A good movie made better by the 3D format

Rating: 8/10 (16 February 2010)

There have been a number of paradigm shifts in the history of cinema. Dubbing gave us sound to replace a honky-tonk piano and quote cards, then the revolution that was colour completely changed the viewing experience...and now we're in the third shift from two dimensions to three.
Avatar in 3D is a visual delight and you can immerse yourself in the rendered world, relishing the detail and perspective (provided you focus where the camera has focused, otherwise that blurry object in the foreground remains a blur).
If we strip away the 3D and look at it in 2D, what we find is something that looks very much like a Pixar animation with some live action sequences threaded in here and there. As for the plot, the fundamentals are a well-worn story (as many have said, think "Pocahontas" in a SciFi/Fantasy setting).
In the final analysis, what we have is an enjoyable, comfortable movie that is certainly very good...but not great. Just as the first "talkies" or colour movies would have enjoyed a lift from the new cinematic technology at the time, so it is for Avatar.