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7.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2069 Ratings

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  1. Positive: 1,584 out of 2069
  2. Mixed: 182 out of 2069
  3. Negative: 303 out of 2069

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  1. DJ
    Jan 2, 2010
    10
    Literally the best movie I have ever seen. I was completely and totally blown away. This is the first movie in my entire life where I didn't want it to end.
    • 16 of 32 users said yes
  2. DaltonO
    Jun 14, 2010
    3
    Eh, yeah its all 3D, yeah its got allot of special effects and costs allot, yeah its got blue alien boobs, but other than that there is nothing here. Terrible cliche, hole-filled plot leaves you bored. Its kind of amazing how you can have such a crappy plot and waste 4 hours on it. After you watch it you think its good at first, but that is just an effect from the CGI and 3D. Soon you will realize how lame it is. "the Eywa sees you!" ugg soooo cheesy.… Expand
    • 16 of 29 users said yes
  3. MattN.
    May 23, 2010
    3
    Great visuals and effects, but thats simply all that Avatar has to offer. No story, viciously bad overacting and dialogue older than Sigourney Weaver herself. Very boring and far too long.
    • 10 of 15 users said yes
  4. NunoV.
    Jun 19, 2010
    2
    Absurdely overrated. cgi masturbation with a lackluster plot and ridiculous neo-hippie fairy-tale.
    • 10 of 17 users said yes
  5. LostOverThere
    Sep 14, 2010
    3
    I legitimately have no idea how this film has been getting so many positive reviews. Someone once said great films were a combination of technical innovation and artistic achievement. While Avatar certainly nails the technical side, it's artistic half leaves a lot to be desired. A by-the-numbers cookie-cutter plot with poor writing and awful dialogue.
  6. EvinC.
    Jan 2, 2010
    8
    Almost great film. the 3D was too overwhelming. I prefer the the original version of the film. Kudos to Worthington and Cameron.
    • 6 of 10 users said yes
  7. DionJ.
    Jan 7, 2010
    10
    This movie was AWESOME! without a doubt the best movie of 2009 and one of the best movies of all time. Yeah its has similar story lines to "Dances with Wolves" and "Pocahontas" but its different at the same time. The Na'vi are humanoid in appearance but not human as in "Dances with Wolves" and "Pocahontas" which makes it different in that fact. It's a instant classic! I have seen this movie six times in theaters. Five of which are in IMAX 3D. I notice details that I regularly see other directors miss. *spoiler alert* The part in the main battle scene when Jake and the other Na'vi are trying to bring down the shuttle loaded with bombs. Jake fly's in on his Great Leonopteryx and then jumps off on top of the shuttle at which point he kills some RDA troops manning some machines guns. The scene just before he jumps of his mount onto the ship you can see a Banshee (Flying creature) that got shot, on top of the ship twitching and as it cuts scenes on where Jake jumps off his mount and onto the shuttle you can still see the Banshee twitching and then as Jake jumps over the fortifications where the marines are defending the ship with machine guns and shoots them (marines) you can see the Banshee again still twitching on top of the shuttle. Now I have seen many more details like this in the movie and it excites me to see. You have a director that is willing to pay attention to every detail such as the one I mentioned and a detail that hardly no one if anyone will notice. When I see movies I like to look at these very details to see how much time the spent into making their film look as real as possible and James Cameron did not disappoint! I mean if you are paying attention to details that small then you know the huge details that the director want you to see is going to be even better! This movie delivered everything I expect to see from a movie and then some. James Cameron in an amazing derictor, producer and writer! This Movie is a 10 for sure!… Expand
    • 6 of 14 users said yes
  8. LarryS
    May 26, 2010
    1
    A typical piece of American shoot up em sensless piece of trash. Cameron has stolen ideas from a range of films and merged them into a silly unbelievably juvenile plot. Lots of violence and a story with nothing to say. Writing and dialogue are amateurish with characters that seem to be taken from comic books. The only thing that makes this film remotely watchable are the special effects. Movie making at it's worst. Shame on the critics who didn't have the courage to pan this gross waste of money.… Expand
    • 6 of 11 users said yes
  9. JonathanS
    May 29, 2010
    1
    This movie has terrible dialogue, poor acting, and a plot an 8 year old could write. Go watch Pocahontas if you want to see this movie; same story, better everything.
