Nov 18 2009
Do People Really Think Avatar is Going to Suck?
I’ve probably seen as much as you have when it comes to James Cameron’s upcoming film, Avatar, which is to say, a couple of previews. A lot of people - either through conversations or comments left on a website - have indicated that they weren’t blown away. I can understand that, being that most people watched a preview for what is supposed to be an IMAX 3-D movie on their laptops. However, I recently heard a co-worker echo the sentiment that has boggled my mind - namely, that he is convinced Avatar is going to suck. I respectfully submit, my friends, that this is impossible.
I get that with increasingly vapid big-budget movies being released every year (like this year’s Transformers 2), one may become quite cynical when it comes to over-hyped film. A majority of big-budget movies end up being disappointing, either because they’re “dumbed-down” to suit the needs of as large an audience as possible, or they’re filled with special effects and action sequences with no regard for story elements of character development. But with Avatar, we’re not talking about Michael Bay. This is James f*cking Cameron.
Ask yourself: what’s James Cameron’s worst movie? And no, Piranha Part Two doesn’t count - he didn’t write it. Personally, I think it’s True Lies…and I also happen to think that True Lies is pretty damn good. It’s Cameron’s “fun” movie, with over-the-top action, Arnie in his prime, very funny performances by Tom Arnold and Bill Paxton, and even a little jailbait Eliza Dushku thrown in for good measure. And that Harrier jet at the end? Just awesome. So if we’re deeming True Lies to be Cameron’s “worst,”it must mean that the rest of his films are stupendous.
Maybe you don’t think it’s True Lies, but rather the sappy Titanic. I’ve written in the past that Titanic is an overrated movie, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t great. The acting is superb and it’s impossible to not appreciate the scale of the film. When filming Titanic, Cameron must have intended for the movie to appear as gargantuan and overwhelming as the legendary ship itself.
Notably, though, it’d be unfair to compare Avatar to True Lies or Titanic for the simple reason that True Lies and Titanic are not science fiction movies. Science fiction, though, is what James Cameron does best.
Cameron’s science fiction resume is astounding: Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, and Terminator 2. The Abyss is great, while Aliens and the Terminator films can be considered amongst the greatest science fiction movies of all time. Cameron didn’t just create a trio of fun, popcorn movies; he gave us iconic, memorable films filled with memorable characters that stand the test of time. He created fully-realized worlds and futures. We’re talking about a man who gave us the T-800, John Connor, the T-1000, an Alien queen, the pulse rifle, and the motherf*cking Colonel Marines, and people are going to question his ability to create a great - let alone good - science fiction movie? Frankly, I’m baffled.
This isn’t the case of a guy whose only goal is to make money at the box office. James Cameron puts soul into his movies and uses special effects to supplement his rich stories, in stark contrast to the Michael Bays and Roland Emmeriches whose focus on visual effects and box office success dominates any attention paid to characters and story. Calling James Cameron a director is short-changing him. He’s a filmmaker in every sense of the word, and I believe the distinction is an important one. Not only will Cameron take audiences into a new world, they’ll likely feel fully immersed thanks to the latest 3-D technology. Make no mistake, Pandora will be a more detailed world than any we’ve seen in film before. But sure, gripe about the final product after seeing a preview on your laptop. That’s like saying you won’t like a painting because the artist’s preliminary pencil sketches don’t do it for you.
All that said, I suppose what it comes down to isn’t Cameron-specific. We live in a society bursting with schadenfreude. Everything sucks. When it comes to movies, they’re either lame or pretentious, depending on who you ask. People actively root for huge, epic projects to fail for no other reason than so they can feel better about their own shortcomings. What else could it be? This phenomenon is nothing new - it’s a common human tendency - but it’s a trend that has increased quite a bit recently. Were there some reason to suspect Cameron of creating a massive flop - either critically or commercially - I could understand the cynicism. But in this case, there’s none. The man’s career as a filmmaker speaks for itself. Should Avatar turn out to suck, I will be the first to admit it. In the meantime, though, nobody has any reason whatsoever to suspect that Avatar will be anything less than a truly great film. I can’t wait.
