Thank you James Cameron...

[Vince Twelve]

Yeah.  I hate The Lion King because it's just Hamlet but with lions.

[Anian]

Yeah.  I hate The Lion King because it's just Hamlet but with lions.

Oh, come on. That's not what I said. And just to put it to the lowest level of difference - at least LK has musical numbers.   But you actually proved my point, cause what Cameron did is not Hamlet to Lion King, but something along Lion King to a Tiger King.

[Vince Twelve]

I wasn't responding to you.  I actually hate The Lion King.  You're so vain.

[Anian]

I wasn't responding to you.  I actually hate The Lion King.  You're so vain.

Sorry.

[Vince Twelve]

I'm totally joking, by the way, anian.  Even though I keep forgetting to add smileys to indicate it.

I'm just wondering where the line gets drawn between "derivative or" "same story but with aliens" and "inspired by" or "modern retelling"  How much do you have to change the story before it becomes worthy of being judged on it's own merits instead of put down flatly for having the same story structure.

There are just so many movies/books with this same "White man meets natives, white man joins natives, white man becomes the awesomest native ever" story.  Dune, Dances With Wolves, Pocahontas, The Last Samurai.  Pocahontas, which that fail image (which is admittedly hilarious) compares Avatar to, took more of its story from Dances With Wolves than from the true story of Pocahontas.

I'm not saying that Avatar is particularly original, mind.  I do think that it is way closer to the story and characters of Disney's Pocahontas than it should be and wish it had some kind of original plot that could surprise me (because this one didn't at any turn).  But it didn't stop me for enjoying the movie for the ride that it is, with good characters, effects, and action (in my opinion).

I think, bottom line, Cameron knows what story is going to resonate with the largest number of people and put the most butts in seats. (Titanic also was a derivative love story dropped into a great choice for a setting.)  And that's certainly working out for him.  I definitely enjoy smaller smarter films like Memento or Moon on average more than these big blockbusters, but sometimes you've got to take a break from all the steak and have some ice cream, right?

[Atelier]

The movie was fantastic, although like lots of people have said already, the story was very unoriginal. Personally the humans should definitely have won instead of the Na'avi. Men with kick-ass guns and suits of armour against natives with magic trees and seahorse mounts?

The humans should destroy the natives, and their way of life completely; just like we would do if that situation was reality, with no mercy. The whole 'rising from the ashes' thing spoilt it for me, as it was too predictable.

[Wesray]

The humans should destroy the natives, and their way of life completely; just like we would do if that situation was reality, with no mercy. The whole 'rising from the ashes' thing spoilt it for me, as it was too predictable.

Seconded. For me it was the moment of nature fighting back after the Na'vi failed that really lost me. I think a bad ending would have lifted the movie to another level for me. Though it probably wouldn't be as successful and it'd be much harder to do sequels. But even as it is, its hard to believe the humans wouldn't be back before long and obliterate any resistence.

[Mordalles]

usually i enjoy most movies i watch, even bad ones, but this movie just lost me about a 3rd the way in (when native girl saves Sammy). for the last 2 hours of the movie i was rooting for the soldiers just to end it all.    and then there was that awkward blue monkey love scene.   :o
great cg, though i really didn't enjoy the movie at all.  :'(

[Arboris]

Awkward blue monkey love scene you say?

[Timo.]

Arboris, you're horny. (and I kind a love it)

Nothing more I think I need to add,
Avatar is one of the better films I have watched in my life; mind-blowing graphics, intriguing storyline (with a touch of science fiction) and some hot-bodied blue peeps, I think it really deserved the many praises and awards it received. Kudos.

[Arboris]

Arboris, you're horny.

..Pardon me? That might not be the most accurate observation of me when I stumbled across this on newsground. Laughing might have been a closer description

[Igor Hardy]

Awkward blue monkey love scene you say?

I don't remember the Na'vi having green lemons stuck in their eye sockets.

[Andail]

I watched it last Friday and I think I agree with the prevailing sentiment here, that while it was good eyecandy - probably the best sci-fi adventure so far in terms of special effects and details, the plot or the characters didn't really add anything original to the world of cinema.

The hours afterwards I was really adrenaline pumped, but then the effect waned and now I see it as a fun ride, but nothing more.

To be sure, I like the concept and the plot - how we demonize our enemies, how we blur the concepts of terror and self defence, the exploitation of indeginous etc etc - it's just that the core story has been told so many times before.

[paolo]

I haven't read the whole of this thread yet - in fact, I haven't got through all of Darth Mandarb's original posting yet, but I really relate to this point he made:

There was a part, in the Pandora jungle, where there were bugs flying around.  The focus was not on the bugs, they were just adding to the immersion.  I actually, entirely sub-consciously, swatted at one of the bugs in my peripheral vision.

I had a similar experience. There were also a couple of points in the film when I thought "I wish people wouldn't keep getting up and walking in front of the screen" before realising that those people were in the foreground in the film!

As Darth says, it's that good.

[Scarab]

I had a similar experience. There were also a couple of points in the film when I thought "I wish people wouldn't keep getting up and walking in front of the screen" before realising that those people were in the foreground in the film!

But the thing is... every time this happens, you remember that you are in a theatre, breaking the immersion. I still haven't seen the film in 2d, so I might have enjoyed that a bit more, but the constant breaking of my suspension of disbelief is one of the main factors that forces me to consider Avatar a "good film" or possibly even "great film", but not revolutionary like many have been saying.

[Misj']

I had a similar experience. There were also a couple of points in the film when I thought "I wish people wouldn't keep getting up and walking in front of the screen" before realising that those people were in the foreground in the film!

Funny, I kept thinking: man, that Cameron keeps putting annoying and useless stuff in front of me to make bad use of 3D. To me that added to the (sometimes annoyingly) bad directing, and I never thought/felt any of that was really happening in front of me.

[passer-by]

I liked the movie but some times immersion was lost, especially with things that were supposed to come towards you... or the front objects were too 'front' in an unnatural way, like they were stuck in your eye not just within your view limits. The story was quite predictable, but the lines were well written, which sort of corrects it.

To be honest, I only concentrated on the "mistakes" because of the critics and marketing craze. It wasn't a boring movie.

Overall impression, the graphics were beautiful (especially the live plants and the lighted things) and the real actors were also good.

[Miez]

So why the hell was that mining company not named "Weyland Yutani"? Missed chance, James ... 

Anyway, seen the movie twice and love it.

[Matti]

I'm gonna watch it today - after all it's the last chance (before tomorrow) for watching it in a cinema! I hope it'll be worth it.

[arj0n]

Watched it in 3D, awesome!