Better as a documentary of Pandora

Rating: 2/10 (19 December 2010)

For all the time and effort spent on this film, in the end Cameron blew it. Yes the graphics are nice, and the planet intriguing. Which is why Cameron should have concentrated on those features. The 'plot' of mineral mining and the silly battle at the end does nothing to promote what this film is really about, Pandora and its wildlife. Cameron could have simplified matters and made a much better film by simply concentrating on Pandora's wildlife and the daily lives and rituals of the tribes (why so many factions, after all). He could have narrated the film himself. He could have saved time and effort better spent on deepening and fleshing out his creation. Forget the actors/characters which are ultimately forgettable, forget the whole 'avatar/spy' scenario, forget the corporate mining diatribe, forget the environmental silliness. But keep the training sequence of the newly initiated. That was fun. And the love story. Derivative but cute. Really, just show us what you've spent 10 years creating. A documentary approach would have been better, more cohesive, cogent, fulfilling, enriching, intriguing and ultimately more honest.