Avatar: The Non-Airbender

[Blisk]

Haven't seen this yet even though Avatar is such a huge movie. (at least where I live.)

So, how'd you guys like the movie? I myself thought it was pretty awesome. I loved the effects. I saw it in 3-D. I really like how they did the 3-D. Instead of like a lot of the most recent movies, they didn't try ramming the fact that it's 3-D down your throat. Instead, they used it to compliment certain aspects of the movie. (For example, the holograms.) The action sequences were great and they did a good job on the effects.

So basically, how'd you like the movie and how many times have you seen it? People I know have seen it several times so I decided to turn this into a poll instead. Even if I've only seen it once. xD I wanna see it again though.

 

[Xatu]

I Like how you conveniently left off 0 as an option. Not that I have anything against the movie, but I've heard a lot of conflicting reviews from friends, and I'm really trying to decide if it's worth the $14 to go see a 3-D movie. (The theatre near me isn't offering a non 3-D showing.)

Really, I'd just like to hear more of what you guys think, so I can figure out if it's worth my money.

 

[Blisk]

I actually completely didn't think of that. I'm changing that so you can vote. *feels stupid*

 

[Tatile]

It seems like the film in its entirety was shot in 3D so that it was barely noticable; of course the action may have been clearer and the environment given more 'depth' but it seemed more of a waste of money than anything necessary.

Besides that, you could 'watch' Avatar just by picking up either Ferngully or Pocahontas (spelling?), it's the same thing.

It's pretty, that's all it really is. Sure there are some interesting ideas proposed about how another planet and its inhabitants would work, but they're fairly brushed over as this isn't a science expidition, it's a case of capitalism gone mad(der). It barely works as a warning about rampaging business either as they mercenary army gets obliterated by longbowmen on hang-gliders.

Go and see it, I'd say, but don't ask too many questions.

 

[Magpie]

I went to see it on Christmas Eve and I really enjoyed it ^^

I've only seen it once, and only in good old regular 2D. While I've never seen anything in 3D at the cinema, I have watched a couple of things in 3D and it made me terribly motion sick. Thus, a long film like Avatar really isn't the film to give 3D cinema a whirl. The effects were still brilliant though.

It does follow the usual 'Cowboys vs Indians' storyline, but as someone who really enjoys those moves (Dances with wolves

 

[StellarWind Elsydeon]

Avatar is amazing.

Eff!ing. Amazing.

That is all.

I've only watched it once, mind, but that's because I'm not made of infinite resources. I enjoyed the plot, cliche as it was, but it really wasn't the main focus for me. What did it for me was the world, the creatures, and yes, the Na'Vi themselves, who may be a rather overdone species design (frankly, they're just taller blue humans with cat noses and ears) but their connection with the world and their culture redeems them and makes them very awesome to me.

My mind was too busy immersing itself in the gorgeous world that is Pandora to care about comparing the movie to other movies with similar plots.

... But then, I suppose that some people can't see the original elements when there are similarities to other things. Ah well. Each to their own.

 

[KoL]

Seen it once, and it'll remain just once as far as cinema views are concerned - it looks phenomenal, easily the best looking film I've ever seen, but the plot...ugh. Even Left 4 Dead 2 managed a less predictable plot than that, and that's a game based on zombie apocalypse. When you can predict every single event within a film after the first 30 minutes or so, that is bad news all the way. Overall, the visuals were amazing, but the plot was one of the weakest I've ever seen in a film.

I saw Sherlock Holmes a short while after Avatar - while I'd consider Sherlock Holmes the better film, Avatar is a much greater spectacle - it seemed more like an artistic show-reel than a film, if I'm being honest, and I probably wouldn't have it any other way either since I'm aspiring to become a 3D character designer myself.

 

[Jeydis]

Yeah its a basic storyline but it brings its point across well. I think they kept it simple to please every type of movie goer. For example my mother has trouble following some storylines in films particularly if theres alot of characters (eg: She didnt like Lord of the Rings much because of that) but im sure she could appreciate Avatar since its easy to follow, I have yet to get her to go see it.

As mentioned, visually its great and the biodiversity is awesome on the planet and well thought out.

 

[Blisk]

When I said effects, I was referring to the planet and environment mainly. I love how the plants looked. Every where you turned was something different and equally gorgeous.

The plot might have been similar to others (even in US history) but I liked the new take on the plot with the beautiful and vast world that Pandora is and the link between all living things.

 

[Tatile]

Just saw Avatar again, in 2D, in a rather uncomfortable chair.

Ignoring the plot, I hate whoever managed to develop such a rich, detailed and awe-inspiring universe in which Pandora and the action is set. Why? Because that person wasn't me D:<

I hope acutally to read the original script of this (which I've heard only snippets about) as that apparently explains more of the biology of the planet and Earth etc.

Still, Avatar is a visual spectacle, like most movies these days are. Personally I'd rather Wikus van de Merwe again...

 

[Secad MS]

*smacks self for not seeing it*

I have wanted to see it since I heard about it over a year ago. However, time and life has been getting in the way. However, I've been looking at stills, reading reviews, and loving the amazing animation all the way through.

