Welcome to the show folks, if you spent any time on-line today you've probably heard that they released the trailer for James Cameron's Avatar.
Or at least they tried to release the trailer. So far the only version I've been able to see was a French version, sans any real dialogue, and while some complained that the blue alien critters still looks all CGI, I thought everyone looked like they were CGI, even the human actors.
I don't want to trash James Cameron, during the 1980s and 1990s he was one of my few living film-making idols. Terminator, Aliens, T2: Judgment Day, and True Lies, set a standard for action adventure storytelling. Now I couldn't bring myself to see Titanic, because the whole tween Leomania, and that goddamn Celine Dion song turned me off that movie, but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and was actually glad for all the success it had.
But I'm really worried about Avatar, he spent too long waiting for technology to catch up to his ego, and I fear it's made him a lazy writer. You already know of my suspicions that the film will be Dances With Wolves in outer space. The preview and publicity stills don't inspire much confidence either, and I'm not talking about the often malfunctioning English language trailer. I'm talking about the creeping cliches...
Or at least they tried to release the trailer. So far the only version I've been able to see was a French version, sans any real dialogue, and while some complained that the blue alien critters still looks all CGI, I thought everyone looked like they were CGI, even the human actors.
I don't want to trash James Cameron, during the 1980s and 1990s he was one of my few living film-making idols. Terminator, Aliens, T2: Judgment Day, and True Lies, set a standard for action adventure storytelling. Now I couldn't bring myself to see Titanic, because the whole tween Leomania, and that goddamn Celine Dion song turned me off that movie, but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and was actually glad for all the success it had.
But I'm really worried about Avatar, he spent too long waiting for technology to catch up to his ego, and I fear it's made him a lazy writer. You already know of my suspicions that the film will be Dances With Wolves in outer space. The preview and publicity stills don't inspire much confidence either, and I'm not talking about the often malfunctioning English language trailer. I'm talking about the creeping cliches...
1. Crippled bitter veteran lingering in a redneck bar while white trash play pool and no doubt some country music plays on the jukebox.CHECK.
2. Hard-ass (he's got scars to prove it) commander who is probably going to turn out to be a nut. CHECK.
3. The tough yet sensitive chick who won't let her sensitivity ruin her butt-kicking.CHECK.
4. The oily bureaucrat/middle-management businessman who represents the sinister military/industrial complex who wears a tie half a dozen light years from Earth.CHECK.
5. The mature and intelligent doctor/scientist who acts as the voice of reason and cultural sensitivity.
CHECK.
I hope I'm wrong, I really do, but when it comes to Hollywood, I rarely turn out to be wrong, which is actually kind of sad.
Anyway, we can always hope.
Anyway, we can always hope.
Ok....
ReplyDeleteI went to the Apple trailers site and managed without any trouble to see the trailer.
Visually impressive, I'll give it that. I'm still very much worried about the story, though.
At least I don't have to worry about wasting money to see it. I don't go to the theater anymore and by the time things hit DVD I usually have a pretty good idea of what is worth buying.
This one goes on the "maybe" list. I'll give the trailer that much. It had been on the "not interested" list.
I will give them props for making it seem like the planet actually has a biosphere. Of course it also gets demerits for those floating mountains. Seriously, WTF? In the real universe rocks fall down. They only float if you've established that the persons in charge have invented anti-gravity of some sort. I don't really see that with the aborigines portrayed here.
3. The tough yet sensitive chick who won't let her sensitivity ruin her butt-kicking.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that every role Michelle Rodriguez has ever done?
Also, if you still had any doubts about this being "Sci-fi Dances with Wolves using Night Elves", the synopsis on Wikipedia will dash all of that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_%282009_film%29
"but when it comes to Hollywood, I rarely turn out to be wrong, which is actually kind of sad."
ReplyDeleteIt's a gift, and a curse... This humbly said, I know that feeling. I once thought to rent Nikki Finke's "Toldja!" Finally I opted for "This will not be a surprise for the readers of this blog"... lol
Dirty Dingus McGee -the first- says:
ReplyDeleteCan't write much about the movie outside of what I saw in all those Very, Very clean scenes. Even in the jungles it looked spotless. The feeling of "dirt", "dust", or "grim" looked like painted on textures you see all the time in a console game.
Honestly, I can't wait for the sequel for 'Avatar' when level headed Military men back on Earth do the hand to face slap and order the retreat off the planet. Following that, you then see an "ewok" styled celebration with the -Traitor of Mankind- doing lovy dovey junk with his alien amazon when the Entire city he's in is instantly obliterated by a Massive Manhattan sized asteroid!
You see, the ever so sensible plan from the very beginning was to either:
(a) drop a Planet Cracker and then mine the debris. Or...
(b) Just use Orbital Bombardment on the entire moon for up to 54 Months, while coming back down and start the mining in the center of the first hit inside those months.
Must of been some grubby Military / Corporate stooge deciding on neither for profit loss concerns.
the first two options are Win-Win solutions in my opinion.
That'll be the True Epic I'll be waiting for.
Dirty Dingus McGee -the first- says:
ReplyDeleteIn reference to Mr. D's ideas about what's to happen is rated in me eyes as Two Thumbs Up!
..Right into the publics' eye sockets! This looks to be camaron trying to channel in his past by mixing up Aliens -this one in reverse- and The Abyss. To cough this one out with "better" special effects and pull the wool over the publics' head with this "re-imagining" of his past better works.
Shame on the Kign of the World!
if you still had any doubts about this being "Sci-fi Dances with Wolves using Night Elves", the synopsis on Wikipedia will dash all of that.
ReplyDeleteRead it. Copy.
I'll pick it up from the $1.00 rental bin 2 years from now. Likely have to fast forward through the "story" to the good military effects stuff.