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Avatar 3D

Avatar 3D

2009

After no doubt living like a king off the stupendous profits earned by Titanic (the highest grossing film of all time), James Cameron returns to directing blockbusters with the sci-fi action film Avatar. The story is set in 2154, where humanity has discovered the planet Alpha Centuri B-4, a world of not only unimaginable treasures and resources, but also deadly life forms. Those who attempt to use the resources for their own personal gain risk not only the new planet fittingly dubbed Pandora, but also the future of earth itself and all who inhabit it.

Cameron has developed a new visual technique, a dual lens stereoscopic camera, which is the closest cinematic approximation so far to the human eye and is expected to produce the most convincing 3D experience in movie history. It will be applied to the film’s live action scenes that constitute approximately half the film, the rest will be presented through cutting edge CGI techniques. Sigourney Weaver plays the lead role, re-uniting with Cameron for the first time since Aliens, with Michelle Rodriguez and Giovanni Ribisi other notable names to sign on. Some of the film is shot in New Zealand, and Peter Jackson's Weta Digital company is on board to help with visual effects.

Click here for Avatar screenings in 2D.

Starring Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang

Directed by James Cameron ('The Terminator', 'Aliens', 'The Abyss', 'True Lies', 'Titanic')

Written by James Cameron

Festivals & Awards Academy Award winner for Best Cinematogrpahy, Art Direction and Visual Effects, 2010. Golden Globe winner for Best Film and Director, 2010. BAFTA winner for Best Special Effects and Production Design, 2010.

Science Fiction, Adventure, Action, 3D | 2hr 41mins | Rated (M) | contains battle violence | Origin: USA | Official Site »

The Talk

22 votes / 6 comments

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  • ashy

    frickin mintege

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Flicks review

  •  5

    We’re happy to report that the most hyped film of the year actually lives up to what it promises. Avatar is a pulpy sci-fi adventure, delivering bar-raising visual effects and plenty of thrills.

    It’s fair to say that James Cameron’s return to directing is more of a technical accomplishment than a leap forward in storytelling, but while the strokes of the narrative are fairly broad, the inordinate level of visual detail is nothing short of astonishing.

    The early stages of the movie build anticipation (much like in Jurassic Park, we’re only told of dangers lurking beyond the fence) and then – boom – we’re dropped into the wild with the research team. The jungle environment of Pandora is fully immersive, packed with incidental background details like fluttering leaves or tiny bugs. The night-time bioluminescence is breathtakingly beautiful (we urge you to see this in 3-D if you can).

    A chance encounter with a particularly fearsome six-limbed beast separates ex-marine Jake Sully (a soulful Sam Worthington) from his fellow humans and leads to his eventual indoctrination with a native clan, replete with nipple-covering necklaces and Xena-ish war cries. State-of-the-art motion capture technology allows for an engaging performance from Zoe Saldana, charismatic as the chief’s daughter, Neytiri.

    The film’s lengthy middle section dabbles with hippie mantras and magic trees (aided by James Horner’s score of African harmonies, South American pan flutes and Asian drumming) but the eventual climactic battle scene is a fan-boy’s dream come true. A fleet of gunships and helicopters meet natives riding winged creatures in a psychedelic explosion-fest that will ctrl+alt+delete your eyeballs and overheat your brain.

    So the story rarely strays from classic formula, but Avatar is an experience. It’s escapism and adventure. At the dawn of a new decade, this movie is heralding a new wave of blockbuster entertainment, promising to take us to places as yet unseen.

    Agree? Disagree?...

The people's reviews

47 reviews

  • Not everyone is turning Blue

     3

    RebookeJJ

    A-Lister (?)

    Alot of ppl have mixed feelings on this movie but something, that stood out for me mainly was, the amazing Graphics, purely i think if there is another Avatar Movie it would be better, due to advice given from ppls coments all around.

    Agree? Disagree?...
  • A Great Moive

     4

    Sarah29

    Superstar (?)

    Avatar really is a great entertaining spectacle of a movie and the animation and graphics are exceptional

    Agree? Disagree?...
  • terry your wrong!!!

     5

    abcd!!!

    Nobody (?)

    terry that's sooooo not fair alien was the shiz sigourney weaver is the shiz and avatar waas the shiz.
    DON'T YOU EVER DISS SIGOURNEY WEAVER EVER AGAIN!!!
    i will sue you!!! and i mean it, i love sigourney weaver's acting and quite frankly it's just sad that you dissed her!!! i am soo upset i'm crying right now.
    i am sooo disapointed youd put her down like that
    i'm soo ashamed of you!!!
    let me just point out i'm 12 years old, look what youve done, now i will be depressed for life, but hay guess what there is a sigourney weaver film coming out and i will be seeing it if you like it then you will side with me and i wont put this sort of stuff on da web but if you go and diss her and tell me she's not da shiz i will SUE YOU go hide under a rock if you disagree thx for letting me have my oppinion said flicks.co.nz your da shiz quite frankly terry f.y.i you AIN'T from a diss apointed shiz loving sigourneyweaver fan who aint a fan of yours terry xx

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    • ashy

      yea u go girl!!!

