# Avatar (Pre-release speculation) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 15, 2009, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336 "2009-12-15T08:56:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/21 "2009-12-15T12:38:10Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Dammit, I wish the pre-release meh’ing could have been kept to the other thread and this (or another) one reserved for people who’ve ACTUALLY SEEN THE MOVIE! Point taken. I’ve edited the thread title, so this thread is about expectations BEFORE you go to see the film. Whoever wants can open a second thread about the film AFTER you’ve seen it. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/22 "2009-12-15T12:39:16Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Dammit, I wish the pre-release meh’ing could have been kept to the other thread and this (or another) one reserved for people who’ve ACTUALLY SEEN THE MOVIE! > > Now, if I see it, and I try to start another thread, it’ll just be merged into this one. To hell with that. That other thread is custom-made for folks who think that’s it’s so fucking cool to say how bad a movie is going to be in advance and how oh-so-yawnworthy the prospect of seeing the film is going to be. It’s the whole premise of the other thread. > > In any case, I’m 53, female, excited like a little kid on Christmas, thinking about going to see the IMAX 3D midnight show Thursday night, am pretty sure I’ll love it even though I hate the trailer (haven’t clicked on the one in the OP so I don’t know if it’s the same one I’ve been seeing in the theaters), love **Titanic** and think it’s a great movie, btw (though I was rooting for **LA Confidential** to win the Oscar), wouldn’t miss this theater experience for anything short of death, will certainly see it at least twice, one 3D and one regular viewing, and this is probably the only time I’ll post in this thread. Yes my dear, but you see more films in a week than I have gone to on a year. You are not an average moviegoer. I am not interested in this film, although I have noted that my sixteen-year-old daughter is looking forward to it. The special effects look good (how can dragon-riders versus attack helicopters \*not \*be cool) but everything I have seen of the plot is banal. The “soldier sent to infiltrate the peaceful natives realizes that they are better people and must be protected” has been done very well many, many times. (I know it is like watching a magician – you need to appreciate how the performer does the trick even if you know how the trick is done.) Also, I know that war is bad, and not destroying the environment is good. I do not feel I need another lecture on this disguised as ground-breaking entertainment. I am willing to change my mind on this film after it is released and people have actually seen it. I appreciate that other folks are eagerly awaiting it, I just hope to be spared the implication that I am a pig-ignorant philistine because I do not care. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/23 "2009-12-15T12:39:30Z")
I am definitely looking forward to this though I don’t know if I will go on opening weekend. I have a feeling this could be a landmark film which breaks boxoffice records and give a huge boost to the new 3-D technology. Early reviews seem to be good with 86% on Rotten Tomatoes as of now. At the least it should be decent entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![ajb867](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@ajb867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajb867)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/24 "2009-12-15T12:54:02Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Point taken. I’ve edited the thread title, so this thread is about expectations BEFORE you go to see the film. Whoever wants can open a second thread about the film AFTER you’ve seen it. Isn’t that a tad redundant? I did not want to limit this thread to just pre-speculation. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/25 "2009-12-15T13:08:45Z")
> [@ajb867](#): > > Isn’t that a tad redundant? I did not want to limit this thread to just pre-speculation. Threads are cheap. A new one can be opened easily when the topic of discussion has changed from “Who’s looking forward to this” to “I just saw this and…” ---
**Author:** ![ajb867](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@ajb867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajb867)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/26 "2009-12-15T13:12:54Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Threads are cheap. A new one can be opened easily when the topic of discussion has changed from “Who’s looking forward to this” to “I just saw this and…” You should start that thread after you see the movie with your daughter! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/27 "2009-12-15T13:19:51Z")
> [@Shot\_Clock](#): > > Looks cool! But how long do you think it will be before some jackass comes out railing against the movie for being "a thinly Uhh…have you read Cameron’s own statements about the politics of the movie? There’s no disguise about it, man. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/28 "2009-12-15T13:27:00Z")
> [@ajb867](#): > > You should start that thread after you see the movie with your daughter! 🙂 She’s sixteen. She doesn’t want to go to movies with her dad. (Except **Inglourious Basterds** , which none of her friends wanted to see.) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/29 "2009-12-15T14:51:55Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Point taken. I’ve edited the thread title, so this thread is about expectations BEFORE you go to see the film. Whoever wants can open a second thread about the film AFTER you’ve seen it. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/30 "2009-12-15T15:35:37Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > honestly, no. > > I just don’t get the buzz that this movie is apparently generating. > > Perhaps I’m not the target audience for this type of movie, but I’m curious… are people in my age group (early 40’s) interested in this movie, or is this for the late teens, early 20’s demographic? I am interested in seeing it. (42 yo) ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/31 "2009-12-15T15:53:48Z")
