Classic "first release shock"

Rating: 10/10 (14 September 2016)

As a prolific reviewer here, I have on many occasions encountered what I call "first release shock." Essentially a film so off-the-beaten-path, so unique, so different that, instead of appreciating it for what it is, initial viewers go into a sort of shock and become numb to what they are watching.
This film is the poster child for that syndrome. On its own, it is one of the most daring, best written, best acted, best SFX'd, films of all time. It comes from a man (Cameron) who is known for blockbusters, but this is easily his greatest work.
This film should rate a perfect score regardless of the rating system. But as explained above initial viewers did not know what to make of it. And the cost of the film became an issue for the studio when the numbers failed to meet expectations.
It is not the job of the reviewer to worry about studio receipts. The job of the reviewer is identify brilliance and recommend it. See it six or seven times, it just gets better. One of the greatest films of all time and also timeless.