12 Years Doesn't Slow Cameron Down

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2009)

Just came back from it.
If you guys are gonna see it, do not go to the dollar cinema. Unless that dollar cinema has 3D IMAX equipped and ready to go, you'll only get nearly half the experience. The movie itself is good, very good even if you put aside the fact Dances with Wolves did it before (maybe better, I dunno, I haven't seen that movie myself). Its a classic nature vs. technology story. The opening is completely amazing and the ending is jawdropping. And the great thing about it is the special effects are not the star of the show. Nay, they...and get this....actually enhance the story and characters. Get that, eh? That's exactly what I and many other people complain about when it comes to these effects driven movies. And Cameron apparently answered that calling.
There are a couple of moments that are truly amazing, but other than that it's nothing groundbreaking (apart from the technology I guess). Its just a really entertaining movie. The only things that keep me from giving it even a 9 (and it was pretty close) were a few slow moments, some cheesy dialogue, and very derivative almost uninspired looking creature designs. That aside the characters get better as the movie goes along, Cameron is pretty much still the king of the action genre cause a lot of the battle scenes were fantastic, the story gets more involving even if it is predictable (and admittedly, feeling a tad rushed), and in the end it felt satisfying. Yea I paid $13.00 but it was $13.00 well spent. Movies to me are about the experience, not really how unpredictable the story can be or witty the dialogue is, and it succeeded I think.
The 3D, even in IMAX, I have to say is breathtaking. I actually felt like I was in the world. Most other 3D movies I went to felt like a really cheap pop up book. Not here. They made specific objects pop-out and set them up really carefully to actually give a 3D illusion. It helps immerse you into the entire thing, which is why I want to watch it again without all the fancy stuff. But even if that tech wasn't there, I think it would've been a great movie anyway. And I had a pretty bad seat too. I'm thinking of going back in there, sit in the best seat an hour ahead of time (it was filling up 45 minutes prior when I got there), and see it again to get the best possible experience out of it.
8.8/10
PS: As a side note, i'm gonna give my personal top 4 SCI-FI films for 2009:
1. D9 (9.2/10) 2. Star Trek (9/10) 3. Avatar (8.8/10) 4. Moon (7.5/10)