Avatar

So I finally got a chance to see Avatar this past weekend and I must say that I was impressed. The visuals are spectacular and a definite must see for any sci-fi fan or film buff. However, as with most James Cameron blockbusters, the story is simple and trite and leaves much to be desired. For anyone who is a Cameron fan this is, of course, not a surprise nor is it a deterrent; legions of fanboys have gladly shelled out $15 to see blue aliens in 3D. Yet it isn’t only fanboys going to see this spectacle. It has just passed Star Wars in terms of gross and is catching up to The Dark Knight and Cameron’s previous magnum opus Titanic (these number are of course slightly false: there is no accounting for inflation nor for the fact that 3D tickets cost more).

Cameron always does an excellent job of appealing to the masses. There is always something that everyone likes in his movies. He mixes genre to create the uber-genre film, one guaranteed to generate buzz and box office returns. If you like action, there are lots of great sequences in the movie, if you enjoy sci-fi there are robo-suits and spaceships, or if you want a romance story, don’t worry, Cameron had added that as well. It isn’t Citizen Kane, but you will get your entertainment dollar for Avatar.