These are convoluted times

Rating: Null/10 (2 January 2010)

Stunning effects yes, equally stunning in-your-face anti-humanity plot—probably evaded by most visually blitzed viewers. Lets consider Cameron as having a unique position in the totally risk-adverse, less than inspiring industry. He can break formula for a truly memorable impact in movie-making history. The opportunity was there, the time / money and the talent too, but the magic? Not sure that illusive quality of touching the human spirit was there. Perhaps because the moral of the story for the mostly human audience is that we, as a species, destroy everything and if we are the chosen one, we get to destroy humans and be blessed with alien-hood. I see the master movie-maker backtracked a bit calling it an environmental / ecological message—in essence a "reverse-psychology" plot. "Lets go to another world and see what not to do to our own one," so the thinking goes? Or maybe the guy just hates humans, facing the scrutiny of the public with the most commercially successful films, maybe that will do it to you. Theories aside, its an organic Matrix story. Instead of a fake computer world, its an alien one on another planet, instead of superman bodies that can stop bullets, its large blue aliens that are strangely similar to Native Americans. Instead of the Oracle, its a giant tree, the chosen one and so on...perhaps the Wachowski bros should be added to the writing credits. Throw in some "Aliens" material with the bad-ass space marines, how about some "King Kong" T-rex scene inspired footage . But, then again, its just entertainment isn't it? Yes, which is why its probably forgotten after the industry cycles out a few more visual epics along the same budget lines. Maybe the flaw is expecting an inspiring "Star Wars" type human struggle story. James, I'm still disappointed that what materialized is an old kid playing war games with big cool machines. But then again, these are convoluted times and maybe it fits the bill.