James Cameron has reportedly been working on Avatar since 1994, and wanted to start filming directly after finishing Titanic. Unfortunately, he felt that technology needed to catch up with his vision, and production slipped ten years. Even though the story is nothing new ( take your pick of Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves, or Last Samurai), and a bit thin for 162 minutes, the result is spectacular. All the new camera, editing, and CGI technology that Cameron has created for his movie have really paid off. Seasoned critics have compared Avatar to seeing Star Wars for the first time. I am too young to make such comparisons, but it is definitely up there with Jurassic Park. The computer-generated actors in particular are so much more life-like than for example in Beowulf two years ago.

Many of the tools and techniques pioneered by Cameron here will very soon trickle down into other productions and become mainstream, but I remain doubtful about 3D. It is very well done in Avatar, but it still seems to be more of a silly gadget and a desperate marketing ploy. I cannot see it working outside of big action movies, and even there, people will probably soon tire of it. If studios want a more immersive experience, they should look at higher resolution instead. Or invest in better storyboards.

8 points