Avatar

The movie completely misses its opportunity at making any statement on the importance of beauty and nature because it used CGI to portray magic in the plants and animals which is the very anti-thesis of the natural kingdom. This plot isn't just over-used and simplistic but in the sci-fi context established where the "hero" is nearly powerless, literally put in a wheelchair (goodbye subtlety), and relies on expensive technology to use a sort of biological robot to impersonate a Navi. Through this technology, they can track and record anything and everything he is saying and doing but somehow no one pulls the plug when he gives his employers attitude and does the exact opposite he was hired to do. The actors were clearly told to overact and ham it up. The old army "general" has freakin' scars over one of his eyes and "hates tree hugers"... Saturday morning cartoon much? Everything "Sci-Fi" in this movie falls completely apart if you even begin to give them a thought. Infinite water coming from flying mountains? The humans have the power to control technology from infinite distances with zero lag... and they man their war robots for no reason? Unobtainium? Really?

I put off seeing this because I the hype surroundingthe hype surrounding the release and then the many contradictory reviews (more than I've seen in any other film ever) kind of killed my motivation to see it. When I finally saw it I was awe inspired. The visual and audio effects. The computer graphics and the flawless melding of flesh and computer generated images was stunning and expertly crafted. The plot, despite the many reviews stating its a familiar and over used plot, was in my opinion a brand new spin on what may be a common theme among sci-fi films, but felt like a brand new story to me because of the brilliant story line and it's twist and unexpected turns. Most sci-fi films are predictable even when really well made... However Avatar totally turned the classic human/alien culture clash on its ear and felt like a brand new plot told in a new way. A style that has been lacking in many recent releases. The guy who called them out for using a wheelchair bound hero citing a lack of subtlety and thought it was a cliche or whatever he was trying to get across should stop for a moment and think about how it felt to those of us who live a life trapped in a wheelchair to see a truly likeable and believable character who is the true hero in the story being written and portrayed as a man confined to a wheelchair that gets a rare opportunity to transition from the world where he is a prisoner of his own body to a beautiful and agile as well as healthy strong and well adjusted for the most part (no drug use or drinking or rage with self pity and self loathing outbursts portraying those who become dependant on a wheelchair for life as all being bitter angry and poorly adjusted angry people who hate their existence) into a beautiful hybrid of a graceful creature and human being that grows to love and save a totally alien race who he knew little about at first because he loves them and wants to help them stay on their own world. A hero who's fighting for what's right for no other reason than its what's right. Ill tell you, it was inspiring and gave hope that one day those of us who are in wheelchairs will be seen on the world stage as equal to a non handicapped person in all ways. It was a truly unexpected journey of self discovery for me and a beautiful story shown in a beautiful way. Not a "Cartoon" at all. Bravo!!

This is one of my all time favourite movies. I watch it at least twice a year and I love it every time. Not sure what everyone is complaining about... The cinematography was on point, the graphics were amazing, the story was awe inspiring, although a little predictable but what story isn't? If I watch a movie and I can tell that it's fake, I am turned off regardless if the story was amazing or the movie had revolutionized the cinema business. If I can tell it's fake, I will not watch it, which is why I don't generally watch movies made before 1990. This movie was so realistic and perfect that I've seen it around 20 times (and I've seen the extended version too). So that should tell you something about the quality.