What: Avatar (2009)
Rating: 7
Non-Quantifiable Rating: Gosh, if only James Cameron had some ambition.
I'm struggling with this review, because I absolutely loved everything about this movie - with one big, big exception. However, I don't want to go into detail about my issue with the film because it requires discussing specific plot points including the ending, and I don't want to spoil it for folks. Thus, if you've seen the film, I encourage you to comment and/or shoot me an email if you want to discuss further. Maybe when it comes out on DVD I'll go full-bore with my review.
I recognize that I'm the only person on the planet not giving Avatar a perfect rating. Here's the deal: the movie was incredibly ambitious, unbelievably original, visually stunning and phenomenally executed. Yeah, that was a lot of modifying adjectives. It's absolutely worth seeing, and absolutely worth seeing while it's still in the theater. My jaw actually dropped, which never happens, and three hours passed by in a flash. It was even worthwhile given that the showing we wanted to attend was sold out and I had to go to the showing that let out at 2:30 in the morning.
However....one major element of the plot really, really pissed me off and felt like a massive cop-out on the part of the filmmakers. It's very unfortunate, because the rest of the film was the kind of movie that will stay in your mind for a long time, and in my case, the memories of the amazing cinematic achievement are tarnished by what I can only assume resulted from marketing pressure and/or test audiences.
In spite of this, I very much enjoyed this film and I can't imagine anyone thinking it was a waste of their movie ticket dollars. It was pretty violent and language-filled for a PG-13 movie so I wouldn't necessarily take your baby-sitting charges, but it was nothing short of ground-breaking.
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