# Avatar - The Empire review...!



## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

After A LOT OF HYPE surrounding James Cameron's Avatar, Empire have given its verdict and its a very good review overall....

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/review.asp?FID=133552

I'll try and catch this over the hols :thumb:

Edit: And for an alternative point of view.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/nov/26/avatar-james-cameron-3d


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## chillly (Jun 25, 2009)

Looking forward to this as well. looks wicked


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## aod (Apr 7, 2009)

Read about this in the paper today, it sounds like it might be really cheesy - I hope it will be epic!


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

totally unsure on this one... 

part of me says brilliant and part of me says hyped load of expensive trash 

best go an dsee it to see what all the fuss is about then


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## Warwickshire Detailer (Oct 11, 2009)

Can't wait to see this. I'll go this weekend


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## robj20 (Jan 20, 2009)

I cant make my mind up either, two films i know i want to see are the new clash of the titans and the Sherlock Holmes films.


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## qwertyuiop (Jul 3, 2009)

Heard its complete sh*te!


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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

Avatar also reviewed on Film 2009 tonight :thumb:


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2009)

yetizone said:


> Avatar also reviewed on Film 2009 tonight :thumb:


Thanks for the heads up. I'm looking forward to this film so I'll be interested to see what is said.


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## Rick74 (May 31, 2009)

saw it last nite and i really liked it,the effects are amazing


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## Warwickshire Detailer (Oct 11, 2009)

I'm just sat in the cinema watching the longggg adverts!!I swear the adverts get longer each time!!

I'll let you know what I think of it


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## Leemack (Mar 6, 2009)

:lol:

Even on DW whilst in the cinema - Dedication


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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

W_VRS said:


> I'm just sat in the cinema watching the longggg adverts!!I swear the adverts!!
> 
> I'll let you know what I think of it


Brilliant - :lol:

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. I've just downloaded Mark Kermode's podcast from iTunes, so that should be a laugh..! Jonathon Ross gave it a rave review on Film 2009 the other night - good enough for me 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lvdrj

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/kermode/

Edit: I'm hoping to go and see it next week sometime so will report back


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## Warwickshire Detailer (Oct 11, 2009)

Showshine said:


> :lol:
> 
> Even on DW whilst in the cinema - Dedication


:lol: iPhone comes in handy when out an about!

We watched it in 3D and I personally thought the film was very impressive.

The graphics were really good compared to recent films like 2012! The technology used to make films like this just amasses me!!

Top film :thumb:


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## GIZTO29 (May 8, 2009)

Ive just been to see it at the new Odeon in Newcastle in the main 3D Digital IMAX screen and i was blown away by it! First 3D movie ive seen since 1980 lol and the technology is defo at the right place to be the norm in cinema now. No quezyness which some have complained of and 3D and effects aside the story was a good one. Its quite long but you didnt notice it atall. 10/10 from me!:thumb:


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## Warwickshire Detailer (Oct 11, 2009)

GIZTO29 said:


> Ive just been to see it at the new Odeon in Newcastle in the main 3D Digital IMAX screen and i was blown away by it! First 3D movie ive seen since 1980 lol and the technology is defo at the right place to be the norm in cinema now. No quezyness which some have complained of and 3D and effects aside the story was a good one. Its quite long but you didnt notice it atall. 10/10 from me!:thumb:


I was blown away too :thumb:


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## chris197sport (Aug 12, 2007)

For me nothing comes close to this movie... Amazed by it! 11 out of 10 for me ;-)


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## 03OKH (May 2, 2009)

Saw it in 2D on Monday. 9/10 for me. Worth watching. :thumb:


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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

Ahhh - so frustrating as I missed my opportunity to see it last week! All being well I'll go and see it next week sometime :thumb:

It even got a fairly decent review from the good Doctor Mark Kermode :doublesho


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## JCW85 (Oct 29, 2009)

Unbelievable film - watched it last night with the missus and was just breath taking. :thumb:


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## Maggi200 (Aug 21, 2009)

I watched it and loved it. Best bit for me was at the end, girlfriend turns and asks what an avatar is! Then on the way home asks what the film was about as she didn't get it. Sign of a good film for me  didn't help we missed the first few mins thanks to the incompetence of cinema staff in hemel hempstead!


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## akimel (Oct 25, 2008)

I just got back from the theater, after seeing Avatar for the second time. The film is just as good if not better on the second viewing. Yes, the story is derivative (think: "Dances with Wolves," "Ferngully," "Last of the Mohicans," and "Independence Day"), but it still stands on its own. Most importantly, the world of Pandora is breathtaking and the CGI and 3-D are simply the best I have ever seen in a movie. It is a unique cinematic experience. I give it 4.5 stars out of 5.


