One of the finest films ever made

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2010)

Surprise, surprise. Another user posting a review about how much they love 'Avatar'. I do love this film, though. I've seen it five times already (three in theatres, and two at home) and it keeps getting better every time I watch it.
But, rather than add another generic review about why this movie is so incredible, I'd like to comment on something that's been bothering me. I've noticed a recurring complaint about this film from critics and users of this site alike. This is the so-called "visually stunning, but weak story" complaint. I really couldn't disagree more. I see lots of ten star reviews for Avatar, praising the film's visuals, but calling the story simple and weak. In my mind, a good story is the single most important component to making a good film, and Avatar's story is superb. How can anyone praise a movie so highly for its visuals alone, while bashing the story? I'll agree that the story isn't original. It's nothing that we haven't seen before in other films like "Dances with Wolves" or "Pocahontas", but who cares? James Cameron took a familiar tale and put his own unique spin on it, and dozens of directors before him have done the same. Cliché it may be, but weak? Hardly. I think these complaints are totally unwarranted, and come from people that are being overly critical and nit-picky of a great film.
To be honest, the first time I watched 'Avatar' it was not the visuals that blew me away, but rather the story. Avatar has everything that I could ever want in a movie - a solid plot, great characters, thrilling action, a touching romance, emotional drama, and of course spectacular visuals. However, the first time I saw Avatar, the CG didn't blow me away any more than say, The Lord of the Rings. It took me multiple viewings before I really appreciated the stunning level of detail in the computer-generated effects. But the visuals only serve to reinforce an epic tale. This film moved me in a way that few films have in my entire life. I was enthralled from start to finish, and even now I can't wait to watch it again.
I consider myself a film buff. I've watched hundreds of movies both good and bad, classic and not so classic, and I can tell you that I've seen plenty of movies with "weak" stories, but Avatar is definitely not one of them. Those that say it is are just jumping on the "whiners bandwagon".
Do yourself a favour and go see one of the greatest epic films ever made. I don't know about anyone else, but when Avatar is re-released in August I'll be one of the first in line, ready to take another trip to Pandora.