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At play in the fields of Pandora

January 11, 2010 by Dave Knadler

a scene from the movie "Avatar"

Think these two will eventually become an item?

I finally saw Avatar. My short review: Fabulous effects, pedestrian story. James Cameron has certainly set the bar at a great height for all future action movies, but he hasn’t broken much new ground when it comes to sophisticated writing.

Not that it matters. This is not a boring movie, and you won’t rue the price of your ticket. It’s the first 3D film I’ve ever seen, and I’m glad I waited this long. For the first few minutes, the 3D effect seems a distracting gimmick, but as the movie unfolds it becomes much more natural. I considered only one scene gratuitous: a machine gun barrel protruding out of the screen. Elsewhere Cameron showed admirable restraint. In the Pandoran jungle, the judicious and subtle use of 3D makes the alien flora and fauna seem vividly real.

My only problem with Avatar is that every character is a stereotype drawn from other films. Remember Vasquez in Aliens? She’s back, as Trudy Chacon. Wind in His Hair from Dances With Wolves? That would be in Tsu’Tey in Avatar. And so on. David Brooks has a smart column in the New York Times where he illustrates this quite well. But you don’t need to read it recognize a plug-and-play story, or the latest incarnation of the White Messiah theme in Avatar.

No, that’s not the worst thing in the world. As they say, there’s nothing new under the sun. But when you’re invoking such an oft-used narrative, it’s probably a good idea to come up with a few surprises. From the moment you meet each character in Avatar, it’s possible to guess the story arc and status of each one by the movie’s end. If you haven’t seen the movie, try it. Avatar is a little disappointing because the only surprises are visual.

More along these lines:

  • twin peaks opening screenA latter-day look at “Twin Peaks”
  • a-team actorsAn industry plumb out of ideas
  • vaping in the workplaceMind if I vape?
  • We’ve seen this show before
  • lee marvinPeace through violence in ‘Liberty Valance’

Filed Under: Movies

About Dave Knadler

Obscure writer. Lazy photographer. Bashful guitarist. Perhaps too fond of wine. Tireless nemesis of New York Times crosswords.

Trackbacks

  1. Reviews of the blue (people) says:
    January 22, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    […] Dave’s view? Fabulous effects, pedestrian story. […]

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