First review of Cameron's Avatar

[IanC]

Originally Posted by goldorak

CG is so fake that I can't stand it anymore.
A little bit is necessary in films, but when the only real thing are actors forget it.

CG killed Star Wars for me... don't get me started on that one, hurts too much.

[Weiss Pinguin]

I dunno, I kind of thought the CG worked in 300 Although I agree, George Lucas went a little batcrap insane with the effects on the new Star Wars trilogy.

[goldorak]

Originally Posted by Weiss Pinguin

I dunno, I kind of thought the CG worked in 300 Although I agree, George Lucas went a little batcrap insane with the effects on the new Star Wars trilogy.

For 300 it made sense. The movie was highly stylised as if you were watching something on stage. Avatar strives for realism, and there is a point where too much CG is just too much and it take you out of the movie. Its like watching those 10 minutes tech demos of ATI/Nvidia.

[Jimbuna]

Usually when a movie receives so much pre-release hype it ends up either 10/10 or 1/10. I will watch it but my instincts tell me the pudding might just have been over egged.

[Dowly]

I saw a review of it in the morning telly today and it got 2/5 and 3/5. Tho, mind you these reviewers are the kind that hand out 5 stars to some artsy movies that maybe get 200 viewers worldwide due to them being just so crap.

Anywho, they said the visual side was cool, but the plot was filled with cliches and that the movie should've lasted for 1½hrs instead of 3h.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by goldorak

CG is so fake that I can't stand it anymore.

About the only time it really works is when it's used to mate real pieces to each other. As much as I hated Titanic I own a copy, partly for the sinking scenes and partly for the way they tied the mock-up to the lower hull of a real ship to make it look like the full-scale Titanic is really at sea.

I think Das Boot could use a little CGI, just to add realistic foam to the external scenes.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Dowly

Anywho, they said the visual side was cool, but the plot was filled with cliches and that the movie should've lasted for 1½hrs instead of 3h.

That's pretty close. The plot is nothing original, or extraordinary, you pretty much know where the story is going after the first ten minutes. Think Pocahantas + Cortez, with some hi-tech shock and awe (yeah, they used that phrase, innappropriately I might add. Always has to be some message to these films ). But on the plus side, the film delivers the story well. The world of Pandora is really, really a treat to watch and the effects are superb. Hey, you cannot visit strange new worlds without top notch CGI. CGI has come a long way and Avatar is an enjoyable film that showcases CGI better than any other I've seen. The natives live in harmony with nature with a subtle twist on the story (it is an alien world, of course) that gives the plot an essential kick. The action scenes and the accompanying effects are truly amazing. Sure, this is an old story but told in a dazzling new medium. Very much worth the $8 to see it.

[Task Force]

This movie gets the TF Not intresting award... lol

[Sea Demon]

Looks like a good movie. I don't know what to think about the report I saw the other day that said some people in the theater were getting motion sickness or something. That kind of intrigued me.

[Task Force]

No, Its cause it probably sucked so bad they couldnt hold it anymore.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Sea Demon

Looks like a good movie. I don't know what to think about the report I saw the other day that said some people in the theater were getting motion sickness or something. That kind of intrigued me.

Must have been the 3D. We watched in in normalD.

There's so much hyperbole about this film that it's easy to get unrealistic expectations. I'm fairly immune to that, I can shrug off the hype* and still see it as an enjoyable ride.

*Roger Ebert has lost his mind:

"Avatar" is not simply a sensational entertainment, although it is that. It's a technical breakthrough. It has a flat-out Green and anti-war message. It is predestined to launch a cult. It contains such visual detailing that it would reward repeating viewings. It invents a new language, Na'vi, as "Lord of the Rings" did, although mercifully I doubt this one can be spoken by humans, even teenage humans. It creates new movie stars. It is an Event, one of those films you feel you must see to keep up with the conversation.

Uh, no, not really. But that doesn't mean it sucks. It's a good fantasy/action flick.

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

But that doesn't mean it sucks. It's a good fantasy/action flick.

So basically it's GI Joe Dances with Thunder Smurfs in Fern Gully.

Got it. Got some unobtainium too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

So basically it's GI Joe Dances with Thunder Smurfs in Fern Gully.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

From the article



Is that a 'message movie' I smell?

Does the Earth have infinite resources?

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

So basically it's GI Joe Dances with Thunder Smurfs in Fern Gully.

Got it. Got some unobtainium too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium

That's genius!