Movie Review: Avatar

Note: This is not a review of the movie as a whole. The story was very familiar but good -- it was engaging, thrilling, and spectacular. Since it will be a familiar story to almost everyone over the age of 10,I feel a review of the story isn't necessary. This is a review of the experience, which most people will be talking about.

I saw Avatar at a wanna-be IMAX theater. It claims to be IMAX, but when I think of IMAX I think of the huge dome enclosures with a screen that takes up half of the dome -- this was not the case here. It was more like an enlarged movie screen. Screens like this have been around for years, but for the sake of space, most movie theaters go for smaller screens so that they can add more, which brings in more money... but I digress. What I'm saying is that this wasn't a real IMAX screen.

This disappointment was not a factor after the movie started though, the sound and picture were great. At first I was skeptical of the new 3D technology that everyone has been hyping. I was still seeing some blurriness that I thought was supposed to be non existent. It didn't seem any different than other newer 3D films such as Up, at first. However, there were some sprinkled-in scenes of beauty at the beginning that made me forget these problems. It took a good 30 minutes for my eyes and mind to get used to having the movie tell them what to focus on. This is how they enhance the depth of field in 3D, they have certain things in focus which is what you should be looking at, if you try to focus on anything else you will most likely get a headache.



All of my worries and skepticism faded away as soon as we were taken into the heart of Pandora. Everything was alive and moving, and felt so real that, at some points, I actually felt that leaves were falling on me and I was getting wet from the dew and the mist in the forests. During mostly all of the more visually brilliant scenes, you will find your mouth agape with the beauty and complexity of the shots. There were dust specks floating around and bugs whizzing by -- it really does make you feel as though you are there. At points I had to remind myself that what I was watching was pretty much all computer generated. Instead of trying to make myself believe it was real, there were instances where I had to step back and remember that what I was seeing was all computer generated.

It is this aspect of the film that really makes it incredible. Sure it's a movie with a pretty good story and great acting (for the most part), but it would not be as amazing were it not for the 3D technology used. I have not seen it in 2D, but after seeing Avatar I don't want to see any other action movie not using this 3D technology.

The action sequences in the movie were unlike anything I have ever seen. The 3D and the shots that Cameron used to portray the action worked in perfect unison. There was so much going on, yet it was so easy to see everything. It is really hard to explain exactly what it looked like other than what I've said earlier, it makes you feel like you are there and it is happening before your eyes. Even the stills from the movie don't fully capture what that scene actually looks and feels like with the 3D technology. There are a few amazing scenes that put you in the middle of the action, like some that put you inside one of the Mech suits or inside one of the helicopters under attack by the Navi. These scenes are simply incredible.



After seeing all of these amazing 3D visuals, and feeling as though I was actually at Pandora, I am concerned about how this movie will translate to DVD/Bluray. I'm confident enough that the story will still be a good one and it will still be an exciting movie, but I feel as though it will be a different movie once that 3D is absent. I'm guessing that when they do release it for home viewing, they will package it with 3D glasses like they've done with Up and Coraline, as well as others. I have not yet watched any of the newer 3D movies on Bluray, but I don't think it will be anything like how it looked in theaters, and I'm not just talking about the size of the screen and the amazing sound system... or maybe I am.

Maybe the experience as a whole can only be enjoyed in a movie theater. Maybe it's possible that Cameron has created a movie strictly meant to be viewed on a big movie screen, with the best sound system available. All I know, is that nothing can compare to what it was like to be sitting in that theater and watching Avatar for the first time. I might be able to compare it to all of the cool rides at Disney World that were so awe-inspiring and magical as a kid, yet when seen through the eyes of adulthood are pretty lame and only cool for the nostalgic effect. I'm hoping that when it comes out on Bluray, which most likely won't be for awhile, the magical effect that the movie first instilled is not lost. I feel that Cameron has enough sense to make a movie that is well translatable for home viewing.

All in all I give the movie and the experience 5/5. It was a great story, though familiar (Dances With Wolves anyone?), presented with a cool sci-fi aspect and some great environments and creatures. And it was an experience that I have never had while sitting in a theater watching a movie. I suggest seeing it on the biggest screen you possibly can. Pay the extra money and see it in fake or real IMAX. You won't regret it.

If you've seen it how do you feel about it? If not, are you skeptical or pumped?

Score: 5 out of 5
Confused about our scoring system? Read this explanation.