    • 6 of 11 users said yes
  10. NatDurman
    Aug 14, 2010
    5
    James Cameron has returned from the deep abyss that was Titanic to create something truely remarkable. Avatar is a film shot in digital 3D. However it far suceeds, in terms of techincality, recent films such as Beowulf and UP. It really is a marvel of architecture. The expressions on the faces of the characters are scaringly un-canny, and the same goes for the environment in which they live in. However all that said, there are some downfalls of this film. For example, the story is extremely thin. It is very easy to get caught up in the beauty of this film, and forget about the cliche full narative, that frankly, if you noticed how bad it was, leaves you feeling like a bit of a sucker. It follows an ex marine called Sam, and is set in the decade of 2050. It starts on board a space ship, that is approaching a fictional planet named 'Pandora'. We later learn that it contains a very valuable substance, and thus why the Americans decide to invade. Sam is chosen, and this is where the 'Avatar' comes in. It is basically a suit that he wears during the time he is in the simulation pod (that allows him to travel to Pandora) it disguises him as one of the 'Na'vi' (the big blue aliens). His goal is to persaude the Na'vi to move away. However in typical fashion he falls in love with one of the indeginous, and we have a classic story. A sort of good cop bad cop scenerio. The good guy being Sam who decides to betray the US and save the Na'vi. The bad guy being an Army General that wants to invade, however he did resemble a character from Toy Soldiers. Without giving away too much, we end up with a happy ending, that like I said earlier, fails to satisfy. However, if you mangage to ignore the story, and just marvel at the CGI, you will be pleased, this is one you have to see on the big screen though, and if you can, see it in 3D. In short it's the cherry without the cake, glamorous but with the essential bits missing.… Expand
  11. Alex
    Aug 25, 2010
    10
    My favourite film; of ALL time so far. Perfect effects, and I can honestly say, it was the first film I ever saw at the cinema with which I didn't want to pause and walk out for a couple of hours. The ONLY film. Greatly looking forward to the sequel. There really isnt much I can say about this film apart from, it ticks every box. Just next time, Cameron, jazz the plot up slightly? This film was nominated for an unbelievable 128 awards, which includes 4 Golden Globes. If that isn't enough to convince you to watch it (if you're one of those rare people who hasn't seen it already) then just take (At the time of writing) 1,309 positive Metacritic reviews. Completely epic, and only 40% live action, with the other 60% being made up of the greatest technologically advanced CGE. The highest-grossing film ever made, by a large margin. ( 0.8 Billion US Dollars more than its closest competition, another of James Cameron's films, Titanic. In total, Avatar has so far made $2.6 Billion.) So in-depth was the making, a 1,000 word language for the Na'vi was created. No wonder it took 16 years to make. 10/10. Why? Because it's a masterpiece.… Expand
  12. grandpajoe6191
    Sep 10, 2011
    8
    Despite "Avatar"'s heavy plot, Blockbuster king James Cameron impresses us with fantastic visuals and CGI of the Na'vi and human battle scenes in (Le Gasp!) 3D.
  13. StevenM
    Jun 6, 2010
    3
    It was fun to watch, but I hated how recycled it is. Great visuals, but James Cameron could have done so much more with the plot line, characters, and general movie. I was disappointed to say the least.
    • 5 of 11 users said yes
  14. DelvinW
    Jun 9, 2010
    10
    Another James Cameron masterpiece, oh and the 2s and the 3s you guys are handing out are to the only movie to ever make 2 billion dollars at the box office.
    • 5 of 11 users said yes
  15. DerekS
    Jun 17, 2010
    2
    Cameron was reminiscent of Michael Bay's dedication to special effects in this incredibly clichéd and (with regards to plot and characters) lackluster film. The characters all filled positions of clichés, leaving nothing unexpected through the entire plot. I found myself predicting lines and events before they occurred, a feat which never leads to a good feeling about a movie. The special effects were phenomenal, but everything else seemed less important.… Expand
    • 5 of 10 users said yes
  16. EshanW
    Jun 10, 2010
    9
    If story was bit stronger than it would be also great as "The Terminator" However, its a Master Piece.
    • 5 of 9 users said yes
  17. Kastian
    Oct 17, 2010
    3
    While a beautiful movie to look at, the intense CGI cannot hide the hopelessly derivative story and generally poor acting. While the world of Pandora is nice to look at, it is poorly thought out. All the characters are caricatures of the worst movie stereotypes. We have the badass soldier chick, the angry army commander, the hero who just wants to do the right thing, and the industry crazed maniac. It took James Cameron 2h 40m to tell a story that Disney managed to tell in half the time.… Expand
  18. thomasno
    Jun 19, 2011
    3
    If Pocahontas was a 3D live action film starring blue people, this would be the result.
  19. AmandaG.
    Jun 2, 2010
    0
    This movie was straight up god awful. The story was consistently boring throughout the movie and it had a totally unoriginal plotline. The characters got on my nerves to no end (especially Sigourney Weaver's character) and we're supposed to believe that this far in the future, they are still using crappy wheelchairs that look the same from the ones in the 70's? Being a person who is not at all impressed by just special effects, I was extremely disappointed in this film and James Cameron.… Expand
    • 4 of 9 users said yes
  20. JoshuaB.
    May 16, 2010
    2
    The visuals were amazing, but who cares? The story went nowhere. This movie is quite simply nothing more than heavy-handed environmentalism under the guise of a lackluster alien romance. The acting was atrocious, the characters were dull, and the middle three fourths of the movie could have been removed and no plot development would have been lost. These things are the calling cards of terrible movies.… Expand
    • 4 of 7 users said yes
  21. PeteG
    Jun 11, 2010
    2
    I didn't see Avatar at the cinema - something about it just said to me it would be all style no substance. So I waited until it was released on DVD and bought it a couple of days after it was released, and it sat on the shelf for several weeks until one quiet evening when there was nothing on TV worth watching. Well, it was exactly as I feared: a visual spectacle with absolutely no substance to back it up. The plot is puerile, derivative and overladen with the kind of crass, heavy-handed environmental messages you'd expect if an eight year old had written the script. Characterisation was paper thin and the actors mostly seemed on auto-pilot, either hamming it up or as wooden as the Na'vi's beloved trees. I'm all for no-brainer entertainment, but frankly I felt insulted. Mr Cameron, spend some of your frankly ridiculous budget on a decent script next time please. The score of 2 is for the admittedly great visuals and entertaining final reel battle only - the rest of the film scores a big fat zero.… Expand
    • 4 of 9 users said yes
  22. Seamus
    Jun 11, 2010
    0
    Pieac of crap, vidja games have been doing better worlds for years and they don't cost a trillion dollars. Cameron's worst movie to date, totally predictable.
    • 4 of 8 users said yes
  23. Ikarus14
    Aug 25, 2010
    5
    Sure, the visuals are distinctive enough but that doesn't excuse the lazy cut-and-paste job done with the script. We've seen this exact story done before numerous times before and done better. A lot of people seem to think that the visuals make up for it but in the end this film is nothing more than a tech demo at best. A real shame.
