Dinner and a Movie: Avatar

Ok, so dinner was $12 movie popcorn, but today Husband and I took some time (during a regularly scheduled naptime for which I'm sure I'll regret later) to go see James Cameron's new film Avatar. My overall review of this movie is that it's worth the $14 ticket to see this in the theater, especially if you are a Sci-Fi fan. Don't expect to see anything new when it comes to the story. There are no twists here, but the world that has been created is magnificent. I'll try to keep my comments non-spoiler but please use your discretion as to whether you should read on or not.

The Good Stuff
Go see this movie for the visuals alone. We saw this at a 3-D iMax. I couldn't get my glasses to work for me so I watched it without them. Even blurry, this movie was stunning. I look forward to seeing it again at a regular theater in sharp focus. Husband was able to get his glasses to work fine and loved the extra dimension.

Cameron has created a gorgeous Garden of Eden paradise world that is as dangerous as it is beautiful. He's also got some interesting and novel twists on alien botany and biology. I could get used to living somewhere with so much bio luminescence.

The acting is solid and the entirely digital Na'vi are able to emote every bit as well as the human actors. Have I mentioned the gorgeousness yet?

The Less Good Stuff
I realize that Hollywood is a business and they need to make money, but I really wish they would stop catering to the lowest common denominator in an effort to get maximum return on their investment. Amazing visuals will take a movie far, but to really achieve greatness it has to all be backed by a good story. It doesn't even have to be an original story, so long as the characters are engaging.

Sadly, these characters are either black or white. The humans are predominantly evil, soulless and greedy. The Na'vi are noble, spiritual and beautiful. There is never a reason given for why the humans need the minerals they're willing to destroy a planet for. It all makes you feel like crap for being human. It's also a way-hard-sell environmentalist message piece. I'm a supporter of environmental issues and think that people who commit genocide are monsters but even I wanted to say "Whoa. You're preaching to the choir. How about some actual good James Cameron storytelling now please?"

The original scriptment from Avatar is available online and although I haven't read it, reports are that there was a lot more subtlety and depth when Cameron first conceived this tale. There was a reason for strip-mining Pandora. I really wish he would have traded some of the effect budget to keep the story strong.

Should a Hollywood exec read this please note: The stupid people who don't get subtle would have gone to see this movie anyway just for the pretty pictures. Remember, beauty fades and in 10 years, when these cutting edge special effects look dated, this movie will suck because there is no story, at least, not one worth caring about when the amazing shininess has worn off. Tell us stories like we have a brain. The dumb people will catch up.

This review from Ain't It Cool News is perhaps harsh, but hits on a lot of good points (warning: it's also filled with spoilers and profanity). Cameron can do better. He has done better and this world, this gorgeous, detailed world he has created deserves a more engaging story than the one it got.