# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/41 "2009-12-15T19:25:38Z")
I’ve only seen footage, trailers and a scene on Letterman last night, on my television set, but the CGI doesn’t look very advanced to me. I would have expected the next advancement to bring it closer to me not being able to tell real from CGI. It all looks very CGI to me. The scene shown on Letterman with the female character interacting with a flying creature didn’t look as real as the scenes in the Harry Potter movie from a few years ago when the actors interacted with a CGI griffin-like creature. ---
**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, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/42 "2009-12-15T19:50:13Z")
> [@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. What’s wrong with CGI? \*The Incredibles \*was CGI. ---
**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, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/43 "2009-12-15T20:38:29Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > What’s wrong with CGI? \*The Incredibles \*was CGI. The Incredibles didn’t try to blend CGI with reality and that’s the difference. The CGI I have seen in the previews seems to be trying to mix the two together. If the whole movie were CGI, I don’t think I would have cared, but the fact that it’s blended with reality, well it just looks disjointed. This is, of course, just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/44 "2009-12-15T21:12:57Z")
I have not yet decided. I love 3D, but for whatever reason this has not caught my interest at all. So far I’ve read really good things about it though. I will wait I think, catch the buzz and maybe see it in a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/45 "2009-12-15T22:18:00Z")
I have been a 3D nerd since about 1981, but it’s only recently that they’re starting to make 3D movies that aren’t crap. I really enjoyed _Coraline_ - a great movie on its own, and a great implementation of 3D. I was buzzed about it from the time I first saw the trailer, bt nowhere near as excited about it as I am about _Avatar_. Having read as much as I can about its development, I don’t think it’s that overhyped. I had a little hesitation when the crappy trailer came out, but that was mostly down to 20th Century Fox being in bed with Apple and obligated to use Quicktime, which somehow hasn’t imrpoved much since the early nineties. Made everything (including live action bits) seem distractingly fake. This looks to be a huge spectacle, and Cameron’s track record for making entertaining movies is pretty good. My wife and I rarely get out to the theatres these days (10mo old baby cramps the schedule a bit) but the sitter is booked to see this, because for damn sure it’s not going to be one to wait to watch on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/46 "2009-12-15T22:28:23Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > It all looks very CGI to me. Apparently, according to witnesses, that is less noticeable in the cinemas, and even less again if you see it in 3D. And if you get caught up in the story, you won’t care anyway. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/47 "2009-12-16T01:41:43Z")
I already have my tickets with like eight people for Friday at 10:30 AM. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/48 "2009-12-16T02:17:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Are you excited about this movie? Are you going to go see it? No to both questions. I don’t understand why any adult finds the idea of seeing blue CGI people exciting, but obviously YMMV. I don’t go to see Pixar movies either. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/49 "2009-12-16T02:19:31Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > No to both questions. I don’t understand why any adult finds the idea of seeing blue CGI people exciting, but obviously YMMV. I don’t go to see Pixar movies either. Because there’s more to a movie than the medium in which it’s presented? Then again, I’m no fan of anime, so I guess I can see where you’re coming from. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/50 "2009-12-16T02:20:15Z")
Years in the making, millions of dollars, supposed to revolutionize the moviemaking process…and the aliens look like some kind of fruity elf I could make with Morrowind’s character creator. I think I’ll wait for this to be on an HBO channel. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/51 "2009-12-16T03:30:27Z")
Count me among the perplexed. The CG stuff doesn’t look like a significant advancement and the story doesn’t look particularly interesting. With the characters and the concept of a battle between tech type combatants versus natural type aliens, it all seems like Jar Jar all over again. Meesa no want to endure that again. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/52 "2009-12-16T04:44:08Z")
I just don’t know. It looks pretty, I guess. But having seen that trailer (and this isn’t the first time I’ve seen it), I feel like I’ve already seen the movie. I mean, every major point of story progression is in that trailer. Every single one. All that remains is the outcome of the final battle, and I think I have a pretty good guess at that. I don’t think I’ll be in line on opening night. ---
**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 16, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/53 "2009-12-16T04:55:21Z")
I wonder if people felt the same way back when about **Terminator 2** or **Aliens 2**. Ah, I’ve seen it before, doesn’t look like there’s anything new (and what’s with that fakey-looking silver guy, sheesh?). I might see it if it shows up on TeeVee. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/54 "2009-12-16T05:20:21Z")
I want to see it. I’m not a huge James Cameron fan, but I certainly re-watch Aliens and The Abyss. 3-D is nifty, and from the trailer online that was linked upthread, it looks like a thrillride. I think I will drag my husband out to it. 3-D! 3-D! 3-D is cool! We’re in our mid-forties. ---
**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 16, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/55 "2009-12-16T05:25:38Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > **Aliens 2**. :smack: That was redundant. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/56 "2009-12-16T05:27:45Z")
Double-post, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/57 "2009-12-16T05:48:16Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Because there’s more to a movie than the medium in which it’s presented? I don’t know, most of the CGI movies I’ve ever seen have been all shiny, but thin on plot. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/58 "2009-12-16T12:07:20Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I wonder if people felt the same way back when about **Terminator 2** or **Aliens 2**. Ah, I’ve seen it before, doesn’t look like there’s anything new (and what’s with that fakey-looking silver guy, sheesh?). I might see it if it shows up on TeeVee. As to _Terminator 2_, I can say that I and my friends did not feel the same way. The effects there were truly groundbreaking (without requiring IMAX, which was good, since we didn’t have it), and it was expanding upon a movie (_The Terminator_) that had been a rather modest release without a great deal of hype that became quite popular. Also, I don’t recall it being featured on 60 minutes as the greatest movie ever that will completely change filmmaking. _Aliens_? Hmmm. I recall there being excitement because _Alien_ had been so great, but I don’t remember there being the same kind of hype. I did go on a date to see that - I do remember that aspect fondly. ---
**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 16, 2009, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/59 "2009-12-16T12:26:14Z")
You know, I did not go to see either \*\*Aliens \*\*or **Terminator 2** when they were in theatrical release. I stil haven’t seen **Terminator 2**. I suppose I need to turn in my fanboy decoder ring. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336/60 "2009-12-16T14:07:47Z")
just got a ticket to a preview show tonight at 21:00. Seven hours and I’ll know if it lives up to the hype. I’ll report back with non-spoliers tomorrow 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/avatar-pre-release-speculation/521336.md?page=4)