Do NOT call Avatar “Dances With Smurfs”
Although it IS a funny albeit slightly snarky way to sum up a soldier who starts to identify with the differently-hued (in this case blue) indigenous people, it is an oversimplification. It would be better if you say “Epic CGI War Dances With Tall Very Fit Smurfs” which is more descriptive. But even that still doesn’t capture the truly epic scale and groundbreaking nature of this amazing film.
Unfortunately the storyline wasn’t quite as phenomenal. Take Kevin Costner’s Dances With Wolves, toss in some of Disney’s Pocahontas and add a pinch of tree hugging Ferngully, mix it up and chuck it into space and you basically have Avatar. But worry not, the film is still very much worth the price of admission.
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I’ve seen just about every CGI FX film since Young Sherlock Homes. So seeing the emotive capacity of the 3D models when combined with the performance capture technology used to create the film completely blew me away. There was none of that Polar Express deadeye that I’ve come to expect from CGI films. These 3D characters had life in their eyes and personality on their faces due to the amazing performance capture technology of Giant Studios.
I was lucky enough to see the first IMAX showing on opening day and then again the following week. I had to get up early as on both occasions Popapathy had snagged tickets for the first showing the following day (even though all other shows that day were sold out by the morning – very lucky ticket karma I guess). Now this isn’t the first 3D CGI movie I’ve seen, so I’m not easily impressed. But the previous attempts at such an experience usually end up being a few painfully short sequences at key moments that always aim for the showiest in-your-face kind of 3D you could imagine. The 3D of Avatar is far subtler. It is more like actually being there as the events go down than any 3D IMAX experience I’ve ever had.