It was nominated for a Best Picture Golden Globe award…that’s something for a sci-fi movie. ---
**Author:** ![Xavier\_T.Nougat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bcef8e/32.png) [@Xavier\_T.Nougat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xavier_T.Nougat)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/32 "2009-12-15T16:08:12Z")
I’m definitely interested in seeing it, and as soon as possible. My wife and I were going to go on Friday morning in order to (hopefully) beat the rush of high school students throughout the rest of the day. I’ve also been trying to keep myself as spoiler-free as possible about the movie. I’m very excited, but not necessarily expecting much, if that makes any sense. The only time I ever hyped up a movie for myself for 2 years and I was actually satisfied with the end result was _Wall-E_. Every other time, I ended up being disappointed. (Not that the hyped movies were bad, they just couldn’t possibly meet my lofty expectations after 2 years - or more.) So, I wouldn’t say that I’m one of those “Meh” people, but more like, “If I expect anything better than ‘meh’ at this point, I’ll get burned.” For what it’s worth, I’m 25. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/33 "2009-12-15T16:11:17Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Now, if I see it, and I try to start another thread, it’ll just be merged into this one. To hell with that. That other thread is custom-made for folks who think that’s it’s so fucking cool to say how bad a movie is going to be in advance and how oh-so-yawnworthy the prospect of seeing the film is going to be. It’s the whole premise of the other thread. We’re not mehing it to be cool. We’re mehing it because we don’t understand why Avatar is getting hyped as the movie that will change everything. OK, yeah… 3D… new camera system… Jimmy Cameron directs… so what? It’s just another action movie that may or may not be amazing after the hype sheen wears off. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/34 "2009-12-15T16:56:53Z")
Well, we’re not getting much hype at this end of the world, which is probably why I’m so excited about it. Nobody has to \*tell \*me to go see the newest action-sci-fi movie from one of the world’s greatest directors of action-sci-fi movies. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/35 "2009-12-15T17:08:40Z")
I’m totally stoked to see this! I’ll be there Friday morning to by tickets for the 3-D show that night. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/36 "2009-12-15T17:15:18Z")
Well it was overhyped, and then the trailers/previews failed to live up to the ‘finally perfect CGI’ claims, so that soured it a bit. And of course it’s obvious that there will be a juvenile white man vs the natives theme hitting you over the head. I also seriously did not appreciate the hamfisted raping of the Bones episode two weeks ago by an Avatar in-show advertisement theme. That said, it still looks visually astonishing, the plot though juvenile looks exciting (nothing wrong with a popcorn movie), and I like most of the actors so yes I’ll be seeing this, and I’m excited. In 3D “IMAX” of course and I suspect I’ll see it more than once though Sherlock Holmes may be an obstacle to that. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/37 "2009-12-15T17:55:34Z")
I’ll give him this: Cameron’s got [balls of steel and is totally nuts](http://techland.com/2009/12/14/james-cameron-almost-died-making-the-abyss/). ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/38 "2009-12-15T18:11:57Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Well, we’re not getting much hype at this end of the world, which is probably why I’m so excited about it. Nobody has to \*tell \*me to go see the newest action-sci-fi movie from one of the world’s greatest directors of action-sci-fi movies. No kidding. It’s not like **Titanic** was the only film he ever made (which seems to be the inevitable comparison in these types of threads). I’ll probably go see it next week, when the semester is officially over and the last paper has been graded. I expect I’ll enjoy the hell out of it. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/39 "2009-12-15T18:29:00Z")
I’m not trying to piss in anyone’s Cheerio’s here, but it just looks horrible. Maybe I’m missing something when I’ve seen the previews, but the CGI looks very CGI/Jar Jar Binks. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/40 "2009-12-15T19:03:50Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > I’m not trying to piss in anyone’s Cheerio’s here, but it just looks horrible. Maybe I’m missing something when I’ve seen the previews, but the CGI looks very CGI/Jar Jar Binks. Simon Pegg went to the London premiere and later reported on his Twitter that the CGI was pretty amazing. In fact, he said that he predicted a Star Wars VII with all the “original actors.” He clarified that he didn’t think it should be done, but “Because MoCap tech will eventually be able render physically naturalistic & photorealistic versions of any actor alive or dead.” I don’t know if the film itself is any good, but I doubt very, very much that the CGI work is comparable to 10 years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336.md?page=3)