  24. GarethCritic
    Dec 19, 2010
    3
    Nowhere near as good as people make it out to be. The storyline is average, the characters aren't very well developed and the acting is poor but, apparently, this doesn't matter to anyone because in these modern times a movie seems to be able to get around based on special effects alone and Avatar is a prime example of this. It made a lot of money because it was visually great despite how bad it was a movie. I'm very happy that this crap didn't pick up a Best Picture Oscar, it didn't deserve it.… Expand
  25. Iswearimsmart
    Aug 13, 2011
    3
    Avatar is an agonizing movie with amazing visuals and incredible use of 3-D and motion capture technology. In the purely technical sense, this film is a masterpiece; however, in terms of story, characters and ability to develop the plot, the film fails miserably. Every single character in this film is not only uninteresting but undeveloped. Think about it... what do you REALLY know about Jake or Nyteri? The dialogue is also horrendous. At times my jaw dropped at how uninspired the lines were. "I see you" in particular feels cheesy and overused. Then there is the awful love story. It is without a doubt one of the worst development of a couple I have ever seen in a film. We go from Nyteri HATING Jake to them occasionally nudging each other and laughing to...well them doing under the tree of souls or whatever it's called. I know months have passed in the story, but only 45 minutes have passed to us, and nothing in the film explained or showed how their feelings grew for each other. Giving someone a meaningful look once doesn't count as developing a couple. To top it off, this movie is excruciatingly long. By the time you see it for the second or third time you will be constantly checking your watch. It just won't end! The film could have easily cut 20-30 minutes. While there are a lot of pretty images, the plot and characters are pretty ugly.… Expand
  26. RaymondS.
    Jun 18, 2010
    5
    Boring, but visually amazing.
    • 3 of 5 users said yes
  27. GeorgeJ
    Jun 16, 2010
    5
    Graphics phenomenal but story sucked. Unubtainium, really? They couldn't have come up with anything better.
    • 3 of 5 users said yes
  28. Susano
    Sep 2, 2010
    7
    First time watching this your not going to have any negative points, as it will win you over with graphical wizardry. And boy, are the graphics good. With very highly realistic environments, seeing it in 3D on the big screen is something magical. Assessing the film afterwards reveals a highly weak and wooden story that is just holding the film together with the visuals. Though the storyline is utter guff, the 'wow' moments might just make this a great film. Just.… Expand
  29. ryancarroll88
    Aug 27, 2010
    9
    I had heard a lot about "Avatar" before seeing it, and the general complaint from most was the movie's lack of originality. Having seen the movie, I would agree that the premise is nowhere near unique, but to me originality shouldn't be the basis for judging the quality of a film. More than anything a truly great movie should be striking, and Avatar is precisely that. James Cameron used his budget ($237m) to create one of the most engrossing environments to ever grace the screen, and pushed the 3D technology (which I don't even like) to the limit. The result is pure spectacle; behind me in the movie theater there was a family with three children and throughout the 2 1/2 hours there were constant exclamations of "Wow!" and "Oohh!" I would have been slightly annoyed had I not realized I wanted to say the same things, and for a movie to revert a hardened critic like me to a world of pure escapist wonder, I have to give the film credit.… Expand
  30. AI88
    Nov 27, 2010
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is the most overrated piece of politically correct, anti-American garbage I've ever seen. This movie is about a man who betrays his own country! How is that "heroic" or worthy of admiration???So, it has cool special effects. Whoopty-f***ing-do! I can't believe this piece of crap movie was so beloved by everyone. Apparently, pretty colors and cool explosions are all the typical modern consumer cares about. How sad.… Expand
  31. JawsPapi87
    Aug 10, 2011
    9
    Despite almost being a spin off of Dances With Wolves, the ridiculously beautiful visuals, believable and likable characters, and successful good Vs. evil theme makes this movie one of 2009's best
  32. heyitsmegrif4
    Dec 19, 2011
    9
    Most critics have just praised it for its just stunning visual effects and 3D effects, but I find its story to be incredibly powerful and moving with just enough emotional depth added in there. I give this film 93%.
  33. AvatarM.
    Jun 3, 2010
    5
    full points for visual prowess but zero points for plot and originality-the whole time i was watching it i was thinking wow this is a return to my childhood-it's the upgraded Pocahontas! I was waiting for the animals to talk..had they spend more time on character development and originality there would have been nothing to criticize. In their defense having an original alien movie would be difficult...after all there are so many alien movies out there.… Expand
    • 2 of 4 users said yes
  34. JasonW
    May 15, 2010
    1
    Cool visuals, but awful acting and a horrendous plot. I couldn't even make it through the entire movie. I walked out of the theater because I was so bored and could predict the entire movie after the first 10 minutes.
    • 2 of 5 users said yes
  35. doorgo
    Jun 19, 2010
    4
    Are the visual effects breathtaking? Of course, but it's absolutely unforgivable to give credit to a near scene by scene re-make of Disney's Pocahontas. No one in all of Hollywood could come up with an original script for what was to be potentially a breakthrough in 3D filming? I refuse to believe there are no ideas left in Hollywood, but obviously you can't get a screenplay made unless it came from a graphic novel or is outright stolen from a previous script(whether it was good or not). It's just a sad shame.… Expand
    • 2 of 4 users said yes
  36. phil
    May 15, 2010
    0
    This movie was a piece of crap. A predictable storyline that plays on some of the most racist character archetypes I've ever seen in a modern film. People say, OMG, the film looks so realistic, who cares about the plot? Yea, so did Jurassic Park, and that film came out 17 years ago, but still managed to have a unique story, with great characters, and a good Aesop. Industries give consumers what we demand. If we are complacent with the tripe they give us, that's all we will get. If all we ask is a film look really good, and nothing else, that's all we will get. A film that looks good, and nothing else. I enjoy seeing films with good stories, and if we don't continue to demand such films, we won't get them.… Expand
    • 2 of 4 users said yes
  37. ThomasG.
    May 3, 2010
    4
    This movie was pretty to look at, but was nothing more. The story was copied and not very good. Besides, the acting was nothing special.