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## ivor (Sep 24, 2008)

i watched this online the other night and thought it was good film but then again anything James Cameron does i like even bloody titanic


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## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)




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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

:lol: I want to see it even more now!


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## ivor (Sep 24, 2008)

watch this it's interesting 
http://avmedia.popularmechanics.com...d=377000833&bclid=452310430&bctid=56076358001


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## Coxy914 (Jan 14, 2007)

qwertyuiop said:


> Heard its complete sh*te!


thanks for the superb review!! Look on here and you'll see plenty who can say the opposite.

Honestly, take it from me, go and see it. I hadn't been to the cinema for 12 years but decided to take my son over Christmas to go and see it in 3-D and it was absolutely superb.


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## remal (Dec 10, 2007)

tickets booked for Friday to take the wife. watching it in 3D in my local Vue

But £9.85 a ticket :doublesho


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## robj20 (Jan 20, 2009)

Thats nothing i paid over £20 second time for it in the IMAX premium.


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## remal (Dec 10, 2007)

I never been to a IMAX. I don't think the one in bristol is going any more either


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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

ivor said:


> watch this it's interesting
> http://avmedia.popularmechanics.com...d=377000833&bclid=452310430&bctid=56076358001


That was an interesting listen / watch - many thanks for posting the link :thumb:

When interviewed for the movie launch you get some info on the 5 min soundbite press junket interviews, but there is little opportunity to get any in-depth background info. That 25min interview with James Cameron was a real eye opener as to some of the techniques they employed and the influence of the Lord of the Rings movies too - especially the CGI Gollum character. Good stuff


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## remal (Dec 10, 2007)

went last night and WOW just blown away with it. it will be one of the movies that will go down in history , I kid you not. Watched it in 3D and was amazing. 

worth the £9:85 a ticket to watch it in 3D. hell yea. neve went back to watch another movie in the cinima before but going to get tickets for it next week. 

great story, acting, effect's. was eye candy 

well I thought so:thumb:


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

looking back at the movie thread i must admit i look like a bit of a miserable ******* (honestly thi isnt true lol) and i know i have slated transformers 2 and inglorious (some of the bigger films of the year BUT,AM I THE ONLY ONE NOT IN LOVE WITH AVATAR ?

*******************SPOILER ALERT BELOW**********************

Jake Sully is revealed as a traitor who's been spying on the Nav'i for the humans. The humans then show up during this revelation, and immediately blast the Na'vi's big old Ewok Tree to ribbons during a "relocation" operation. And because she recently ****ed the guy, the hot blue chick whose name I can't spell is decent enough to tell Jake to just go away. PERFECTLY REASONABLE.

So what does Jake do? He trudges off and tames the biggest dino-bird in the sky and flies it back to where all the native refugees are hiding. And they IMMEDIATELY -- with no argument or hesitation -- the natives declare him their new warrior god and leader because this dino-bird is supposed to be really hard to tame. Like, there's not even a SECOND of "Um, hey, this guy proved himself untrustworthy in the last ****ing scene." It's idiotic. It's bad drama.

AND THEN THIS

"A bit of plot logic I thought was ****ing ludicrous. They set up Neytiri's granddad as being the only guy to fly the big badass dragon, and that's what made him king. But all Jake does [to master the same breed of dragon] is GO UP [and drop onto the dragon from above, mastering it immediately]. That's the extent of his special ability. Why has NOBODY ELSE in the tribe thought of this? He flies straight up over the dragon, and then drops onto it and plugs his ponytail into it. That's all ANYONE had to do. These people fly all ****ing day long, and nobody thought, 'What if I go way, WAY up, and then just jump onto the big red one?'"

the above are my not my own words but i have to agree 100% with what has been said above.its a stunning film to look at,but thats it.its not as deep as the abyss,as multilayered as aliens or even as hard nosed as terminator.for me a james cameron film this isnt,i just felt a bit letdown by it all.previous cameron works all had some form of steel to the story but this is derivative and very simplistic story wise for cameron.and my eyes hurt from the 3d after a while,i had to keep taking the glasses off (not a huge thing granted) but people bang on about this "changing film making forever" are they mad lmfao.


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

I saw it last night (3D, not IMAX though) with my wife and another couple - we were all blown away.

I want a dragon!!!


