Hardly the "masterpiece" that everyone makes it out to be

Rating: 2/10 (1 March 2010)

Well, well. I wasn't intending to post a review, but the sheer volume of gushingly positive reviews has made me concerned.
If anyone has watched ANY of James Cameron's seminal flicks - by that I mean "Aliens," "The Terminator", "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and yes, "Titanic" - they would conclude that "Avatar" is but a visual feast and nothing more. In fact, for a Cameron-directed movie, it is hugely disappointing: The plot is clichéd, the themes are corny, the ending is a foregone conclusion that you could feel looming up way before the movie ended; AND the characters are flat and boring.
In short, this movie is visually stunning, but hugely devoid of heart - the salient feature of Cameron movies - just check out the examples listed above. I left the theater wondering if I should have paid for the 3D experience (the 3D effects were not all that apparent) and felt no different than before I had watched the movie. In short, it was a pretty much "so what?" kind of movie that doesn't leave you affected. Note to Cameron: Dude, it's fine to invest in the effects - but please don't forget about plot/characters/heart.
I swear, if this singularly unspectacular film wins the "Best Picture" at the Oscars, I am boycotting the Oscars FOREVER. Period. Go Bigelow!!!