    • 2 of 4 users said yes
  38. brandons
    Jun 15, 2010
    0
    Very poor story line up,copied action sequences and early buzz that " director took 4 golden years to make so called visually epic and eventually a very very high budget film", its just a shame that a very well known director had to do all above things to gain the #1 spot once again in highest gross all time. I would rather choose to watch the dark knight once again.
    • 2 of 6 users said yes
  39. chrisg.
    May 23, 2010
    5
    Cool animation but the anti-american rhetoric was repulsive. Reminded me of a cross between Small Soldiers and The Crucible.
    • 2 of 3 users said yes
  40. EddyI
    May 28, 2010
    5
    Well, Avatar Quite possibly the most overhyped movie of all time. Acting is average at best, the plot is unoriginal and was carried out far better in movies released a little over 2 decades ago. However, the visuals are breathtaking, but thats pretty much the best part of this movie. In short, if you're going to spend a decade making a movie might as well give it an original story.
    • 2 of 3 users said yes
  41. SomeRandoGuy
    Jun 15, 2010
    5
    It's ok, not that awesome, but ok. It's long, and it has a lot of good parts. Problem is i'm not a kind of person for this kind of movie, and i was rather bored in a lot of parts. ANother thing i didn't like(my personal opinion) was that all the cool characters died and we were left with a blue smurf and his blue gf, reminded me of that song Blue by eifel65(i wonder why).
    • 2 of 3 users said yes
  42. Ransack
    Aug 12, 2010
    10
    This is what you call A Great Movie. It will live on as that for a while and perhaps forever. Avatar is spectacular, goofy, and most of all cool. Hopfully Avatar will be remembered for a while, before any other movie takes its place
  43. NF123
    Aug 11, 2010
    4
    Looks good but painfully cliched. I for one would recommend a rent just to see lovely it does really look, but it doesn't take long to find how shallow the charachters truly are
  44. Peter
    Aug 18, 2010
    0
    the only reason i kind of enjoyed this movie is because my brother was repeating the lines in engrish, yes engrish. i really hated how they portrayed the marines, and when i heard that some people in the theaters clapped when they watched the marines getting killed, i felt like shooting james cameron in the face while saying "yea get some mofo!!!!" seriously i want to enlist in the marines, and i have a friend in training right now, i do take offense to that. this movie also rips off so many different movies such as dances with wolves. unfortunatly my brother bought this movie on blu ray instead of hurt locker which was a much better movie. to all you obsessors, dont get mad at me, because the critics agree with me!!!!! hell yea!!!!!!!!!!!… Expand
  45. ArkonBlade
    Aug 21, 2010
    8
    another good film from james camron . not as great as id hoped and some people have said but its still worth seeing . the main problems i have with this film is its presented in its trailors as this HUGE action film . when in reality there really isnt much action till the last 20 min . considering how long it is think they coulda packed abit more in . the story is entertaining although very predictable . the visuals are just out standing pandora really comes to life . the acting is ok i didnt really feel impressed by any one . its a entertaining film that most of the family can sit down and wach and have a fun time .… Expand
  46. rodericrinehart
    Aug 14, 2010
    10
    My only wish is that they would have made the movie an hour longer. You don't want to leave Pandora. What a truly amazing creation of a world and culture.
  47. scbrother
    Feb 26, 2011
    0
    james cameron, stop trying to shoving life lessons down my throat and wow me with visual effects, make a good movie without sam worthington your boyfriend.
  48. Ambrosine
    Aug 20, 2010
    3
    When I sit down to watch a movie, I'd appreciate not being beaten over the head with political agenda bull. Storyline was not only thin and shallow but also extremely distasteful, and purely immature. To me it felt like liberals vs. war-mongering conservatives; childish name calling and finger pointing. Again: when I watch a movie, I find it insulting when it's attempting to brainwash me with political agenda whether it be extreme right or left. On to the next point. The distasteful bits would be the fact that we're supposed to cheer for the aliens---While they slaughter human beings. Now this could have worked if say a large portion of the marines rallied together (representing the audience) to protect Pandora, and the bloodthirsty Corporal (and why is he so bloodthirsty? Any reason?) could have his group of evil followers. And at the end, the humans find negotiation with Pandora and 'wisen' up to their ways (because we violent humans are utterly stupid according to the story. Yes, that means you). No, the movie didn't even do that. It gave no room for redemption, and practically insults you on a personal level. Next Point: If the evil business man was really after wealth, he would've stopped the operation to gather ore. He would've gone after the wealth of medical, biological, and sociological knowledge which would have made him insanely more rich than mining would. And finally, there is the point that many people have brought up: It's a total rip-off. Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves, Fern Gully, Aliens, and Storm Troopers have all been brought up which means the storyline is over used. Movie was highly overrated, critics either don't know their sh*t, are politically biased, or are too gutless to truly critique the film. A great big middle finger to the message of the film, and much love to the artists who made such a beautiful world. Shame on those who shallowly rated the film based upon appearances.… Expand
  49. tycho32
    Aug 26, 2010
    4
    The special effects, CG, and sound were awesome. Beyond the eye candy there is simply nothing here. As other reviewers have stated the story is cliched, and the director was trying to make an obvious political statement. I thought this detracted from the overall story. My wife was predicting plot lines and actor lines, and she never does that. The only part of the story that was not predictable were the huge plot holes throughout the movie.… Expand