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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

Aaaahhh - I've still not had the chance to go and see it yet  :wall:

Hopefully next week :lol:


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## MX51ROD (Jun 13, 2008)

silverback said:


> and my eyes hurt from the 3d after a while,i had to keep taking the glasses off (not a huge thing granted) but people bang on about this "changing film making forever" are they mad lmfao.


I had the same problem in fact I had a headache for 2 days after , then I read this 
http://www.slate.com/id/2215265/pagenum/all/

it apperrs we are not alone , but the eye strain preblem is kept quiet 
with regards to the film , err, long ,very clever FX , although as well as my eyes , also my butt also ached

Rod


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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

Hi all. 

Finally got to see Avatar this evening  

A quick review - really enjoyed the film and through it was great fun! Cracking stuff overall.

If you are interested in a long review, here's a copy and paste from an email sent to an old mate who's a total movie nut and also runs a well known Sci-Fi blog. We often keep in touch with movie news / reviews etc due to our love of film....

--

Yeah - I finally got to see Avatar..!!!! In full (glorious?) 3D as well. I tried to see it twice over the hols, but I was foiled on each occasion with extended family stuff going on and the snow (Faaaarrk)...!

Very interesting movie all round. Not the greatest plot, pretty basic really. I'd say Its just a cowboys and indians movie blasted into space, its as simple as that. I was expecting John Wayne or Clint Eastwood to pop up at any moment and 'bag' a couple of Na'Vi LOL! The dialogue / script is average overall and even poor in places, especially the rousing 'call to arms speech ' - I let out a bit of a titter at that bit in all honesty. Pretty obvious cliched villains and no real plot twists to speak of either. From that point of view, Its not great Sci-Fi and was a little disappointing IMHO.

But, and its a big 'but' (as it were!) - as a wholly immersive cinematic experience it has to be one of the most successful films that I've seen in recent years. Quite simply, James Cameron has paid such attention to his invented world, that you 'believe' and are transported to another place - exactly what the movie experience should be about. For that alone it worked for me and gets a top 5 star rating. 

The attention to detail and the visual invention he and Weta have brought to the planet environment is breathtaking. The motion capture techniques when used with the actors facial expressions and applied to the CGI characters themselves are nothing short of a triumph - a real leap forward in what's possible for film making. Just brilliant! 

It flows along pretty well as a movie too, but it does have its flat spots, to be expected really at 2.5 hours long. What held my attention during these moments were the amusing 3D props - what's going to float out of the screen at you next..! Fun that.

This is the first contemporary 3D movie I've seen, and in all honesty I've avoided them as I thought it was going to be one big fat gimmick, always choosing the 2D version when at the flicks. For the first twenty minutes I thought I was right in dismissing 3D - I HATED its effect...! I didn't like the slight darkening that the glasses brought, it gave me a slight headache to begin with and the first few 'pointy pointy' spacial effects were just a bit annoying, but after a while it pretty much won me over as my eyes adjusted to focusing in a 3D space rather than on the usual flat projected 2D cinema screen image. It definitely brought heightened spectacle to the flying scenes, the epic battles - specifically the tracer bullets movement - that was handled well. But in some ways I thought it worked best on the calmer moments, the forest floor, the foreground of the leaves and trees moving and creating foreground space, the trick of mimicking camera focal length, flying bugs in the peripheral vision etc etc, all helping define a convincing 3D world. Loved all of that - great stuuuuff!

I'm not a total convert to 3D cinema but I did enjoy it in this case and I think if I'd watched Avatar, or any movie that requires total suspension of disbelief in the 2D version, I may not have found the CGI world or characters as convincing or involving. Whatever - it certainly worked for this movie for sure! I can see 3D working brilliantly on something like Toy Story 3 where it makes the very stylised digital world even more convincing. Can't wait to see what Weta do with the CGI Tin Tin as well.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts D..!

--

Still with me? - Thought not - yawn - :lol: ..!


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

I'm really looking forward to this, just a shame it's not in 3D anywhere near me 

I also found this review of it http://failblog.org/2010/01/10/avatar-plot-fail/


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## Tyrefryer (Jan 2, 2010)

yetizone said:


> If you are interested in a long review, here's a copy and paste from an email sent to an old mate who's a total movie nut and also runs a well known Sci-Fi blog.


Have seen it this week and I totally agree with this review :thumb:


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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

More Avatar news from the bods at Empire - a mini featurette documentary - Creating The World of Pandora...

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=26767

Edit: Wait till you see the 'virtual camera' and 'simul camera' in action where the director can see the acting and the projected CGI background in real time. Jaw dropping!


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## yetizone (Jun 25, 2008)

Blimey - and it even takes the largest box office record too...!...

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=26816


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