by Lundberg - December 27, 2009 - - Comment Now »
“Avatar” gets credit for providing an experience. Stunning visuals? Check. Epic war? Check. Hammerhead rhinos? Check-plus. Home run film? Not so much.
Let me start by saying, I have never enjoyed 3-D in a movie. Not ever. It usually hurts my eyes/brain or just sucks. I enjoyed the 3-D in “Avatar.” Heck, I forgot I was even watching 3-D. I was engrossed in the world James Cameron created. As I mentioned before, there were hammerhead rhinos.
I was not as engrossed by other aspects of the movie. The plot was basically “Dances with Smurfs” (credit “South Park”) but it wasn’t the overall story that bothered me. It was some of the dialogue and scenes within it. A bunch of lines, particularly those between Sigourney Weaver and the main dude and the Prince of the blue people and the main dude, reminded me of “Team America.” I was half expecting either of them to tell him ‘I fucking hate actors.’
And then there was the cliched or corny stuff. Main dude meets natives (are we that sure they would use bows and arrows on another planet in another dimension?) and falls in love with a tall, blue version of Cheetarah. She finds out he was there for another reason and feels betrayed. That isn’t the only thing like that but it is the one example I can remember right now. There are plenty of other cringeworthy lines and moments throughout. And I don’t think there is one legitimately funny scene.
At this point I am nitpicking a bit. “Avatar” is a spectacle and is worth seeing in a theater. It is probably the best looking movie ever made. I am glad I went. I just didn’t leave punching the air and I am not dying to see it again (the runtime won’t help with repeated viewings either). It did have hammerhead rhinos though.