  50. Pixarlover
    Sep 13, 2010
    10
    this movie is quite possibly one of the best I've seen in my life. AVATAR is an experience that will stay with me forever. It came out on the movie year of the 2000s, 2009. There were so many god damn good movies I couldn't believe it, but then in 2010 there's about TWO compared to about thirteen titles and more last year. AVATAR may be the most unoriginal movie ever in terms of the story(actually no, there are other movies that have ripped off things over 100%) but be fair on it. None of James Cameron's movies have been original. Think about it. Terminator copied elements of the BSG plot but everybody still loves it like I do, Aliens the shoot 'em up of Sci-Fi movies a sequel to Alien, Titanic is based on a true story, true Lies is a homage to Bond films, The Abyss I haven't even seen. I like all those movies besides the Abyss. The reason AVATAR worked was because people wanted to see a movie that was an event and not a movie. I felt like I was on Pandora and I could relate to the characters. The emotional scenes made me get tears down my face and the action scenes were ... just awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Overall the movie was just a blast and it has to be seen for anyone to understand the love affair fans have with AVATAR. I'd give the film 10/10 Na'vi pony tails. A 3-D masterpiece. The best movie of 2009 losing only to Up.… Expand
  51. deltapatrick
    Sep 8, 2010
    1
    Man when i first went to the theater i though it was going to be great people told me it was one of the best movies of all time so i went and check it out but in the end of the film it turned out to be **** all that was good of the film was the cgi and i dont care for 3d the story was **** the acting was **** the writing was **** the screenplay was **** everything was **** and sadly to say the directing was **** i love james cameron growing up but he has lost his touch… Expand
  52. DGDSN
    Nov 6, 2010
    4
    This movie gets a few points in my book for amazing special effects, attempting (ironically) an environmental/anti-corporate message, and a handful of exciting scenes. It is otherwise a trite and pointless exercise in box-office money making. Not only is it a pastiche of many other (better) films, but it is dumbed-down and toothless. The black and white morality, hokey 'spiritualism', and PG romance set to horrible adult contemporary music, screams "Disney!". On a purely technical note, some of the 'camera' work is suspect, especially those 'quick-zooms' or whatever they call them. I do not recommend this film to anyone above the age of ten.… Expand
  53. Seriously
    Nov 13, 2010
    6
    Avatar is a great movie, but just how great is it? While I thought it was pretty cool that they based all the air and space craft on ones from the Halo series, the story was a bit of a disappointment. I was never really into Pocahontas or Ferngully when a was younger, and I was never into old movies like Dancing with Wolves, so the story of Avatar did not really stick out to me. Visually the film was quite enticing with it's colourful scenery, it was not all that interesting because of the story. Avatar had much potential, but I am not so sure it lived up to its potential.…… Expand
  54. Film_Fanatic_15
    Nov 22, 2010
    10
    Words cannot describe the elements in this fabulous motion picture. The director, James Cameron, has set a new standard for CGI (computer-generated imagery) films. With elements such as Sci-Fi, Action, Romance, and Drama, EVERYONE must see this movie. I have seen 400+ films in my life, and never have I seen a film that was so well produced, a film that you couldn't resist cheering at the end, because you didn't want it to end. This film has the best special effects. No other film has used this type of CGI. This movie has broken a new barrier in the American film industry, just as visiting the moon for the first time. Well done Cameron, well done.… Expand
  55. TheGorilla
    Aug 26, 2011
    4
    Congratulations to the special effects and the graphics and the 3D! But, the movie itself is so ridiculous and cheesy. It's terrible. James Cameron can't write a good script. This could have been done a lot better. And, honestly, I'm not interested in watching sequels.
  56. Ruler101
    Dec 2, 2010
    9
    Along with the graphics in this movie i personally think this was a near perfect movie!! The storyline was similar to any like it with the enemy becoming friend but there was more to it i think. Showing the love of earth and others though money is there. Understanding others before destroying them is more important.
  57. MichaelD
    Dec 29, 2010
    9
    When I first watched this movie I was blown away. It is probably my favourite movie of all-time but then I seen it a second time and I kind of got a bit more bored than the last time I watched it. It's still a great movie though.
  58. KendylKlownfish
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    Avatar may not impress all audiences on a narrative level, however, its breathtaking visuals, lavishing colors, and groundbreaking special effects certainly proves James Cameron's knack for filmmaking.
  59. TheWhiteMamba
    Mar 18, 2011
    1
    Absolutely hands down, the most over hyped/ over rated movie in history. I saw this movie when it came out in theatres and i hated it so much i had to vent as soon as i became a member of metacritic. sure the special effects are good, but thats not enough to salvage the terrible acting and dreadful script. the entire story is borrowed from other hollywood movies. it disgusts me how much people love this movie. to me this shows just how simple and shallow movie goers are. the aliens were just friggen annoying to listen to and to look at. Ive never fallen asleep in the theater, but this got me pretty close. just a boring, eye candy laced, piece of **** movie.… Expand
  60. NKcantHANDLEme
    Mar 14, 2011
    10
    Film making technology so much ahead of its time. Now I know how people felt when they watched "King Kong" some 70 years ago. Best movie of all time.
  61. Ridz43
    Mar 21, 2011
    10
    This is the epitome of pure genius! James Cameron brought to the screen one of the greatest and most ground-breaking movies of all time! Literally, words cannot describe the energy that made this film such a wonder and I would recommend this movie to anyone!
