Breathtaking effects and action sequences; so-so story

Rating: 7/10 (31 December 2009)

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. Watched it at IMAX and was blown away by the amazing audio and visual effects. The action sequences and camera work were among the best I've ever seen. I have little doubt this'll run away with just about all awards. The other contenders might as well stay home.
That said, I found the storyline to be somewhat unoriginal (namely at least a couple of Japanese animated movies) and predictable. I also found that despite the length of the film, a lot of important details seem to be missing, such as the exact motivation for invading the planet (what exactly makes Unobtainium so valuable, anyway?).
I also did not care for Sam Worthington as the lead character, particularly since his American accent leaves much to be desired, and I found his live-action acting to be a bit numb compared with the expressiveness of his Avatar.
Worst of all, I found the ending to be somewhat abrupt compared with the amount of time spent on less important elements (oh, and did I say predictable?); practically begs for a sequel (which I wouldn't necessarily mind as long as it's written better and fills in more details).
I gave it a 7 because it truly is ground-breaking cinema despite its flaws.