Slick visuals, familiar plot theme

Rating: 7/10 (6 September 2010)

Avatar has a lot of positive elements; perhaps not quite what you might expect from the biggest money-maker of all time, but a pretty good way to spend time on nevertheless. The special effects are extraordinary; augmented with a very concise conceptual utilization of 3-D. The action sequences are stunning and effective, while the landscape cinematography is an achievement in imagination and construction. No stone was unturned, in graphic designs of a forest world environment that comes alive and breathes vivid reality. Acting is at par, and all aspects of the production team did their job well.
Many movies "influenced" this film: Dances With Wolves and Pocahontas are the most obvious, certainly in terms of theme. All that's different is that the Europeans and Native Americans are respectively now greedy astronaut terra-formers and the indigenous life form on the planet they covet. The "previously owned" story line is unfortunately too brazen, and resembles soap-box preaching. Worn ideas culled from other movies and woefully over-wrought stereotypes rule the day, until the soap-box is crushed by the excess weight.
The idea of out of body experience, or even having your essence temporarily inhabit an artificial host body is nothing new, either. However, this movie does give the premise a nice spin, and certainly utilizes it well. Opposing forces want to use this technology for good, others for evil, and along the way one of the "Dreamers" learns the nature-worship ways of his wary neighbors. The native religion is the fulcrum of the story, but it's overused. Worst is the absurdly exaggerated vicious bigot military commander. Such a cliché is very backward for a movie like this.
Still, the movie has its merits. It's a visually artistic masterpiece, and everyone should see it. The familiar plot line doesn't hurt its entertainment value, and it earnestly approaches this story line with the best of intentions; most of which are realized.