  62. Mrsoandso
    Apr 9, 2011
    0
    this movie is garbage. and whoever thinks that it is the "Best movie of all time" remove the special effects and see how holds up to the title of "best move of all time". as for the special effects... the 3d was good in some parts but overall unnecessary, it could have got by without it. as for story... could be wrapped up in an hour rather then three hours. the action only showed up at the "big battle" at the end other then that it was useless filler. overall: not worth the money or time (on a side note why did it look like all the aircraft look like it was ripped out of Halo?)… Expand
  63. Spielberg00
    Aug 23, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. AVATAR (or, as some seem to enjoy calling it, "The Blue People Movie", which really should be THE SMURFS, not this) is an adventurous, intense movie, and the best movie you can think of to be the highest-grossing film, both worldwide and in America. Very few parts of this actually truly ticked me off, but there were a few to name: such as near the ending, when it began to get boring (a habit many creative sci-fi films such as even INCEPTION get into); and when Grace (Sigourney Weaver) died.… Expand
  64. spadenx
    Dec 8, 2011
    3
    Easily the most overrated film of all time. Visually it loses its impressiveness rather quickly into the film and while it may look great in 3D, In 2D is rathers boring. Not to mention the film's plot is a rip off of Dances With Wolves (Seriously check that out). Also the acting is rather disapointing and sometimes terrible. Overall its visually impressive in 3D but thats it.
  65. EmericC
    Jan 10, 2010
    10
    Avatar is probably the most beautiful film you'll ever see. The visual effects and the story... it's amazing! James Cameron has created a living world, a world that you'll never forget. The film really caught my heart!
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  66. GlennH.
    Jan 1, 2010
    9
    Only thing missing was Mel Gibson and the English (Braveheart). Glad the bad guys were contractors (Blackwater types) and not active duty Marines.
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  67. JacobL
    Jan 1, 2010
    8
    First off let me make one thing clear, I saw this movie in 2d. Having said that, I thought the movie was still pretty good. Visually the movie looks great and the world of Pandora is gorgeous. Unfortunately, since I wasn't watching it in 3d I wasn't as sucked into the world of Avatar as I would've otherwise. As far as plot goes the movie does a nice job. The characters and setting are great and the one guy having two identities keeps things interesting as he struggles to find out who he really is. Also, the story in Avatar Humans vs. Navi is different but at the same time very familiar, which I like. My one criticism is where the movie ends. (SPOILIERS ALERT) I really don't like how the Navi defeat the humans because it feels almost forced in there. A more appropriate ending would be when the Navi set off to fight the humans. As a result, of adding on the climactic battle, the movie was too long for my tastes and started to drag. Avatar is the one movie that everyone should see particulary in 3d. You will be amased at the amount of detail in Pandora and find the plot to be very interesting. If you are a parent, bring your kids because to some extent, Avatar will provide them the same joy that a Star Wars movie would.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  68. MichaelH
    Jan 21, 2010
    9
    I was pleasantly surprised by Avatar. I am usually a pretty good judge of movies from their trailers but the trailer for Avatar is filled with some of the more cliched elements. The CGI effects are marvelous and the realization of the world of Pandora is very detailed and persuasive. Having read cynical accounts of the plot as "Dances with Smurfs" I was also surprised by the story which was not exactly the strength of the movie but also didn't detract too much from the movie going experience. I feel a little sorry for people who become deeply attached to this movie and wrapped up in its reality...but on the other hand, I might even consider going to the movie again in the IMAX version.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  69. ChrisB
    Jan 20, 2010
    10
    Amazing movie. I liked it even more the second time. It will revolutionize the way movies are made from now on.
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  70. BrendanW
    Jan 2, 2010
    9
    I wanted to be entertained and I was. The story could use some work though.
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  71. P.M.
    Jan 24, 2010
    8
    There's more to a movie than a good plot, and I can't think of any movie that demonstrates this better than Avatar. If everything about a movie was amazing except for the story, I feel you can honestly call it a good movie.
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  72. JoelL
    Jan 20, 2010
    10
    I don't understand why some people are down on this movie; I though it was great. The world of Pandora and the Na'vi is impossible not to get sucked into. The visuals are gorgeous. The story, which seems to be the biggest complaint, is there to pull you into this world and it does a pretty fine job. As for the length of the movie, you'll be too captivated to notice how long it is. Overall, I think you have to be pretty cynical not to fall in love with this world.… Expand
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  73. PascalR.
    Jan 30, 2010
    9
    Not someone who gets impressed by much but sat there afterwards thinking I had seen something groundbreaking in 3D and realistic computer graphics. Yeah there are better stories out there, but.......wow!
    • 1 of 2 users said yes
  74. AnnieW.
    May 22, 2010
    3
    The best movie ever made.
    • 1 of 4 users said yes
  75. nboley08
    Aug 16, 2010
    10
    Forget about plot development and storytelling; it's all about the visuals here. I mean sure, the story is somewhat interesting and the characters have redeemable qualities, but this about blowing your eyeballs out of their sockets by using either dazzling beauty or monstrous explosions. If you let it be what it is, "Avatar" is a ton of fun, maybe the best film of 2009.
