Inventive detailing with (maybe a bit too much of) an Anti-War-Message

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2009)

I sat through these nearly three hours of Avatar and I have to admit I really liked it. I didn't want to see that movie, because I'm a bit disappointed by American cinema lately, but my brother was psyched, so I joined him.
At first: We saw that movie in 3d, but I doubt this feature adding something special to the experience of the movie. However there were some scenes worth watching in 3d, but I could really have spared the expense without missing anything.
And that's due to the fact that there was so much to see in that movie, that you forget about 3d really soon and concentrate on the beautiful work of the landscape design artists. There are so many ideas being realized in that Pandora nature. So many details that create the feel of a complete world rather than what you see elsewhere, when they have some pretty ideas, but use magic plot holes to bypass the logical flaws.
Avatar takes its time to tell its story. That means you have to watch it really long. I mean if someone tells you a really good story, you can listen to it for three hours, but of course: This is a long time. Sure this time is never wasted, but tends to address different 'moods': Sometimes it's extensive action, sometimes it's just visual entertainment ('watching the beauty of Pandora'), sometimes revealing emotions etc.
The story itself I consider to be an Anti-War-Statement. And it's the best I have seen in American cinema until now. Saving Privat Ryan was good to show that war is on your own expense too. But Avatar concentrates on the question: "Does, just because you have a gun, mean you're right?" or alternatively "Is your way of living the only one worth trying?". Of course this is a bit of a cliché and the bad guy in the movie is a really bad ass bastard, so if you side with the natives you'll really love to see his payoff. And that's somehow exploited I think.
Overall Pandora is my favorite movie in the categories: Anti-War-Movie and Oh-My-God-3-Hours-Movie.
Watch it if you have enough steadiness, if you can stand more than the one 'mood' that is action and if you're not offended by an offensive Anti-War-Statement.