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- James Cameron Sort of Talks About Terminator: Salvation
- When Cameron Beat Lucas
I honestly feel that Cameron needed to wait another year for this. Yes, he’s waited about a decade since he wrote this, but I think that with the slate of 3D movies coming out that aren’t gags testing the water (like Journey to the Center of the Earth was, which was surprisingly good, I might add), people would have been more open to Avatar, knowing what it would look like on the big screen in 3D.
That said, this is going to be a box office bust opening weekend. It’ll win, for sure, but it won’t even come close to what you would expect a $500 million movie to bring in its opening weekend. Like Titanic, this movie is going to get all of its buzz from word of mouth, not the trailers. So the people who go see it at first (you and myself, apparently, Madison) and witness how amazing it is (which I do not doubt one bit. I fully believe that this movie will be as revolutionary as the first films in color) will spread the word to all of our friends who will go see it and who will do the same. Titanic looked like a bust in its first weekend, Avatar will too.
I have faith in Avatar, though. Sam Worthington is one hell of an underrated actor and this will be his breakout performance, I think. Or it will typecast him into a military role and he’ll never be able to get another job. One or the other.
I think James Cameron is an awesome director. Hell, I’m even a fan of “Dark Angel”. (I was into Jessica Alba long before she was Jessica Alba)
And I will see this movie.
James Cameron will sure put a lot more heart in it, than some random Bay. I saw an interview on youtube yesterday with the music composer, who said he worked a year for the soundtrack, and Cameron also told him to visit the set to get the movie, ect.
And 3D, yay!
But I must be honest. I’m really not interested actually. It just doesn’t look clever, serious or cool enought.
First, the movie style looks ecactly like the kissing scene from FFX. (youtube “Final Fantasy X kiss scene”, you’ll know what I mean). Too blue!
Then, the action looks like the fights from the newer Star Wars movies. Wild, bright, fast, heroic.
It’s 3 hours long, so I really hope for interesting Characters. This Kimahri Ronso guy, might probably not convice me.
It’s called Avatar and it really looks more like a video game too.
So ya, I don’t think it’s going to disappoint, because you are right, the directors name is promissing a lot. But I can relate to people, who say that they are less then impressed with what they saw.
One of the main points you use — the fact that people aren’t seeing these previews in their true form — is flawed. Many people, including myself saw the 17 minute preview in IMAX 3D in a theater, and after seeing it still had the opinion that it could possibly suck. I was very impressed with the visuals, but the story (which has seemingly been all divulged through the previews, but out of sequence since the film is non-linear according to a friend of mine who saw a large chunk of it) seems predictable and cliche. Man blindly follows orders, gets involved with enemy to eradicate from within, begins to sympathize with enemy, turns against his own people to defend what he has come to love. Been there. Done that.
The trailer strongly implies that there are going to be major elements that are going to be dreadful to watch - the whole idea of primitive aliens fighting off an army with bow and arrow just reminds me too much of the ewoks to not make me highly doubtful and the aliens themselves look too much like the CGI they are to work outside an animated movie.
There are definitely going to be redeeming factors, but right now we only have what looks like a trailer to a movie that appears to rely heavily on the 3D-Gimmick factor and the name James Cameron who directed his last great movie 18 years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be an overall fun experience but I can’t see any potential for greatness at this stage.
Without writing an entire article like my fellow commenters, I happen to agree with you sir, pretty much impossible for this movie to suck. Cameron is the man. Is he taking a risk here? Sure, but even if the movie sucks Cameron goes down as a fantastic director regardless.
@ Josh: it’s not opening until next month. “Avatar” would sadly lose it’s ass to the new “Twilight” if it opened this weekend.
I don’t think it’s a matter of “people actively root[ing] for huge, epic projects to fail,” as much as it is, having their ridiculously high expectations crushed by mediocrity - read: the Matrix sequels, etc.