  76. jeremyd99
    Aug 29, 2010
    10
    Visually speaking Avatar is the greatest creation ever made in cinema history.It has beautifully put together and has the best visual effects ever made. Avatar is a revolution for the genre and is basically the Star Wars of the next generation. This is Cameron's true masterpiece,and is the greatest 3-D film of all time. Many naysayers say the dialouge does not sound real and is just terribly written,but to me the conversations sounded more realistic than some films. Personally I found the dialouge intresting and very lifelike. The acting is good on the most part,with a few exceptions. The audio is also exceptionally good. The background score is good and backs up exactly what is happening,and thats not all.Explosions sound like explosions,the wind sounds like it is blowing,and embers sound like their burning. All in all this is the most entertaing sci-fi film i have ever seen.It is a must see.… Expand
  77. Calexican
    Aug 29, 2010
    0
    It looks great and there is enough here to support video games and theme parks for years to come. Shame they forgot the story, script and acting. Cameron hasn't made a decent movie since Aliens (neither has Weaver). What a tragic waste - no wonder it was completely overlooked at the awards nights
  78. benjaminavatar
    Sep 2, 2010
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the best movie have ever saw. It is cool and grate and fascinating. How ever give this movie a lover review than 8 is stupid and he don't know nothing about movies. If i am a criticizer I would give Avatar 110%. But i give it 10%. And i can"t wait no longer for the second and the third from the trilogy.… Expand
  79. MarcelloM
    Nov 11, 2010
    0
    A complete waste of good earned money and time. I would have rather watched a racoon cross the street for 3 hours . FINAL: a deliberate piss of trash
  80. simplex
    Nov 11, 2010
    4
    8 is for the graphics 0 is for the absolute lack of story originality It's a all visual and no story. Would not recommend this movie, and am glad I got it for free.
  81. Sixella
    Feb 13, 2011
    4
    Save yourself some money. Blow the dust off of your old Pocahontas V.H.S, plug that baby in and TADA! Without all the glamour its the exact same thing, whithout even spending a dime! Don't be fooled people.
  82. GamerinHarmony
    Feb 5, 2011
    2
    Everything about this movie is cliched and boring other than the half-decent CGI. I actually hated it. I highly advise you never to rent or even skim through this movie on television...it's a pile of ****
  83. MagicSquid
    Mar 5, 2011
    2
    Dances with Wolves meets Fern Gully The Last Rainforest with a dose of white arrogance. Yes, it's pretty to look at sometimes, but past the fluffy eye candy visuals there's very little substance to this movie. I found myself rooting for the supposedly "evil" colonel halfway through the movie and hoping he would just blow away Jake Sully and his tree hugging friends and end the movie. At least the Colonel is honest and does exactly what he says he's going to do, and isn't a double talking snake in the grass like Jake Sully. This movie does a horrible injustice to fans of James Cameron, serious movie goers and manages to fall short of all the hype and positive reviews that proceeded me seeing it. So badly does it fail at being the cinematic masterpiece that so many people seem to hail it as, that I would consider it to be the most disappointing movie I've ever seen. This isn't a cinematic masterpiece, it's cinematic dreck.… Expand
  84. TheNewSpielberg
    May 1, 2011
    6
    A strange mixture of Dances With Wolves and Aliens makes for a an equally bizarre but visually stunning screen epic that unfortunately falls flat on its face when it comes to plot and characters. A crippled soldier is sent undercover disguised as a blue smurf to convince the natives to move out of their hometown so that the government can obtain a rare and valuable substance known jokingly as "unobtainium". Directed by James Cameron, the same man who swept the world with the 1997 epic Titanic. A movie best experienced in 3-D. All in all, good entertainment.… Expand
  85. Chrislake94
    Jun 5, 2011
    5
    Overrated. Storyline is predictable, I mean the trailer itself showed what is going to happen already. I don't care if its the highest grossing film ever. I am not going to judge the film a high rating because of that..
  86. Civerts
    Jul 18, 2011
    1
    Good visual and sound effects, however Avatar has a weak screenplay, which seems to be a mix of Dance with Wolves, Pochahontas and Alien. James Cameron was giving so much attention to the visual and sound that he did totally forget about the artistic part, mainly the script. Received 3 Oscars: Cinematography, Art Direction and Visual Effects, but in Avatar, the Art Direction and the Cinematography are Visual Effects. So it received 3 Oscars for the same thing: Visual Effects.… Expand
  87. charredrelik
    Dec 14, 2011
    0
    God i hated this movie. it was stupid, boring and stupid. it didnt make sence in so many areas. its only endearing quality was when we left it running at home with the sound down. it makes a pretty screensaver!
  88. Neving
    Jan 2, 2010
    2
    yes, the special effects are amazing in this movie, however the '3d' seemed unnecessary, they are very 'flat' for what they are, nothing flying at your face or dancing around the cinema, would have been better to watch in 2d. the movie uses its visual brilliance as a crutch to support the poor script, plot, acting, and casting that made up the rest of the movie, unfortunately with no success, the limited script gives the cast nothing to work with. however the fundamental mistake in this film is that because of the terrible script and plot it creates one dimensional characters that the audience dont particularly care about at all, not to mention the poorly disguised 'human-ness' of the alien species. the movie is seeped in irony, pushing themes of environmentalism and anti-technological sentiment, funny then that this is the most expensive movie ever made.… Expand
    • 0 of 2 users said yes
  89. chads
    Jan 2, 2010
    2
    Gets 2 points for some okay graphics. That much of the hype is true. But beyond that this is a TERRIBLE movie. Main problem is the obvious anti-American tree-hugging liberal agenda. The military is bad, the environment is good. Corporate expansion is bad, pagan tree-love is good. Etc and so forth, spitting out one liberal lie after another. Maybe next time they should get a real American to write the script and not some atheist French gy.… Expand
    • 0 of 2 users said yes
  90. liz
    Jan 22, 2010
    5
    Overrated! The storyline and the characters were grossly underdeveloped. The effects were good but I was under the impression that they would be so good that the plant life and the Na'vi would look realistic. And don't get me started on the look of the Na'vi! They resembled African-Americans (braids with beads in them and wide noses as well as some of the tribe leaders'; clothing which looked like a Masai rip-off) and Native-Americans (noses, long hair, tall thin like the Disney version of Pocahontas, and also their clothing) they were too lazy when it came time to designing their look. I did feel at some points like I was watching a cartoon movie and one which I would never touch with a ten foot pole. I felt that more needed to be told as far as the Na'vi were concerned, and I wanted to see more of the beautiful forests. In fact, at one point I did think that it would have been cool if Pandora had no sunlight so that during the whole film we could see the beautiful glow-in-the-dark plant life. That was my favorite part of the movie and I still hope to have a dream in which I'm surrounded by such beauty! The movie really went down-hill for me when the war started, at first it was fine but then it went on for too long and it turned the movie into another action flick. I feel like I'm the only person who thinks that James Cameron isn't very good. Sure he is good with special effects, but he's no artist who can really be innovative (like those filmmakers who don't take 5 years to make a movie that is generic in terms of storyline which is the most important reason to see a movie) and write great stories with great characters and depth. I did enjoy Avatar as a fun popcorn flick and am glad I saw it but i don't understand why so many people are giving it so much high praise! And I am horrified that it's being nominated for some major awards. I just hope it doesn't win an Oscar like Titanic did (another movie I enjoyed as a good popcorn flick and yet even as a 14 year old with crush on Dicaprio, I knew better than to think it deserved the awards it received!) or I'll go crazy.… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  91. JoshM
    Jan 20, 2010
    4
    A very pretty, shallow film. It was Ferngully with CGI. It felt like Cameron was trying to cram in every single story cliche he could think of. Extremely generic and boring. Every single thing that happens in the movie can be seen from miles away. Worth a watch to check out the graphics, otherwise, pass.
