Wonderful looking movie, that doesn't live up to the looks in any other department.

Rating: 7/10 (2 January 2010)

James Cameron is known for taking us to new worlds and places with his films, and this one is no different. In fact, Avatar might be his most visually appealing film, and for this aspect of the film, this movie is a complete success. Undoubtedly this movie will win the Academy Award for special effects, and it deserves this hand down, but this is not Cameron's best picture. This is a cool looking film full of many cardboard characters, clichés, and predictability. Not to say this movie's only positive aspect is the visuals, it's actually very entertaining and is overall a good movie, but in no way is this a cinematic masterpiece.
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is a paraplegic ex-marine who is taking his deceased twin brother's place in a scientific/military experiment on a moon of Pandora. Using the DNA of himself and a native creature of the land, the N'avi, an avatar of himself as a N'avi is made which he can control through a machine. From controlling this creature he will learn the N'avi's home in the forest in order to figure out where a rare element, Unobtanium, is in their forest. Of course he soon becomes attached to the N'avi over the humans, and chaos ensues.
I can see how this movie can be called revolutionary. The special effects are the best I've ever seen on characters. The creatures and the planet and everything character and design wise is very imaginative. The planet's inhabitants are quite a visual treat, and that's really the main thing this movie has to boast.
This movie can't be called original, as the plot is completely recycled from many other films. If you've seen the Disney cartoon Pocohantas, than you already know the plot to this one. Not to say that it ruins the film that this is very similar to Pocohantas, Ferngully or dozens of other movies, it just adds a level of predictability to the story. In addition to the story, the dialogue in this movie is quite boring. Most action films have at least a little bit of humor, but this has so close to none it's ridiculous. Sigourney Weaver is mildly comedic when she's mean to Jake, and he's mildly comedic in his fish out of water routine, but there is no clever or funny dialogue in this.
Overall, this movie has it's flaws, but it is an entertaining and great looking film. The problem is the plot and dialogue play second to the visuals which is what I'm assuming is drawing in these huge crowds, that and James Cameron's name. Definitely not Cameron's best, but it proves again how he can create new lands and places that can still wow an audience.
My rating *** out of ****. 162 mins. PG-13 for violence, sensuality and some language.