Honestly, “Avatar” doesn’t really grab me. The effects look cool, but, as John said above, the story sounds too familiar. Meh. I’ll keep my expectations very low that way I might be pleasantly surprised.
@ Josh: having reread your post I see now you meant *when* it opens. Sorry.
@ Josh
Great comparison of this movie’s 3-D to color film back when movies were black and white. I agree, I think the impact will be huge.
@ Lagrange
I’m sure you’ll get good characters. That’s a staple of a Cameron movie.
@ Gojira
The playing field of war is evened when one side has inferior technology but is familiar with the environment. Why do you think we got our asses kicked in Vietnam?
@ John
Very few people have seen the huge IMAX trailer, yet many blindly assume this will suck. As for the predictable story: well, let’s wait and see. And anyway, MANY stories have been told over and over with new twists or imaginings. I wouldn’t really have a problem with it anyway.
@ john v
My point is that cynicsim is deserved when a filmmaker has failed in the past. Cameron hasn’t, and there’s no reason to think he will now. Regardless of his budget, his films are far superior to other blockbusters.
My take on this is the fact that a preview by definition is suppose to impress the viewers. It’s not only a finished product, but a collection of the best scences from the finished product.
I feel neutral about this movie just like The Dark Knight. I’m undoubtly going to enjoy this movie, but it’s not the second coming of jesus everybody’s claiming it to be.
Finally, I want to point out the overly cliche plot of the movie. I’m sure it’s still going to be good, but the white people/discoverer/”civilized” nation ruining a beautiful indian/natural/indigeious culutre has been done so many times. It’s hard not to smirk and say really … that’s so original.
@ zero
This wasn’t so much of a pro-Avatar piece as it was a pro-Cameron piece. If anyone else was behind this movie (aside from someone like a Nolan or Spielberg), I’d be skeptical, too. But not with Cameron - everything he’s done is not only awesome, but awesome 20 years later, too.
Just because Cameron gets favourable reviews doesn’t mean he makes good movies. Critics shot down Bladerunner in flames when it first came out as well.
I’m going to remain hopeful and I’m a bit of a CGI guy anyway as I work around computers but I’m not going to rule out the movie being a turkey.
Story sounds very cliched and the visual aspect has been the one that has been pushed the hardest.
I’m going to go watch it regardless because even if it sucks if it does well it’ll be a win for original IP’s as opposed to sequels but it seems a bit like you are trying to force a response out of people by suggesting you somehow have visited the future and know something for certain.
Nobody will know till it is released and there is every possibility it could go either way.
To be honest with this type of movie in particular I’d be more hopeful if Nolan or Ridley Scott were in charge. It seems like their type of stuff.
@ TheDarkKnight
I’m not trying to force a response out of anyone. The best way to predict the future is to look at the past.
Hmm maybe that sounded a bit harsh but I’d still say you are a brave soul speaking with so much of what seems like certainity.
I don’t think Cameron has taken on anything quite like this. When I think about this my mind gets cast back to Lord of the Rings.
That trilogy was a huge huge undertaking and it was undertaken by a guy that had been obsessed with the books since he was a child and he had a hell of a time pulling it off.
Creating an entire world and fleshing it out in that way is not the same as creating an action movie or taking an event in history everybody is familiar with, putting in a good looking actor and actress for the love angle and then throwing in some special effects to draw people to it.
This is a completely different undertaking and a much larger one at that and any director in the world could get it wrong.
Three words (well, two and a letter): Star Wars I.
If Lucas can fail that bad, so can The Cameron.
@ Franken PC
Eh, I don’t buy it. Lucas did Howard the Duck and was doing prequels, a sure way to alienate your fan base.
Steven Spielberg has dropped the ball a few times too.
I think Spielberg is over rated but he is at least as competent a director as is Cameron and he went from some pretty spectacular movies to being attached to some real rubbish.
@ TheDarkKnight
Yeah, but Spielberg’s huge blunder was Indy 4, and like I pointed out to Franken PC above, Cameron isn’t making a sequel or prequel. Spielberg’s been really pretty solid otherwise.
