Avatar: A visual stunner, but not much else...

Rating: 6/10 (23 January 2010)

Avatar is, undoubtedly, a stunning visual achievement. With the majority of the film consisting of CGI, it's impossible to ignore the milestone it presents in terms of visual effects. The 3-D is seamless and the landscape of Pandora is simply breathtaking.
However, I have never been the type of moviegoer who loves a film simply for its visuals. There needs to be other aspects, such as character, dialogue, plot, etc., that grab hold of me and completely immerse me into the cinematic experience. For me, Avatar was lacking in these areas to such an extent that I left the theatre feeling rather underwhelmed. The plot was completely unoriginal, and strongly resembled the plots of animated films like Fern Gully and Disney's Pocahontas. This in itself wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Many filmmakers can recycle stories and make them fresh through the use of intriguing characters and dialogue. However, James Cameron fails to do so. All of the characters, with the possible exception of Neytiri, are two-dimensional archetypes. The military, in particular, are portrayed in such a negative and stereotypical fashion that it offends the audience's intelligence. While I agree with the anti-war message that Avatar supports, I believe that it could have been handled in a way that put the blame on governments and their leaders. The military does not simply consist of bloodthirsty, immoral individuals and people need to realize the complex role that it plays.
Due to Cameron's black and white depiction of issues and characters, I found it extremely difficult to accept this film as a masterpiece. Visually, yes, but as a whole, it misses the mark. If you're looking for a film that uses science fiction as a means of exploring social issues in a compelling way, I suggest you watch the superb District 9 instead. 6/10