Movie Review: Avatar

TITLE: Avatar
PART IN SERIES: standalone (but evidently Cameron is talking sequels ;sigh;)
ACTORS/ACTRESSES: Zoe Seldana, Sam Worthington, Sojurney Weaver
RELEASED: December, 2009 DVD RELEASE: April 2010
RATING: PG-13
PREMISE: A ex-marine is sent to a distant planet and put into a avatar to make friends with the local people.
MY REVIEW: Well, I am probably the last person in the world to finally see this (other then my parents but they still haven't seen stuff like the first Iron Man so I don't really think they can count, as much as I love them). So, I admit, I liked it a lot better then I thought I would. But I still stand by what I've been saying (and what will probably get me flamed by fanboys and fangirls, oh well): this was in NO WAY worth the absurd amount of hype it got. It certainly in no way deserved best movie of the year Oscar which it got nominated for. Special effects? Most certainly. Art direction? Hell yes (this movie was GORGEOUS). I'll even go with soundtrack. But best movie of the year? No. Julie and Julia was way better (even if it made me crave french food after...).
Now, that ranting aside I wish to take a moment to bow to the artists on this movie. Bravo guys, just bravo. Even without the 3D (which I didn't use once again because of my beef about it being a gimmick) this movie is beautiful (though I still prefer Alice in Wonderland). I loved seeing the world of Pandora and I liked the general messages of the movie (even if it was maybe a tad bit overdone). The acting...take it or leave it, though I think Zoe Seldana and Weaver were great. I even do think Cameron is a good director. My problem is the writing/story.
I really don't think Cameron is a strong writer. I kind of wish he'd stick with directing. But that's his thing I guess so what are you going to do? I won't say Avatar's story completely sucks because hello, Pandora and there were interesting messages and I did find the romance sweet. Unfortunately it's hampered down with predictability, a obvious Dances With Wolves rip-off feeling, cliches up the wazoo, and many questions that were left unanswered (How did they get the avatars made? How was Pandora discovered? What freaking YEAR is this? So on and so forth), and things that I'm pretty sure aren't physically possible (by all rights the Colonel should have died when the plane crashed originally, not some how managing to live in order to have a huge dramatic fight with Jake).
So, worth the absurd hype? No. But I will say it was good and is worth a rental but I wouldn't buy it unless you're a HUGE fan because seriously, there aren't even any special features on any of the dvds. What is up with that? Seriously, Cameron? It's a good thing I did the dollar rental or I'd be mildly ticked.
WHO SHOULD SEE: ...assuming you still haven't seen it? Sci-Fi fans, Cameron fans, those who want to see what the hype was about.
MY RATING: Four out of Five flying...whatever those things were that they rode in the movie.