The Imaginarium of James Cameron

Rating: 7/10 (4 January 2010)

First, some technical things.
Having just returned from the cinema, watching a 3D movie for the first time, I still have to digest the unbelievably rich visual impressions. I long pondered whether to see it in German or in English – with German subtitles. As a fan of the English-language originals, "The Two Towers" is the last film I've seen in German synchronization before "Avatar". Nothing beats the real voices of the actors.
And there lies a dilemma: Subtitles just don't work in 3D movies. Subtitles in 3D films happen to float in space, in front of the actors, of the scenery. It looks kind of strange. How will my taste of movies develop if more and more films are to be released in 3D? Now about my opinion: The story was quite thin. Just too much remembers me of other films – the reconciliation of men with nature can be found in "Princess Mononoke", for example. The renegade Marine helping the aboriginals remembered of "The Last Samurai". And the "Avatar" topic itself is borrowed from "Total Recall" – a bit far-fetched, I admit.
The role of Col. Quaritch was the most believable, I think. Strange? No, because Jake and Neytiri look so outlandish. They really don't play in the same category. Because I knew beforehand that Jake will fall in love with Neytiri and that they will fight together for all the living creatures of Pandora, they did not have to be such "remarkable" characters compared to Col. Quaritch. Yes, despite their blue color.
As a biologist by training, I was flabbergasted by the portrayal of the flowers, trees, insects and larger animals... you see an insect. Yes, it looks like an insect – because I've seen such one in a book on phasmids. No! Then you see that the creature has feet like a gecko. And when it flies away like a helicopter, you think... "Wow!". The creators painstakingly crafted the creatures of Pandora. As a biologist, I could often tell which body or plant parts were taken from which real plants or animals.
For the visual effects, 9 stars. For the story, 5.