Gorgeous and 100% otherworldly--but the story is a bit simplistic in some ways.

Rating: 9/10 (21 November 2010)

As of today, there are 2675 reviews for "Avatar"--many of them excellent and by reviewers I respect and enjoy. Because this film has been reviewed so many times and I am so late in seeing it, I will make review VERY quick, as there isn't a whole lot more I can say that hasn't already been said.
Although I have almost 10000 reviews to my credit (making me a real nut-case!), I rarely ever see blockbuster films. Heck, I've never seen "Jurassic Park" and I mostly only go to theaters to see movies my daughters want to see or the Oscar-nominated shorts that are shown each winter. So the fact that I never saw "Avatar" in the theaters isn't very surprising. Any why, then, did I see the film? Well, Netflix (or more likely the Post Office) made a mistake!! I was supposed to watch an Ealing Studios comedy (just the sort of thing a film snob would adore) but the package was ripped open--and "Avatar" was inside! While I should have seen it in 3-D on a huge screen, I fortunately at least saw it on a 58" TV---the best I could hope for instead of the theater. In fact, I would say that if you only have a small TV, don't even bother as the graphics are the big reason to see the film--not the story. Additionally, James Cameron achieved something never achieved before (and hopefully which can now be achieved again thanks to CGI)--he's made sci-fi no longer the realm of humans or human-like beings. So much of the world in this film is 100% alien--something common in books but NEVER on TV or in films. Because of these factors, the film MUST be seen--even if the story, unfortunately, is a bit simplistic with its 'people are stupid and lack TRUE insight' plot. I would have liked the aliens teaching the humans much (like they did in the film) but less of the 'noble savage' idea that people have nothing to offer in exchange. While I do agree people are sometimes stupid, it just seemed a bit too black & white in its thinking and, as a result, lacks depth when it comes to the otherwise fascinating story. For example, the boss-man in charge of the operation comes off as a walking stereotype--like G.I. Joe on steroids and not a real person.
Excellent...but flawed. Next time (and the director has announced there will be at least two follow-up films), I sure hope they spend some more of the one hundred bazillion dollar budget on better writing--as the characters were too often one-dimensional and the macho fight at the end just seemed...well...stupid and clichéd. More well-rounded and real and I would have given this film a 10--perhaps the next ones will earn this distinction.