Visually spectacular, marred by gaping plot holes and awful characters

Rating: 7/10 (20 December 2009)

This is a truly spectacular movie to look at, but it is not a spectacular movie. While you are never convinced the CG characters are "real" (opposed to, say, Benjamin Button), the forest and its unusual foliage is beautifully done and the sweeping shots of the alien planet are gorgeous. The 3D is largely treated well, particularly in the aforementioned fly-throughs, but there are plenty of gimmicky "look, Ma I'm in 3d!" shots that I thought we would be past by now - when they occur you are jolted totally out of immersion. Golf ball, I'm looking at you.
That aside, the plot is totally by the book. The characters and their interactions are shallow and predictable, and bring to mind the ridiculously cliché Doom movie. The actors know it too - their performances are stilted, unbelievable and self-aware. In particular Sigourney Weaver's character is god-awful. This all lead to the impact of the major events being strictly audiovisual, not emotional. Add one of the WORST "call to arms" speeches I have ever seen, and a scene uncomfortably like animal rape, and I left wondering whether "Aliens" was as good as I remember.
This stuff I guess can be ignored, not everybody needs realistic characters. What really annoyed me were the array of small but noticeable plot holes and inconsistencies. Minor, but enough of them that I became more and more annoyed as the film progressed.
Go see it for the 3D scenery and sweet tech, but don't bother bringing tissues (or your cognitive abilities, for that matter).