Tears in the rain

Rating: 6/10 (9 December 2010)

There is a fundamental error in Avatar, which director James Cameron refused to see when making the movie. The world of Pandora is brilliant and original indeed, but in no way does it justify alone an almost three hour movie. True art in cinema is rare and it combines a multitude of components such as storyline, character development, mise en scene, music score etc. Cameron focuses 100% in the technical part of the film-which is undoubtedly excellent and innovative-and deliberately neglects everything else. If one accepts that Avatar is a sci-fi adventure with no brains whatsoever, then he will have a great time watching it, but if one enters the world of Pandora with expectations of anything more than that, then he will be very disappointed. No problem here, except we are talking about Cameron, director of The Abyss and Titanic. Those movies had the technical brilliance of their age, but in the same time had everything else. Who can forget Mary Elisabeth Mastrantonio calling for Ed Harris on the walkie as he descents in the dark depths of the ocean or Kate Winslet whispering in the cold and endless waters as she gazes Leonardo Di Caprio vanishing in the dark beneath her, while, just feet away, the titanic makes its final voyage to oblivion. Even when Arnold Schwarzeneger gives his mechanical life to save Eduard Furlog and Linda Hamilton. All these are moments that defined a filmic genre and an age of cinema. Unfortunately, in ten years time, we will still remember these moments, while all of Avatar will be lost...like tears in the rain...