, 2009) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Meat]

I finally figured out what bothers me about this movie. I understood part of it while I was watching it - after the big tree gets destroyed and the Na'vi scatters, the main guy goes to ...lead a revolt and retake their homeland.

This is where it was kinda lost on me.

He's an ex-marine. He knows the power of the human military. He knows that agent orange (or [insert alien defoliation toxin]) exists. He's aware of nuclear weapons.

Yet he still leads the blue people on a quest to eliminate their human aggressors.

The fact that he is (temporarily, at least) successful, seems a little silly, but whatever - the humans can't overcome the entire ecosystem with their current arsenal. Fine, I'll suspend my disbelief up to this point.

But then...instead of wiping out the entire colony and ensuring that no humans survive...they...let the humans go?

Seems like a fucking terrible tactical decision to me.

I could get on board with this film if one of two things happened (preferably the latter) - the Navi beat back the assault, siege and destroy the company base, and slaughter everyone inside.

-or-

The Navi force them to leave the planet, as happens in the movie. Then a few months/years later, the company returns, nukes the entire forest, decimating the Navi and the rest of the ecosystem, land in radioactive-shielded mining equipment, and make their money.

The idea that the humans have supposedly learned their lesson and leave trillions of dollars of ore on this planet, especially after losing a -very- winnable war, is simply fucking stupid, and it makes me angry as a viewer. That's just not how this shit works - the imperialist allegory fails at this point.

Having this film not end in full-scale slaughter, one way or another, is far, far too easy. If the Navi are stupid enough to let the humans live, they deserve their nuke. And if the main marine character knows this (as he should) - he could set up a much more interesting moral quandary.

They weren't going after the military, it's just a private security, so no chemical or nuclear weapons. Shipping to a far away world cant be cheap and with 0 profit and reports of almost massacring an indigenous people will certainly doom the company

[Silenka]

They weren't going after the military, it's just a private security, so no chemical or nuclear weapons. Shipping to a far away world cant be cheap and with 0 profit and reports of almost mascaraing an indigenous people will certainly doom the company

^

As I understand it earth was low on mine-able resources anyway which is why they were trying to mine a different world in the first place, a company that still had a lot of money in that kind of economy would have blown a LOT of it on that kind of mission and when it came up empty I'm sure would either spell doom or at least they won't be trying it again anytime soon. That's not to say that other companies wouldn't go and try to pick up where FailCo left off, though.

[Cichy]

Went yesterday to see it in IMAX 3d, thought it was great. The attention to details by Cameron was amazing as always. I gotta say that I was entertained throughout the whole movie unlike 90% of the movies that come out nowdays. Seen Sherlock before this and whoever said that movie is better than Avatar is smoking meth

[Pirian]

Went yesterday to see it in IMAX 3d, thought it was great. The attention to details by Cameron was amazing as always. I gotta say that I was entertained throughout the whole movie unlike 90% of the movies that come out nowdays. Seen Sherlock before this and whoever said that movie is better than Avatar is smoking meth

Liking Sherlock Holmes more than Avatar isn't normal . . . But on meth it is?

Well anyways, just saw this in imax and was blown away. I feel sorry for all the people aboard the "I'm way too sophisticated and intelligent for this movie" wagon and couldn't enjoy the eye candy that this movie presented.

[Xno Kappa]

Who said they didn't enjoy the eye-candy? lol

[Vajra]

This movie has made over 1 BILLION dollars (worldwide) in less than 3 weeks........O.o!!!

I'm waitin til it comes on demand on Verizon Fios i'll just watch it on my 42 inch HDTV lol, fkk theaters now a days, I can wait lol. On demand HD = Cheaper than BluRay/Theaters.

[Cesaria]

Went to see this the other day (slummed it up in 2D, can't be bothered doing the balancing 2 pairs of glasses on my own for the 3D stuff) - while the plot was a variation on about a million others of the same ilk - I really enjoyed the film, nice bit of escapism for a few hours which is pretty much all I tend to want in a movie.

Rare I actually pay for one at the cinema these days - sitting through 45 minutes of adverts (most of them branded tie-ins for Avatar as well) and the prices at our local one have got ridiculous - tend to wait for things on DVD as we've got one of those DVDs by post rental things that we hammer the shit out of.

[arus2001]

The 3d wasn't gimicky, and almost seemed under-used in some parts. Will get this on Bluray when it comes out.

