Avatar

I don't know what I expected from Avatar. I have heard and read many positive reviews and people seem to enjoy it so we thought we'd give it a go.

I don't usually go to the cinema with any more expectation than to be entertained and taken elsewhere for a couple of hours and Avatar did not disappoint in this respect. Despite being a little long (running time of around 2.5 hours and a finish time of 1.30am for us!) I was thoroughly entertained and found the world of Pandora to be both beautiful and enchanting.

This is the first film I have seen in 3D at the cinema. I have never really been attracted by 3D before and only bothered this time as I kept reading that Avatar 'had to be seen in 3D', but if I am honest I don't think 3D is truly necessary. Granted, I didn't see on IMAX, but I doubt the film would be any less visually spectacular in standard view and get the feeling that the 3D was a bit of a distraction which added very little to my enjoyment and left me with a nagging headache behind the eyes. The film's special effects are amazing and the imagery and concept of Pandora and its inhabitants and wildlife are stunning and I don't believe they would be any less so in standard view.

The film's story is formulaic and reminiscent to me of both the Matrix and Aliens. I have also heard the comparison to Dances with Wolves and this is also not entirely unwarranted, although a Dances with Wolves with a lot less depth of plot and characterisation. You can guess at the end game of Avatar from an early juncture and the characters in the film are somewhat weak and never properly developed. I therefore found myself not really caring about what happened to them. Sigourney Weaver's character is utterly superfluous and even the central character of paraplegic Jake, who rediscovers the joy of walking and running through the mechanism of his avatar (a concept that much more could have been made of), is sadly one dimensional. However this meant that I could forget about the plot and enjoy Cameron's visual feast.

I did find myself thinking about the film in terms of our treatment of our own planet and as a metaphor for the issues currently being discussed in Copenhagen and man's lack of respect for the Earth and inability to recognise the beauty around us whilst striving for apparent 'improvements'. However, I am not sure if this was Cameron's intent or my own desire to find deeper meaning.

In summary, I can't help but feel that the time and expense spent on the 3D could have been better used to develop the story and script but that said, the star of the show is the beauty and depth of Pandora and this alone is worth the entrance fee. If you can, go see, especially on the big screen, and in 3D if you wish. Whatever you choose. Go and enjoy.

My verdict 4/5 stars ****