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  • A for Awesome

     4

    Dave

    Nobody (?)

    Awesome movie love it and would watch it again

    Agree? Disagree?...
  • awesuuum

     5

    Paige

    Nobody (?)

    that movie was so good and i nearly cried because of it but its pretty good for 6 years or something lol.

    Agree? Disagree?...
  • The best frickin movie ever!!!

     5

    Maaia

    Nobody (?)

    Omg I frickin loved this movie, it had everything, action, drama, romance and just blew me away with the special effects. One of the best things about this movie is that it actually made you feel like you were there (in the movie) and in doing so, felt real. Definitly a 5 star movie and one I would absoulutely watch again and hope to get on DVD in 3D soon. Unbelievable, thank you James Cameron. I see now why it won so many awards. By the way, I thought the storyline was great, completely original. Luv this movie!!!!!
    :) The actors were also fantastic in their roles.

    Agree? Disagree?...
  • Experience is great, story is ripped-off

     5

    Len

    Nobody (?)

    As awhole this was one POWERFUL experience, I guess the 1970-1980's Starwars for our generation? A visual feast, if you can handle the crap story that has been blended from many hits - extracting the best of each to make a Frankenstein blockbuster - really Dances with Wolves meets Pochohontas or something. But who's really here for the story, this is must-see escapism at it's best, just overlook things like 'unobtainium' - are you kidding me, script people?
    Seen it 3 times already, gonna see it plenty more I'm sure, can't wait for the completed trilogy

    Agree? Disagree?...
  • 5 star movie, but only at the right venue

     5

    Nev

    Nobody (?)

    I saw this movie in 3D at Sylvia Park and absolutely loved it - my favourite movie ever. It was beautiful, thrilling and inspirational. The detail was amazing and the fantastical flora and fauna were stunning. We left the cinema feeling enchanted and elated and I knew if I had the opportunity I would see it again.
    I have just returned from seeing it at the Imax Queen Street cinema with my 16 year old son - what a huge disappointment. This venue just can’t do this movie justice. A lot of the 3D effects were depreciated to a blurry confusion and the magic was lost. I strongly recommend this movie but please choose carefully where you see it.

    Agree? Disagree?...
  • It's ok!

     3

    Hannah

    Nobody (?)

    I thought this movie was ok! But it look to long and I could of watch another movie with same storyline. I got bit bored!

    Agree? Disagree?...
  • Much better than I thought it would be...

     4

    Terry

    Nobody (?)

    I didn't want to go and see this movie. I hate movies with all the hype, I hate movies like Alien, I hate Sigourney Weaver, and I hate 'blockbusters'. BUT I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really enjoyed this 3D film, excellent special effects of course. It's American so you can't expect huge depth to the storyline such as something directed by Rolf Schubel. Although a couple of scenes in Avatar are a bit corny, unfortunately that is the American way; despite that, shock, horror, probe, I really really enjoyed it!!!

    Agree? Disagree?...

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Press Reviews

  • Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

    Once again, [Cameron] has silenced the doubters by simply delivering an extraordinary film. There is still at least one man in Hollywood who knows how to spend $250 million, or was it $300 million, wisely.
    Read full review

  • Christchurch Press (Chris Schulz)

     4

    James Cameron's stunning Avatar is ambitious but not quite adventurous enough.
    Read full review

  • Empire (UK)

     5

    A flawed but fantastic tour de force that, taken on its merits as a film, especially in two dimensions, warrants four stars. However, if you can wrap a pair of 3D glasses round your peepers, this becomes a transcendent, full-on five-star experience that's the closest we'll ever come to setting foot on a strange new world. Just don’t leave it so long next time, eh, Jim?
    Read full review

  • Hollywood Reporter

    A fully believable, flesh-and-blood (albeit not human flesh and blood) romance is the beating heart of "Avatar." Cameron has never made a movie just to show off visual pyrotechnics: Every bit of technology in "Avatar" serves the greater purpose of a deeply felt love story.
    Read full review

  • NZ Herald (Russell Baillie)

     5

    Go see. Be amazed. More so in 3D.
    Read full review

  • Total Film (UK)

    First, let’s be clear… Avatar is much more than a film. It’s a prescribed cinematic experience. Pure effect. The greatest sideshow on Earth... Game-changing - yes. Spectacular - absolutely. Occasional dodgy dialogue and dramatic imperfections - of course. But still - wait for it… - a titanic achievement.
    Read full review

  • Variety (USA)

    Avatar is all-enveloping and transporting, with Cameron & Co.'s years of R&D paying off with a film that, as his work has done before, raises the technical bar and throws down a challenge for the many other filmmakers toiling in the sci-fi/fantasy realm.
    Read full review

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