3 words: Repetitive Eyestrain Injury

Rating: 1/10 (1 January 2010)

Synopsis-An Alien planet is under attack by a human corporation who want some resource (no specifics as to why), located in the alien's home land and who are reluctant to move from their natural and mystical habitat so the corporation send a marine in alien form (avatar mode), to reason with the aliens only for the marine to conform with their way of life and join the resistance. You probably know what happens as it's a predictable plot with a ton of cliché's.
Visuals- Complete and utter pain for your eyes. The 3d glasses makes the screen seem darker and so loses the sharpness of picture and what's worse, gives you a headache because your eyes just can't take the strain, anyway the 3d effects aren't all that impressive. Without the glasses, the graphics are astonishing but because it's intended to be 3d, there is a noticeable blur that is very noticeable.
Plot- This is where even a multi million pound budget cannot save a film. The film seems to be split into 2: Avatar mode and Human form. The film switches between the 2 and this is bad because human form is boring and drags the film. Every time there is a high in Avatar mode such as riding dragons; it is killed by the exiting of Avatar form to the tedious human form.
The film just doesn't have any substance. If you took away the graphics, then you are left with a very predictable plot (Wall-E?). You know it's inevitable that their will be romance, that the undercover marine will turn sides, that there will be some cheesy deaths to add motive etc. The dialogue would make the pope weep (line from American Movie) the worse easily being "you're not the only one with guns bitch"...(shudders). There are also parts of the films where only average movies or poor movies would get away with such disbelief i.e. being able to escape from an army base so ridiculously easily.
Overall the film is eye candy if your eyes can take the strain but the plot is an equal let down that offers nothing new and is another piece of clutter in the top 250 along with Requiem For A Dream.