Where is this world going to if having fun in a movie theater has become something that’s frowned upon?
I am not talking specifically about “Avatar”… I mean, come on, the movie has more positive reviews than anything released lately and it shattered the box office last weekend, so James Cameron is not losing any sleep over the people complaining about the movie.
But here are the facts: as a screenwriter I must say that from the hype I was expecting some big plot twist, some fantastic revelation or something like that. “Avatar” has a predictable, linear and shallow script, and after sitting through the first five minutes, I realized that it was exactly what I liked most about the movie. YES, I love it when a movie challenges me, makes me question my ethics, but I also agree that the 80’s were the best times to sit in a movie theater, eating loads of popcorn and having FUN… It seems that there’s a growing tendency in world cinema to say that anything that doesn’t have depth is BAAAAD. Come on, people! Movies are entertainment, among other things, and James Cameron has the balls to spend a shitload of money in an experience that will make you cry, laugh and feel excited throughout two and a half hours of the greatest entertainment spectacle of the last decade.
Sure, the script is predictable… And before any script-doctor wanna-bes say something, let me shut you up by saying that it features great character development, very precise payoffs for its plot points, interesting (and deep) characters and a villain that will remain as one of the most bad-ass in recent memory. Jake Sully, the hero, is as complex as it gets, and the quick establishment of his personality is one of the many winning aspects of “Avatar”.
If I really wanted to (but don’t) I could tell you how great the acting is, how amazing the effects are and all that. I am sure you read it from other critics out there… The fact is that “Avatar” is the most fun I remember having in a movie theater recently… Me and my friends cheered, some of them cried, everybody laughed and after 160 minutes, I complained that the movie might have been a little short.
Movie of the year? Probably not… I would call it the coolest movie since “Terminator 2″. In any case, do yourself a favor: watch it (if you haven’t yet), and watch it in 3D. It is the first movie in the format that I truly enjoyed watching.
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