I finally saw Avatar in 3D

[spinbaby]

It wasn't the greatest. For one thing, I discovered that 3D gives me motion sickness, so I watched good bits of the movie with my eyes closed. And I kept getting glimpses of other movies. Hey, wasn't that scene in Dances with Wolves? Was that gismo in Star Wars? Definite Braveheart speech there.

[ThomCat]

1. The only thing Avatar had going for it was the graphics. (Spoilers)

There was nothing original in the story.

There was nothing deep or developed in the characters. Sigourney Weaver (Grace) was the only one who obviously tried to develop her character, but she didn't have very much to work with.

There were some Huge holes in the story.

1. The Na'vi entire culture is so simple that he can learn it and be accepted as a member of it in 3 months? Really? Could you really imagine going to any other culture on earth and mastering that culture in 3 months, so well that the locals accept you as one of their own? He doesn't even speak their language yet! Try gong to Israel and becoming a Orthodox Jew in 3 months, or an Inuit in Alaska, or go to a reservation and ask one of the remaining indigenous peoples here in the US what they think about becoming one of them in 3 months.

And remember, Jake didn't speak the Na'vi language except for a few passing phrases, so he supposedly mastered their culture without mastering all the parts of their culture that are encoded in their language and their use of language.

2. With the sky people walking around everywhere with weapons, and the Na'vi clearly not trusting them, all the time these sky people have been on their planet the Na'vi haven't made any observations or plans in case of hostilities? They were completely unprepared?

3. After one battle these mighty warriors have completely given up? They went completely passive? Really?

4. After the battle they can't rally themselves? It takes the strangers? The one they hated for betraying them? And the fact that he has mastered the powerful bird erases the betrayal of letting them be attacked without warning?

5. And somehow he is able to master this bird and survive, when nobody in generations has been able to do it. And he doesn't have a single wound on him, so it apparently wasn't that difficult. So how is it that nobody ever though of the simple idea of attacking it from above when they all fight in the air where you always try to attack from above?

6. And just like that, they trust him again and welcome him back, even though he betrayed them? All is forgiven? Because he was strong enough or lucky enough to control the bird?

7. Their sacred tree didn't know about the threat until he told it, even though all those people who knew about the threat had died and gone into the tree? Even though Grace was now in the tree and she certainly knew the scope of the threat? And the Na'vi that were still alive never thought to talk to the tree? Not even their spiritual leader? They need to have Jake tell the tree about the threat so that he's the hero who convinced the world to fight back? It would have made a lot more sense for anyone other than Jake to do this.

The entire movie was convenient plot devices. "This will happen even if it makes no sense because Jake needs to succeed and it conveniently makes the story move along."

It was visually stunning. The world is beautiful, and it is compelling. But the story they told In That World was formulaic, racist, and very incredibly poorly told.

[spinbaby]

2. They do let you know what you're in for right up front

when they reveal they're after "unobtanium." Dumber name I've never heard.

[ThomCat]

5. Very true.

They definitely let you know at that moment that they didn't put much thought into the story.

[DainBramaged]

3. Is it shown only in 3D?

Blind in one eye so 3D is lost on me.

[Lorien]

4. No, it plays at convential theaters too. nt

[DainBramaged]

6. (big smile) Now I will go (along with Eli, Daybreakers)