I had very much the same feelings when i saw it back in 2009. It was also my first time i ever saw a movie in 3D. It's one of the most predictable movies i've ever seen. I'd look past that, if the characters were remotely interesting. Everything is so black and white and naive, with the big bad military representing majority of humans and the peaceful Navi's with not one bad apple in the bunch.

I feel like most of the people have forgotten about it already, despite it being so popular at the time and being such a massive hit. Every time i was discussing about movies with my friends (especially simple, entertaining popcorn movies), nobody ever mentioned Avatar.

Do you remember how people were praising it so much back in the day, calling it visually the greatest movie ever made with an important message and such? Roger Ebert was in love with it too. I think it was just all hype and pretty visuals. The "message" was so heavy handed and again, black and white that i couldn't care less.

Also, i hated the 3D, i felt like the image was burning my eyes and everything looked really dark and murky. The 3D effect itself looked odd and kind of cool at first but i stopped paying attention to it! Every 3D movie i've seen since, has been slightly less darker, but just as useless, since i stop noticing the effect after few minutes into the movie.

the hype was quite intense... in particular the cheerleading critics... the movie was all spectacle, zero substance... and yet it wasn't fun

Definitely. Yet we have about 15 sequels to look forward to :(

I walked out of the theater hating it, and never saw it again. Yeah, I'd say overrated.

Isn't it essentially just a techno-rehash of the same story we saw in Pocahontas or Dances With Wolves?

I haven't seen Pocahontas but Dances With Wolves was a far better movie...

@Renovatio said:

I haven't seen Pocahontas but Dances With Wolves was a far better movie...

Dances With Wolves made a crapton of ROI!

@DRDMovieMusings said:

Isn't it essentially just a techno-rehash of the same story we saw in Pocahontas or Dances With Wolves?

It's funny you say this because Cameron said one of the heavy influences on him for this movie was Disney's Pocahontas!

@Renovatio said:

Ok... it's been 7 years or so since this was released... Is it overrated? as a movie?

I'd say yes. I was one of the people who didn't buy into the hype of movie when it came out and was underwhelmed when I saw it in theatre... over the years I've seen it occasionally on TV and feel that it is even less of a movie than I had originally thought...

It's a pretty mediocre movie even with the visuals, which aren't that impressive anymore... it's just CGI... Once you get used to the CGI there is even less there to hold interest or to enjoy... This isn't Terminator 2...

Yep, saw it at the cinema and wasn't impressed. Doesn't help that I don't have the same sight in both eyes, so rarely "get" 3D. (Either that or my big brain knows it's an illusion and refuses to see it ). Saw bits of it on the TV recently, and even the CGI looked no better than some recent games.

Mind you, I think Cameron is far better at hyping his movies to success than he is making them. I own Terminator (1) and Titanic (I'll happily agree that the latter is pish, but it's entertaining pish); unless the trailers look amazing, I doubt I'll go to the cinema to see any further Avatar films.

I also blame Cameron for rip-off 3D prices that initially pushed non-3D showings to silly times. Our local cinema now rarely even bothers with 3D versions, thank goodness!

@GForce59 said:

@DRDMovieMusings said:

Isn't it essentially just a techno-rehash of the same story we saw in Pocahontas or Dances With Wolves?

It's funny you say this because Cameron said one of the heavy influences on him for this movie was Disney's Pocahontas!

I did not know that, but yeah, it's pretty standard - white man colonialist falls in love with woman among the indigenous people of colour he's displacing/uprooting, and he switches sides; somehow, their love is assuages the guilt and redeems him. Or something like that.

Point being, since we know "the story", Avatar was really more about the special effects that, well, weren't that special. I mean, sure, there was the futuristic aspect, the technology, but they did not veer the story and really explore the philosophical challenges of mind within virtual body, etc. So what we're left with is, essentially, a gratuitious display of special effects bereft of any attempt to touch on any real, new, humane story ground.

Or not. I dunno. Just musing here :-)

@DRDMovieMusings said:

Point being, since we know "the story", Avatar was really more about the special effects that, well, weren't that special. I mean, sure, there was the futuristic aspect, the technology, but they did not veer the story and really explore the philosophical challenges of mind within virtual body, etc. So what we're left with is, essentially, a gratuitious display of special effects bereft of any attempt to touch on any real, new, humane story ground.

Or not. I dunno. Just musing here :-)

I think you're spot on. I think Cameron tried to camouflage the rehashed story with the dazzling special effects that were the best of the best at the time. He also was relying on sappy people who are suckered in by such stories knowing it's the same one as countless other films with just a different movie title. I happen to be one of those people!

The fact he's actually admitting 2 and 3 might not come close to being as successful as the original, and if such 4 and 5 may not be made, shows he knows he can't hide behind dazzling special effects this time. The movie will actually have to have a story! He can't depend on a bunch of people like me blindly going to the sequels. :)

I think so, i was quite bored for most of the movie, it was too long and i was just waiting for the big battle scene that was meant to be great... i wasnt impressed

Yeah, I can't see 3D. So I had to pay attention to the story. I don't recommend it, guys :(

want a good battle scene watch the two towers :D

@Xsploit said:

want a good battle scene watch the two towers :D

If you want an epic experience, block out 10 hours of your day and watch all three Extended Versions of those movies back-to-back-to-back. Send the wife and kids out of town, put the dog in the kennel, draw the blinds, make mounds of popcorn, and seal the doors shut. It's fantastic.