Thanks for reading.
Great, great, GREAT article and analisys! I’ll never take James Cameron for granted again!
Good article, but have to disagree, I do believe that this will be a fail for Cameron. Yeah I have enjoyed all his movies, but I do have an erking feeling that this might suck. I dunno, hope I’m wrong though.
I absolutely don’t think it’s going to suck. In fact I’m sure it’s going to be great, but I have a hard time getting worked up over a film that cost AT LEAST a third of a billion dollars.
I can’t say I’m going to be “impressed” with that. ANY film with that large of a budget SHOULD be a spectacle, but who really cares about that these days.
District 9 was an AMAZING accomplishment, and was produced for one tenth the cost…
I understand your reasoning for Cameron and Avatar. I’m the same way when it comes to Wes Anderson films.
But personally I believe that Avatar is not going to be what it’s been hyped as. Sure he’s trying to make another legendary world that’s on par of Terminator or even the Star Wars series. But i feel that it’s going to fail in that. Add on the fact that way too much money has been invested into the project. And for what? Effects? Ihate to say it but District 9 looked way better that what I’ve seen from all the Avatar previews.
Now I’m not against Avatar. Before the previews came out I was excited, hoping that it would be another classic Cameron. But once I saw some pictures and viewed the trailers I was greatly let down.
I guess we’ll have to wait until December to find out.
@ Sean
I like me some Wes Anderson…nice.
Anyhow, I think the effects - once in 3-D - will be unlike anyone has ever seen. And what’s too much money? It’s not yours, so what does it matter?
Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
This is what I always remind myself every time Avatar comes up. Yeah, sometimes it looks cheesy or stupid and Dances with Wolves 2: IN SPACE! But this is James fucking Cameron. When it comes to sci-fi action movies, nobody has a better record. Terminator 1/2, Aliens, even the Abyss is great. I’ve been looking forward to this movie for awhile now, and now its less than a month away!
@ Madison
Well something over $300 million of Fox’s money was with additional money from Cameron himself. And yes, it’s not my money but it just shocks me that a company could put that much “faith” in one man. A rage fueled one none the less.
And not to start an arguement but it was mentioned that Piranha 2 is not a Cameron film because he didn’t write. Then by that logic almost every Scorsese film doesn’t count. Or the Wrestler isn’t an Aronofsky film because he didn’t write it.
@ Sean
Re: Piranha 2
I was really just suggesting that we not judge Cameron based on Piranha 2, essentially because it’s not a movie he really put much into.
@ Madison
I can understand why you wouldn’t want to include it.
But I did like what Cameron said about it. He went on saying it was bad but one of those movies you have to watch at drive in with friends and popcorn and just laugh at.
And still on that note of big budget films, I’m excited to see what Christopher Nolan has to offer with Inception.
OK I take it back this film is not going to suck, just read this:
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/11/ff_avatar_cameron/
I had no idea how passionaire Cameron was about this film. While I’m not the biggest Cameron fan he is certainly a good director but I didn’t realise it was such a long term plan and he had so much to do with the development of cameras just to make this happen.
God I hope he pulls it off.
[…] wrote last week that I don’t think Avatar will suck, and I think there’s a real good chance it’ll go down as one of the best science […]
Its better not to be cynical as a critic at this point were many movie goers are waiting to see this motion picture as of yet. Yes one can always have their right to a opinion but its the experience for the audiences of seeing it for the themselves then deciding for themselves afterward. And being shown in Imax 3D as well should amaze theatre goers when they watch this film. I highly recommend seeing it this way. James Cameron looks like he took great effort to use the Imax 3D experience, if one can remember Mr. Cameron has always shot his film on the big screen like Titanic or his terminator movies but never utilize the Imax movie filming experience that truly capture his big blockbuster films the way he wants the audiences to see it.
[…] all the talk about Avatar - which totally isn’t going to suck, by the way - I started thinking about how many CGI characters have appeared in movies over the […]