Bolded is probably the only "problem" I had after seeing this tonight. Given my interest in gaming, seeing quality CG isn't exactly something new. Granted, this beats pretty much anything that comes to mind for me, I can only recall the 3D really standing out with the little seed things floating, sparks with the flames, and the odd angle with a gun or other weapon.

Was kind of expecting a bit more with rockets and arrows getting shot around, but maybe my theater just sucks, too.

[Kaylia]

In most movie, you will only notice the effect when they go out of their way to make it "3d". Basically, when they separate both camera by a distance much greater than your eyes. I think they avoided that and tried to make it more realistic to emulate what you would see in real life, instead of turning the movie in some sort of rollercoaster.

I can understand why some people wanted more "whoooa" to the 3d, but in a way, I think it would have killed some of the realism.

[arus2001]

I guess I'm a bit lost on the concept of "reality loss" in that pretext, though. Giant blue cat people aside, we all have a visual awareness of depth and things that look right or don't. While I can't profess to know how they went about building the landscapes and such, be it through layering or more isometric recording of rendered space, the illusion of depth can still be achieved through lighting, motion, or even sound.

Maybe this is the point where the theater not being IMAX is what screwed me.

[Kaylia]

I guess I'm a bit lost on the concept of "reality loss" in that pretext, though. Giant blue cat people aside, we all have a visual awareness of depth and things that look right or don't.

If they want to make the 3d effect noticeable, they have to
1) Separate both cameras, twisting every shapes in the process (if you saw alice in wonderland trailers before, it's the kind of thing I'm talking about)
2) Constantly place objects really close to the camera to enhance the "depth" impression.


The first scenario do causes a reality loss, because it makes everything looks distorted. If the movie was about people doing drugs, it would be great, but it's not. Also, keep in mind it would also make many people "dizzy", and they probably wanted to avoid that since they wanted this movie to be for everyone.

The 2nd method was used at time (when you see particles, when you look through a dirty glasses..etc), but it would become intrusive if it was used in nearly every scenes.

While I can't profess to know how they went about building the landscapes and such, be it through layering or more isometric recording of rendered space, the illusion of depth can still be achieved through lighting, motion, or even sound.

Your eyes wont notice the "perspective" on distant objects, landscapes, or even things in movement if they are far. The 3d effect is limited exclusively to object really close to you.

If distant things (and by distant, I mean a few meters) look 3d to you in real life, it's just an illusion.

[Brill Weave]

I felt the 3D actually took away from the movie. Not to mention giving me a fucking headache.

[Xno Kappa]

I wonder how much of a stake in profits did James Cameron have in this movie. Guy must be shitting cash at this point.

[Cantih]

I wonder how much of a stake in profits did James Cameron have in this movie. Guy must be shitting cash at this point.

He was to begin with, that's why he only made oceanographic documentaries the past ten years. He achieved mega "fuck you" money a long time ago.

[Kilhart]

Loved the movie, but this made me chuckle.

[Meat]

It's already been said 200 times over that it's a weak\borrowed story. Without the "oshit that looks so real" it's a crappy movie, with makes me wonder about two planned sequels. By the time the sequels hit movies the technology used in this movie will probably be commonplace, I cant even begin to imagine what Cameron has up his sleeves for the next 2.

[Silenka]

Loved the movie, but this made me chuckle.

pocavatar

After a while though original stories just don't exist anymore, or are very extremely hard to find/create.

[ZarakiKujata]

It's already been said 200 times over that it's a weak\borrowed story. Without the "oshit that looks so real" it's a crappy movie, with makes me wonder about two planned sequels. By the time the sequels hit movies the technology used in this movie will probably be commonplace, I cant even begin to imagine what Cameron has up his sleeves for the next 2.

well now that Pandora and its creatures are no longer as foreign to us he would be able to make the story a little more complicated without completely losing the audience.

[Chun Liroy]

I was completely bored by this movie. Too much q.q not enough pewpew.

[Scythiroth]

I'm kind of late seeing this, but I hate seeing big name titles like this when they first come out, way too crowded at my favorite theaters here.

This movie was incredible, definitely lived up to the hype for me, and actually surpassed it. Easily the best looking movie I've ever seen, and a story that kept me interested until the end. If they end up making sequels for this, I will definitely be seeing them. Well worth the IMAX 3D ticket price.