Those following industry news have all heard Cameron touting his new technologies for years leading up to the release of Avatar, and he certainly delivers on that front. The visuals of this movie are amazing. The world that Cameron paid a large team of researches and technicians millions and millions and millions of dollars to create is visually stunning, lifelike, and simply like nothing you've seen before.
The movie itself is complete crap with pretensions of being art. Let's be honest. This isn't some unflinching allegory for western imperialism. It's not a boldly innovative tale that will force us to examine our world in a new light. No, this is a product that cost producers nearly half a billion dollars. That's billion with a "b" if you weren't paying attention. When something costs that kind of money you can't afford to screw around, so you follow the melodrama's formula to the letter. You do this because people love that formula. You'll make lot's of money and the shareholders won't fire you.
I don't begrudge them for being cliched and formulaic. If I had half a billion dollars riding on something I'd sure as hell do the same thing. What's enraging is the length, the lack of early action, and Sam Worthington's inconsistent voiceover which doesn't tell you much other than how stupid the studios think you are. I shelled out fifteen dollars a ticket because I wanted a 3D cinematic roller coaster. I came here looking for blood and gladiatorial action. Where are my spear-chucking, dinosaur-riding battle sequences? Where is my hot human-on-overgrown-smurf action? Two hours in and I still hadn't seen a single aircraft destroyed by fluorescent pterodactyls. You do get these things eventually, but so much time is wasted. We know our protagonist will fall in love with the smurf who sulkily agrees to train him. Were 45 minutes of exposition necessary? Didn't they invent the montage for this sort of thing?
If you're looking for the transcendental experience the critics and fans seem to be raving about, I suggest spending an entire day spent watching smurf reruns, dropping acid, and eating shrooms. Then and only then should you go watch Avatar.
It was very pretty though. Very pretty. And as a girl, I enjoyed the non-explosions.
ReplyDeleteIt would be better if there was an intermission though. Cuz I was kinda losing it by the time the final battle started (especially with the 3D, my eyes got super sleepy). Roller coasters are better in short doses...
I admitted it was gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteIn the old days Kael would rip apart the critics and fans who gushed over committee-produced "art" like this, but she's dead.
I wanted to carry on the fight but lack her talent for biting commentary.