The story isn't really that recycled...

Rating: 8/10 (21 December 2009)

To get it out of the way, yes, visually amazing. In my opinion one of the most visually accomplished films ever, and one of the most beautiful instances of any art form I've ever seen.
As for the story, its getting some flack for being recycled. People want to claim its just a retelling of Dances with Wolves, and on the surface, it may appear that way. But on closer look, there is a lot more going on there. For one thing, look at how Jake Sully first experiences his Avatar. It is a complete escape from his life, because he's not confined to a chair, he's free to do anything. This for me was what made the movie emotionally compelling to a degree that I don't feel it's getting enough credit. Add to that the proposition of getting his legs back if he just plays along, and then suddenly he realizes he can be just as free on Earth as he is on Pandora. But now of course he loves the people, their planet, their way of life.
I think Avatar was perfect on virtually every level. Was it the most intellectual film I've ever seen, no, but it was intellectual as it could have been without becoming preachy. I normally hate CG movies, and I feel the direction movies have been going has caused them to become more of a spectacle than what they should be: stories. Cameron however is a story teller, and here, he's told me a story I'd put on par with anything I've ever heard.