Watching Avatar in 3D was like stepping into the future

Rating: 10/10 (2 September 2012)

Avatar was the best film experience I have had in a theater. I am a huge film buff, and would not ordinarily find myself shortlisting a big budget Hollywood film for such a distinction, but for this I am making an exception. The film is not perfect, faltering in areas of writing and some acting, but as a cinematic experience it will remain unparalleled for years to come.
The innovation in technology, particularly the RealD experience, was instrumental to the films power (I watched it in all three 3D systems - Dolby, IMAX and RealD - and found RealD to be the cleanest, least blurry, brightest and most immersive version of the film). A lot of this was nothing new - 3D had been employed successfully earlier that year with Pixar's 'Up' - and yet there is a sense when watching Avatar that you are watching the birth of a new kind of cinema.
Part of this is how the technology is used in aid to the storytelling - instead of using 3D in gimmicky ways, Cameron uses it to subtly immerse us into the third dimension. Experiencing this transition from half an hour of monochromatic, nearly flat imagery into the world of Pandora is like falling asleep in this world to wake up in the middle of one of your most fantastic and memorable dreams. Yes, it is that powerful.
Aside from this, there is very little I can say. If you missed seeing this in the theater, in 3D - you've missed the boat. I would never dare to rent this film or watch is on a smaller screen. And I would recommend to somebody who hasn't seen it - to wait until they re-release Avatar in theaters, even if it's ten years from now, it was designed to be seen in 3D - on a big screen- and that is how it should be experienced. Like a ride at an amusement park - pay the ticket and see it for REAL.