Avatar (12A)

The problem with art or film experts is that they have to defend their own idea of what makes them insightful in every review. They therefore find it compulsory to dismiss anything that doesn't impress their cultivated sense of appreciation. Just remember that they won't be remembered and many of the films that they ridicule will outlast them in every way. They have to justify what is, after all, a pretty pointless contribution to our culture compared to film-makers. Oh yes - Avatar was great fun from beginning to end. If anyone knows of a more spectacular visual experience, I would like to know. If I want intellectual challenges I'll watch Tarkovsky (critics will feel more comfortable with him, of course). I like fantasy. But to intellectuals, it is shallow and immature, lacking resonance with 'real' life experience. This will never change, of course.

Dialogue is trully cringe-worthy at points and the plot is very samey, but by gosh are the visuals impressive. Probably no point seeing unless in 3D, but it just about warrants almost 3 hours (yep) of your time. Now all we need is for someone to write a good film to use this technology, I can't help thinking what LOTR would have been like in 3D.

Avatar is a shameless imitation of a recent South Park episode "Dances with Smurfs" (albeit with a slight improvement in animation).

Dances with Wolves in FernGully. I just went with the flow and enjoyed it. The script was just a means to an end – you could follow the film with the sound off. The CGI must have taken an age to programme. Although like a computer game, the visuals are breathtaking. I've spent a tenner on far worse things. Look at it this way: £10 for a film that took thousands of painstaking man hours to complete and £15 to park the bloody car on a strip of tarmac that took ten minutes to lay. It's all relative, man.

It's not perfect, but it looks like nothing that's come before it! And the simple message is sound: stop messing with nature. It seems to me that the TO reviewer needs a holiday. Or perhaps a career change.

I'm so sick of pompous reviews for this film along the lines of: "This isn't the greatest film ever made - two stars". The plot may be on the predictable side, but that doesn't stop this being hands down the best cinema experience of the year. Go see it. In 3D.

I expected a churlish, mean-spirited review from the literary/cinematic establishment. To be honest, there are aspects of Avatar that leave it open to easy swipes: it veers more towards Disney's 'Pocahontas' than 'The Last of the Mohicans' at times, especially in the treatment of the relationship between dumb but likeable Jake's avatar and the sassy, spirited, 'kick-ass' alien 'princess' (e.g. she pleads for his life as her tribe, sorry, clan) wants to kill him. A bit embarrassing in the phlosophical department? Yes, I thought so, but the basic message (however cliched and often repeated in Hollywood 'conscience' films like 'Dances with Wolves' - "Shall I dance with them?" Jake even asks about the aliens!), seems to ring true about mankind/Western civilization at its worst, destroying everything it touches, and then moving on to other planets... I don't think anyone has mentioned the little 'messages' about getting messed up in foreign wars with underlying motives of grabbing precious mineral resources... Is 'the company' , with its mercenary soldiers, a veiled reference to Haliburton et al? Possibly, in Hollywood liberal terms, there's a 'message' here that's not too hard to fathom. But anyway, as someone said, all that is by-the-by: just let it roll over you; it's a visual and aural treat, especially in 3-D - there's something magical (sorry) and childlike about the experience. Grumpy as I am (in Huddlestonian terms), I had to suppress lots of oohs and ahhs...sheer pleasure at seeing what cinema can now do. Will the day come when we will sit immersed in some kind of sensory bubble, where we actually feel we are there, much as Jake Sully lies in an incubator, experiencing wonders through his avator's body? Scary but exhilarating thought... Better scripted films will be made using similar effects, but for now - four stars!

Amazing film, best I,ve EVER SEEN and i've seen loads its astonishing how they made it

appologies to jack,meant to ay jim at the end of the last post!! Jack is quite clearly a man of great taste

what jim and huddlestone clearly struggle with is the acceptance of cinema as an escapist piece of art!! I studied art for 5 years and ended up hating the tossers who disected every print or painting I liked.it took me 3 seconds to decide if giger, dali or royo had painted something that looked good.Then much like movie critic no brain toss pots do,someone would come along and say some bol**x about the light and the vision and the composition...If I like a film I dont need to go around the arse end of the world telling others that it was good or great. I just say "yes it was great"(star ratings give a clear indicator also) and why should someone not be allowed to say that this film was the best they have ever seen??? how the f**k do you know what else they have seen you arrogant little man.. To all who liked this film I say well done for appreciating a stunning ground breaking movie that trakes us on that magical ride we crave at the box office desk picking up our tickets!!! as for you jack(GRUMPY GRUMPERSON) stop calling people morons for liking movies you are too up your own bottom to enjoy!!! Jockcelt rests m'lord!!!