Official Trailer (HD)

Early Thoughts & Opinions

Although I’ve had this film on our list of upcoming reviews since the creation of the site in June, I really didn’t know much about it until fairly recently. I was mostly going to attend out of respect for my praised crew members involved such as: James Cameron (writer and director) and James Horner (composer.) Cameron is great and known as one of the best directors for his spectacular story telling ability and large-scale visions. Titanic remains the highest grossing picture of all-time and provided both Cameron and Horner with Oscars. If that wasn’t enough reason to express interest, I’m a total sucker for visual effects and this film looks far from disappointing! The rumored budget is immense and there is a widespread selection of known, yet underrated, cast members. I predict a smash hit!

My Review

Astounding, Imaginative, and Groundbreaking! James Cameron’s Avatar delivers a modern day cross between Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and The Wachowski Bros. The Matrix that blows all previous notions and expectations out of this world! The Digital-3D may be optional, but it was a truly amazing and immersive experience that opened my eyes to modern technology and possibility. I feel that this movie was so monumental that I have already added it to my list of favorite movies of all time! I think this goes without saying, but a perfect score straight down the board on the technical portion of the critique was simply unavoidable, it was that good!

There is so much to love about this movie, and I definitely refuse to spoil any of it for you, that I will stick to my two favorite contributions on the tech side and my reasons for the deductions. First of course, were the flawless Visual Effects (VFX) that surpass anything that I’ve seen in the history of modern filmmaking! The entire movie from start to finish had me completely immersed in this digital world (Pandora) and I didn’t want it to end! James Cameron is a genius and one of my favorite directors because of his unparalleled story telling ability. I can only hope that I have the chance in my future career to make a film as admirable as Avatar. I will most definitely purchase a Blu-Ray player and possibly a new big screen TV for this film’s street release in an attempt to recapture the experience I had tonight!

In addition to the remarkable VFX was the original score by legendary composer James Horner! Score is one of the top three things I notice and watch for in films because it sets the tone and mood of the film and can make or break the whole experience. Horner’s Avatar score fell directly behind my favorite score of all time (Hans Zimmer’s Gladiator!) The music was perfect and had some individual songs such as Climbing up "Iknimaya – The Path to Heaven" brought me right back to Zimmer’s Now We Are Free! Simply perfect and breathtaking!

As for the minor deductions, they were warranted and not added strictly to prevent the perfect critique score. The story complexity was pretty straight forward, lacking twists, though appropriate for the film did not compete to other more in depth films. As for the comprehension, there were a few unanswered questions and plot holes that didn’t quite sit perfect with me, and I guess I could have used a bit more explanation. Regardless, this film is a must see in Digital-3D in theaters and a major contender for the upcoming Academy Awards!

My Critique
Film Characteristics
Direction:
Cinematography:
Story:
Dialogue:
Acting:
Art Department
Costume Design:
Hair/Makeup:
Props:
Sets/Locations:
Camera
Framing:
Depth of Field (1st AC):
Uniqueness:
Balance:
Specialty
Practical Effects:
Visual Effects:
Sound
Score:
Sound Effects:
Soundtrack:
Viewer Experience
Energy/Interest:
Wow! Factor:
Story Complexity:
Continuity:
Comprehension:
Theater Worthy?:
Use of Digital 3D:
Overall Rating
Average:
*Critique Ver 3.1