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Metascore
83 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 35 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2356 Ratings

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  • Starring: Michelle Rodriguez, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver
  • Summary: Jake Sully is a former Marine confined to a wheelchair. But despite his broken body, Jake is still a warrior at heart. He is recruited to travel light years to the human outpost on Pandora, where a corporate consortium is mining a rare mineral that is the key to solving Earth's energy crisis. Because Pandora's atmosphere is toxic, they have created the Avatar Program, in which human "drivers" have their consciousness linked to an avatar, a remotely-controlled biological body that can survive in the lethal air. These avatars are genetically engineered hybrids of human DNA mixed with DNA from the natives of Pandora... the Na'vi. Reborn in his avatar form, Jake can walk again. He is given a mission to infiltrate the Na'vi, who have become a major obstacle to mining the precious ore. But a beautiful Na'vi female, Neytiri, saves Jake's life, and this changes everything. Jake is taken in by her clan, and learns to become one of them, which involves many tests and adventures. As Jake's relationship with his reluctant teacher Neytiri deepens, he learns to respect the Na'vi way and finally takes his place among them. Soon he will face the ultimate test as he leads them in an epic battle that will decide the fate of an entire world. (20th Century Fox)
    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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.
  2. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    100
    Avatar is entertainment of the highest order. It's the best movie of 2009.
  3. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Phillips
    75
    The first 90 minutes of Avatar are pretty terrific - a full-immersion technological wonder with wonders to spare. The other 72 minutes, less and less terrific.
  4. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    60
    Avatar clears the hurdle in terms of being optical candy. Its story, though, is pure cheese.

See all 35 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 828 out of 1139
  2. Mixed: 114 out of 1139
  3. Negative: 197 out of 1139
  1. Iky009
    9
    Great visual effects, film and mounted with a spectacular photography and a magnificent art direction and stunning views, but their enrendo is not the best yet it is still a great movie.… Expand
  2. grandpajoe6191
    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.… Expand
  3. GeorgeJ
    5
    Graphics phenomenal but story sucked. Unubtainium, really? They couldn't have come up with anything better.
  4. OneWhoKnows
    0
    If I wanted to watch cartoons I most definitely would watch ROBOT CHICKEN. One or two of my in-laws INSISTED that the characters in this were REAL (not computer generated real but REAL!!!) That is the type of intellectual hooraying for this gigantic waste of my time that makes me squirm. OK the effects were decent. But I DO NOT watch movies for their effects. The story was adolescent and the "camera work" was marginal at best. Try watching cinema and not a 3d cartoon, you might find your artistic integrity improved.… Expand

See all 1139 User Reviews

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