Avatar: Excited?

YES!

It's James Cameron

While no one is perfect, Cameron has one of the more enviable track records for both good movies and impressive box office. One look at some of his output – Titanic, Aliens and Terminator 2 – is enough to justify that. And he’s been pouring his heart and soul into this thing for years now, pushing the effects team to create something special.

 

It sounds like classic Cameron
Man vs machine in a strange environment? Themes that speak to our destiny? Big tech? Yeah, this is right up his alley. Cameron has always been a master of high concept, epic-level science fiction that never forgets the human side of the story. Avatar’s tale of Sully and his trip to Pandora bear all the hallmarks of what the director does well.

 

It’s original!
Yes, it borrows small elements from the likes of Aliens and a couple of other films, but thank goodness for Cameron’s commitment to producing something different. It’s not adapted from a comic or a video game, or the side of a cereal box – Avatar is something fresh and new. Plus, it’s all driven by the director’s legendary perfectionism, so you know he’s tweaked every element.

 

The cast
Cameron must’ve seen something in Sam Worthington long before the rest of us were even aware of him, since the actor blasted everyone else (including the robots) off the screen in Terminator Salvation. We can’t wait to see what he’ll do under Cameron’s control. Ditto Zoe Saldana, who made so many scenes in Star Trek work. And let’s not forget old Cameron hand Sigourney Weaver, who happily agreed to work with him again.

 

 

NO!

 

Great effects don’t always equal great stories
True, Avatar’s story is mostly original, but then so was Titanic’s dramatic framework that Cameron layered over the historical story. And that, quite frankly, was a bit clichéd – schmaltzy and dull. So let’s hope he’s come up with something a lot more satisfying to fill the gaps between the effects in his new project.

 

The Comic-Con buzz was healthy but not spectacular
The movie was supposed to be the big ticket at Comic-Con this year, but while there was a large, enthusiastic and largely positive response to it, it didn’t get the reaction that Kick-Ass did. And the feverish anticipation that greeted New Moon was also more newsworthy. But let’s wait and see the whole thing…

Excite-O-Meter rating: 5/5