The very definition of style over substance

Rating: 4/10 (9 August 2014)

James Cameron, whether you like him or not, certainly knows how to make a big blockbuster and fill it with dazzling visuals and epic thrills. The Terminator and its sequel are 2 of the best science fiction films ever made, while Titanic, despite receiving what might be the biggest backlash of all time, is also a very good movie. Avatar? Not so much. This tale of a human using an avatar to live among an alien race and learn about them has by the sound of it already been done by Disney and Kevin Costner. This is a groundbreaking special effects spectacle, but not much more than that.
It's a bit depressing this is the highest grossing movie of all time. There are good reasons why this one's reputation has gone down in recent years. The plot is formulaic but interesting, and the special effects are amazing to look at but the film has a lot of flaws. I don't hate Avatar, but I don't like it much. I get the impression people turned on it after a second viewing. I didn't like it the first time. I watched it again recently and my rating remained the same. It's the most overrated science fiction film of all time in my opinion, and definitely one of the weaker billion dollar movies.
In terms of positives, the main thing about this are the visuals. The visual effects are brilliant, and while it can look artificial it still pulls you in. The film is stunning to look at, and most of the acting is pretty good. The standout performance is Zoe Saldana, who's excellent performance as one of the aliens didn't get as much attention as it should have. The film has some interesting themes, which are wasted in favour of visuals but the inclusion of a more drama filled story is appreciated. The scene when the home of the Na'vi is destroyed is genuinely affecting, and there are some good bits.
Aside from that, Avatar is all style and almost no substance. Avatar barely feels like a movie. It feels more like James Cameron showing off how good he is at VFX with a vague story thrown in reluctantly. The screenplay is bland and lacking in emotion, while the thought provoking themes are wasted. James Cameron isn't even at full directional power, as every shot goes out of its way to show some scenery and this means some of the action scenes lose tension. Avatar is a work of art and like most modern art, it's weak, soulless and lacking in meaning. I also sure he could have coped with shortening it a bit, as 160 minutes is totally overlong. Don't even get me started on Sam Worthington.
Overall, Avatar is a remarkably average film that was hyped to absurd levels and it's utterly outrageous that while The Dark Knight wasn't nominated for best picture, this was. It's a hollow and aside from the effects generic movie and not something many would want to watch more than once (Unfortunately I have). Not a terrible movie, but a huge disappointment and certainly not Cameron at his best.