Popcorn

Rating: Null/10 (9 February 2010)

This review may contain spoilers* I have been all but outcasted by my friends for sneering at this movie , but this is quite simply a disappointment. First , the positives.
The visuals. I don't believe i have ever witnessed a better display of visual prowess as shown here , because of the action scenes and the visual festival of colors and hues , of wonderous creatures and beautiful , grand scale panoramas , absolutely stunning to the senses and invigorating. To date , this is the most visually interesting and incredible experience available to a movie going audience.
The negatives : Even though the film is in 3d , the average lenght of a cut is about three seconds , which means that just when you are about to feel yourself inside the scenery and look around, the editor cuts away to something else at a rate that made my eyes hurt. The 3d itself was interesting but in my opinion it wasn't used to it's full potential , because i think i would have just as much fun watching it in 2d.
The main actor needs to be arrested , because he commits the cardinal sin in acting. He doesn't try. Even a bad actor can be forgiven if he at least tries , but this tool does not even put a minimal effort to draw you into the story , and as result of his ineptness , the potentially dramatic plot points and events seemed melodramatic and absurd. The girl playing opposite him however was sublime. I have no idea how this moron got through casting and what kind of hard drugs were the casting directors smoking. I can only imagine what it would have been if somebody like Brando had this role , or even DiCaprio , who even though still has a lot to learn about acting , at least tries. For Christ's sakes at least get Shia Lebeouf , he tries hard.
The humor. Clichéd and spike TV audience oriented , it falls flat. Not only does the main character's dialogue and overall attitude is ripped off from that idiot from StarTrek , but he's not even funny. There were some cute moments , one or two laugh out loud spots , but overall , not funny.
The action scenes , though amazing , happen for no reason , particularly at the beginning. Only at the end is there an actual reason for the action , despite the director's obvious infatuation with 3d violence. James Cameron does not know how to cast his movies. He , just like Lucas and Peter Jackson is only interested in the visual feist which , while wonderful , does render the rest of the film a little weak.
The best way i can describe Avatar is "popcorn". It's an empty, air filled container and at times , absurd and clichéd , as original and innovative as some of the visuals may be. It could have been a truly epic film if the main actor could draw you into what happens ,so you would care more about the contrived love story. The only great aspect of the story is that the humans are the evil ones and we are actually rooting for the aliens. Apart from that, this movie is simply , not that impressive , because as far as the visuals go , i have already seen something similar to what Avatar offers - in Peter Jackson's King Kong - a movie just as ridiculous as this .
7.9/10