 

[Rayn_Shyu]

It's been said before, Avatar is a spectacle. I think if you watched it on mute, it would still be satisfying, cuz the plot is rather cliche...
I loved the whole planet of Pandora because it looks real and how everything is connected. Like the trees that hold memories, or crazy horsey thingies, that's just swicked. And the idea of being able to grow your own Na'Vi avatar is very tempting...
I saw it in 3D, and it was fine, you mostly just got depth, rather than "OMG IT'S EXPLODING ON TO YOUUUUUUUU!" type deal. I think it'll still look good in 2D though, so I'll be able to love it on DVD too.~

 

[Blisk]

I just realized something. How awesome will this movie look on Blu-ray! Rayn reminded me of them. That will be an experience once it comes out to just watch it in HD. That'll look so coo. I'm gonna try and see it again if I can. I loved it.

 

[Linkachu]

Avatar... One of the only movies I'd suggest people see at least once just for the artistic side of it. Others have already said it, but that world... the creatures and plant-life... all the spiritualness and how literally everything within nature was connected... It was gorgeous. Simply and utterly gorgeous. I found myself starring in awe at the visuals throughout most of it and squeeing at the world-building and concepts the rest of the time. What an extraordinary imagination to create such a place with so much depth. I watched it in 3D, and man... This is not one movie you "wait to catch on video". The small screen won't do it justice whatsoever.

That said... Throughout the movie I did find myself thinking "if only they could've taken this world and everything within it and given the movie a different plot". I enjoyed the plot, liked some of the movie's characters, but even still... The commando bits really took away from it for me. It just seemed like the focus of the movie wasn't aimed where it should've been. I dunno. Maybe it was the cliches poking through and I just didn't notice at the time. But some scenes were both painful to watch and a bit boring - usually when the humans were involved.

I've only seen Avatar once, and I probably will grab it on bluray once it's released, but unless someone else asked me to see it with them I probably won't be going again. I'm just happily content with my memories of Pandora.

 

[Carmen Lopez]

Easily one of the most gorgeous movies I've seen in a long time. I thought the animation and special effects were really well done. That said, I agree with what everyone else has said about the plot. It was cliche and I did see most of the stuff coming, but somehow I was still on the edge of my seat O.o What does that say about me? XD A sequel has already been announced and I'm definitely planning on seeing it. However I want to see it in 3D when it comes out. Here's hoping it's as good as, or better than the originals!

 

[Blisk]

I just saw Sherlock Holmes, and I agree with KoL. Pandora might have been a wonder to look at, but Sherlock Holmes had the better plot. I loved the visual spectacle that was Pandora, but Sherlock Holmes was a better movie to watch. This isn't a thread about Sherlock Holmes so I won't go into any details about exactly why I liked Sherlock Holmes more, but the plot of Sherlock Holmes was more captivating overall. And don't get me wrong, Avatar was a great film, just Sherlock Holmes was better.

 

[StellarWind Elsydeon]

FFFFFfffffffffff- That's all we needed. A fucking sequel.

When will those fuckers at Hollywood learn that when you create something nearly perfect you don't fuck around with it to make more money?

How the hell DO you make a sequel for a movie like Avatar anyway? Have bitch-ass humanity nuke Pandora from orbit?

 

[Blisk]

I agree Stel. There's no way in hell you can make a good sequel these days, let alone Avatar. There is no way for that sequel to happen. Everything had ended so dandy at the end for the characters. But no, James Cameron wants to suck all the money he can from it instead of leaving the movie alone. Now he's gonna create a terrible sequel and because he said he's got a trilogy planned, he's gonna fucking ruin the series.

Great work, Hollywood! Ruin another perfectly good movie.

 

[Tatile]

Depends on what the sequel/s are about. The original script was five hours long, they may be returning to Earth to explain why... whatshisface... Jake said some of the things he did. IIRC, the Earth is essentially dead - the only things resembling life live in the ocean and that has been made into a great farm - all coastal resorts are food factories*.

Think Terra from the Warhammer 40k universe, but with less machines and more people. Originally, the brother was supposed to die in a fire that wiped out a couple of city blocks - a disturbingly normal occurance, particularly when a 'house' is the size of a prison cell.

An extremist view of over-population and technological advance. The reason for teaching the Na'Vi English was also explained: it would cost far, far too much money for them to transport miners out to Pandora, so they would have the locals do it for them. Too bad it didn't work.

And the secrurity? When the... bloke... army guy... said that everything wants to kill them on the other side of the fence, he wasn't saying that lightly. The planet - the thinking brain - sees the human excursion as a parasite and so everything, absolutley everything, even the plants, is trying to kill them. Why is Pandora so good then, apart from the un-obtanium (the greatest deposit of which is acutally in the Hallejuh(D:< spelling) Mountains) is that Pandora has a cure for the common cold, in fact probably all disease. That's why the Na'Vi didn't need medicine, they don't get sick. The reason for blowing up Home Tree was used in the film to blow up the Soul Tree.

*Or Soylent Green.

 

[ratsmilk]

I was bad and downloaded it because movie theaters are overpriced I reckon but after I saw it I realized that that I should of seen it in 3d. But I've just never got round to it

 

[Blisk]

This movie doesn't deserve to be viewed on the computer. You miss too much to actually get the feel of Pandora. It's too small. There are several details in the movie that were pretty small on a theater screen, let alone a computer monitor. You should really try to see it in theaters (if it's still out) or at the very least on an HD TV if you can when it comes out.