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  92. AlexC.
    Jan 3, 2010
    3
    While Avatar's $238 million budget delivers beautiful visual effects, to be sure, it feels like not a single nickel was spent on creating believable dialogue or likable characters. On these grounds, it may be the most uneven film ever created.
    • 0 of 2 users said yes
  93. SoroushA
    Jan 3, 2010
    4
    Special effects simply made me more unintrigued in the 3D film as it seemed too much was fed to the graphics that the characters themselves! Questions were not answered especially for a 3 hr movie (how did he lose control of his legs, how did his brother die? etc.) which limited any character building. Special effects: 10, Acting: 4, Storyline: 6, Dialogue: 6, Character development: 5... please is this movie really in the same league as gladiator?? cos i dont remember crying to this movie at any stage!… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes
  94. criticsRmad
    Jan 8, 2010
    7
    The visuals were stunning and the movie was enjoyable. Story had every cliche you can throw in a movie. Could easily name it Dances with Aliens, but hey, sometimes you can still enjoy a cliched story. I recommend seeing it at the theater in 3D and don't expect much from the story.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  95. ChrisN
    Jan 9, 2010
    9
    Incredible movie filled with dazzling effects. The story is amazing, but is dragged on by a bland love story between the main character and a Navi. Also the movie seems to drag on towards the middle hour. Overall it's worth the 2 hours and 30min of time I invested in it.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  96. NeoM
    Apr 2, 2010
    7
    A visual treat. Pandora draws you in and takes your breath away at some moments. But a cliche and rather predictable plot, and some bad lines, leave it wanting.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  97. vinnieg
    Jan 1, 2010
    6
    Its Dances with Wolves plus CGI. Incredible CGI, but CGI nontheless. The story was a joke, predictable with childish dialogue. No one can doubt that the effects are wonderful, but we dont go to the movies to see special effects, we go to be told a story. This movie is a spectacle, not a story.)
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  98. Capt.Shiner
    Jan 14, 2010
    2
    Of all the great things this movie does visually and the expense incurred from it, I cannot believe the dialogue and story were not in the budget. There is no charecter that retains any sympathy at the end of the movie. The Na'vi could have been deaf and dumb and the story would have moved along at the exact same pace. The dialogue continually detracted from the Pandora "experience". And the story was so tired and cliched, they must have been watching The Wizard of Oz, Dances WIth Wolves and some generic war movie simultaniously while banging on their keyboards like monkeys. I wish big-budget movies didn't have assume that everyone has a fifth grade education to gather the largest audience as possible.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  99. ArekK
    Jan 1, 2010
    10
    Great and Beautiful!
    • 0 of 2 users said yes
  100. GC
    Jan 2, 2010
    1
    Avatar is visually stunning. For that I give it a 10. Avatar is also painfully unoriginal with the hackneyed themes of corporate greed and an evil military. For that I give it a (-9). It is little more than a sci fi version of Dances With Wolves. James Cameron spent $300M telling the same story Kevin Costner has already told, but Costner's version was much better and most certainly less expensive to make. You'd think for $300M Cameron could have bought an original story. I guess $300M don't buy what it used to buy.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 35 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    100
    A fully believable, flesh-and-blood (albeit not human flesh and blood) romance is the beating heart of "Avatar." Cameron has never made a movie just to show off visual pyrotechnics: Every bit of technology in "Avatar" serves the greater purpose of a deeply felt love story.
    Read full review
  2. Empire
    Reviewed by: Chris Hewitt
    100
    It's been twelve years since "Titanic," but the King of the World has returned with a flawed but fantastic tour de force that, taken on its merits as a film, especially in two dimensions, warrants four stars. However, if you can wrap a pair of 3D glasses round your peepers, this becomes a transcendent, full-on five-star experience that's the closest we'll ever come to setting foot on a strange new world. Just don't leave it so long next time, eh, Jim?
    Read full review
  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    90
    Avatar is all-enveloping and transporting, with Cameron & Co.'s years of R&D paying off with a film that, as his work has done before, raises the technical bar and throws down a challenge for the many other filmmakers toiling in the sci-fi/fantasy realm.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »