Avatar - the must see? (From Watford Observer)

Avatar - the must see?

3:44pm Saturday 13th February 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

I finally went to see Avatar last night, after weeks of people telling me how amazing it is and that it's a 'must see', although I was not convinced that it would be the type of film I would enjoy. However, in the end, I was getting quite excited...

For those of you who have not seen it yet: Avatar is the story of an ex–Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, with a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people.

Luckily we arrived in plenty of time; the cinema was full! We were handed our 3D glasses and then took our seats. There was around a half an hour wait as we were ridiculously early, then, suddenly, the lights went down and it told us to put on our glasses. I thought to my self: here we go, the moment of truth! To my dismay, it was only some more adverts but in 3D; a clever touch, but was it necessary? After the adverts it really was the moment of truth and it began.

The first scene was astonishing, so much action and the technology was incredible but by the end of the film it seemed that the technology was all that it had going for it. 3 hours of advance technology where people have been able to turn into avatars, yes it was well done, but I wouldn't go much further than that. It could have done with being half an hour shorter or even an hour. Once we had seen the first attempted take over of Pandora (the land of the indigenous people) shortly after there was another. This was fused with a love story, a death of an avatar and lots of creatures attacking or being attacked.

I was surprised and disappointed about how much of the film were fighting scenes and I definitely would not go and see it again. I had gone with an open mind but my original perceptions were correct; not the type of film I would enjoy. At least I can now tell everyone who asks I've seen it but for me, it was not a 'must see'. As a way of a contrast, I am all ready to see 'Valentines Day', more of a romantic chick flick, and I am sure much more to my taste than Avatar.