Why the story is bad

Rating: 3/10 (28 February 2012)

I still can't believe that so many people like Avatar. The best that can be said is that once again James Cameron has pushed the technical boundaries as much as he can. But often his technical brilliance is on the level of brilliant computer programming. The scene with the big birds which they have to ride and tame - a very silly scene and a bugger nature scene which rejoices in enslaving the birds - is exactly what I would expect to see on my xBox. Compare that with an action scene in Lawrence of Arabia and you will understand just how poor that scene is. That awful woman with the blue face. Oh sorry, Neytiri, who so loves being angry. She has only just met Jake Sully, and wants to get upset. Oh and the rituals you have to go through. These people are in touch with nature? Which means they live in the equivalent of tents. And that's a good thing? Doesn't stop them enslaving large angry birds for their own deviant pleasure. Surely a cup of tea and an Aston Martin is more enjoyable. And their God. Sorry, I mean the forest which watches over everything and is very very wise. Ugh! God rules once again. Amazing. Travel light years to a different planet and you still have to prostrate yourself to some nosy entity. The big bad corporation looms again. Where do people think our wealth and comfy houses comes from. If we like nature that much let's go back to living in the forest and hunting for our food each day. Because that's what nature is. And what happens when you spend all your time hunting? You have no time to do anything else. No time to build or invent..... or think. If anything, the Corporation should be applauded for its engineering ability and using that expertise to increase the wealth of its employees and for paying taxes and the distribution of wealth that paying taxes means. The Sigourney Weaver character. We know she's tough – she smokes. And how much she cares. We know she cares because she tells us she cares. And why did they invite her anyway? And why does her opinion count? I enjoyed a lot of Avatar and there were moments I thought I was watching a great film. But overall it's a simplistic story made by a digital 3D evangelist whose real master piece is, of course, Aliens.