Just saw it during the holidays.
This is a movie I wish I could love, but can't.
I loved it for its pure entertainment aspect, and the fact that's (at least in 3D) a unique experience. The 3D, but mostly Cameron's work make the movie so immersive, it is so good to have the feeling of being part of it, of evolving on Pandora with the other characters.
But - and this the big deal for me - the story is so... lame, damn it! Even if I knew that this was a little bit intentional to take a simple story and put it in a particular environment, I don't understand how Cameron could have written a so conventional story.
It is this kind of story where you have the instant feeling of having seen it thousands of time before, all is expected, not even a little surprise in it, nothing...
"First, I was following orders, then..." : I don't even know how many times I've heard these words before...
Another thing that bothered me: Pandora. I loved it, but I wished animals and Na'vis were a little more... exotic. I mean, animals are nothing more than slightly modified regular earth creatures (rhinos, horses, etc...).
And the Na'vis: I don't want to seem like a guy who search for racism where there are not, but why do americans always see aliens like black people? I understand that for an american, Africa might seems uber-exotic, but I just wished Na'vis were more than a mix of african with a little bit of idian (or native americans) tribes, with cat faces.
And by the way, I don't remember having seen any black human in the movie. Again, I'm not saying that Cameron is a racist, but... well... it's weird.
And with this typical story, seen so many times in US movies, there's also a point I've never liked: basically, the white guy save the poor "savages" who could have done nothing but die without him. A weakness in a story that preach that technology can be crashed by natives and their culture.
So (sorry for the long post) all that to say that except the terrible story (that could have been written for a Disney movie), Avatar is a very good entertainment. I just hope the following episodes will have a stronger story.

And if not, let's hope Na'vi will decide to take their revenge, and we'll see fully 3D epic space battles with lots of pew pews. ... Oh wait, that would actually make me even MORE happy than a good story.

Me too, I would like to see an avatar universe, with battles, characters and their stories set on different planets and all that.
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http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=62053

Just saw this.
Pretty, but trite.
The subject matter it covers are pretty important to me, personally, e.g. human impact on environment (and I don't mean just today, I mean in the long term such as millennia from now) and each other (genocide, displacement etc).
Avatar incorporates these issues and mixes them with giant blue gangly humanoids, two dimensional characters and aspects from aboriginal belief in the dreamtime which most people will interpet as new age mumbo jumbo...
Ultimately it's a very pretty action film with a conveniently topical eco slant. It will rake in billions and do absolutely nothing to prevent the real-life equivalents of the things it depicts . And that depresses me hugely.

My cousin says it is awesome, but I don't go to theaters. I get stuff on DVD and from what I read might even pre-order the DVD.

We talked earlier in this thread, that renting or buying it to watch on a TV doesn't offer the same level of immersion than of watching it on a theater. (and watching on a 3D theater is even better, from testimonials that I've read so far).
EDIT: that, if you don't have any medical/physical condition that stop you of going to a theater, ok? ;)

This
http://de.fishki.net/picsw/122009/21/pics/photopodborka_152.jpg
And this
http://i47.tinypic.com/6puxi1.jpg
sums up Avatar pretty much.
Just kidding, but it did make me smile.
I loved Avatar, loved everything about it, it was an epic, amazing adventure.
Sure the story could've used some work, but I still enjoyed it. (just because it's been told before, doesn't mean it sucks)
Though I can perfectly see how a lot of people aren't impressed by it and/or didn't like it.
Still, I say go check in out for yourself, deffinitely in a theatre, and in 3-D. (DO IT!)
James Cameron proved once again, that he's really the king of the world.
And since Avatar has grossed over $1 billion there's really no doubt of a sequel now.
So here's to hoping that Cameron will make a 3rd best sequel ever made.
Too bad that we're probably gonna see it very soon, I was hoping for his adaptation of Battle Angel to be his next film.

well... this is not exactly accurate but funny nevertheless.

The story and characters were garbage. But the special effects were nice. I enjoyed it.

I loved it for what it was, a sci-fi Dances with Wolves. No real originality there, no stellar performances, characters were formulaic but the effects were fabulous and the story did keep me entertained the whole time (there is a reason why formulas work). It really felt like I was looking at another world.

Nope, just don't like theaters at all. When I watch movies alone I absorb much much more and get into it, with other people around I hear them shuffling/eating and had a bad experience as a kid with a couple making out next to me for a whole movie, yet it was so packed I couldn't get another seat. I don't do theaters.

Too bad Cameron cut out the hot Na'Vi sex scene
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/524391

Yay. After weeks of everyone talking about it i finally got to see it!!!
It's pretty much as others have said. I enjoyed it. the SFX were pretty amazing (for the first time i can remember in a movie, NOTHING looked CGi). Everything was good. But I've seen this story several times before. There wasn't a single moment that wasn't totally predictable from the beginning.
In many ways that didn't matter, as it was still a simple, enjoyable ride. But I can't help but imagine how much better it could have been if they'd done something at least a little unpredictable.
I found that I enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second. Maybe it was just the newness of the 3d/cgi/world... but when it was just them exploring the world, and seeing all the cool alien life-forms I enjoyed it.
From the moment Sigourney Weaver stopped being in the movie, I kind of lost interest a little. The final battle didn't seem as dramatic or impressive as others i've seen. (star wars, two towers, etc...).
I liked the bits where he was doing video-logs, as it felt like a slight change of style... if they'd upped that, made a few of the marines more human and therefore introduced more torn emotions, and generally had more Weaver then it'd have been a much more interesting movie in the long run.
The marine colonel was awesome though.... he was the Quake3 marine in human form.

Anyone posted this ?