Sunday, December 20, 2009

Obligatory Avatar Review

I saw Avatar in IMAX 3d a couple of days ago and, because it's all the buzz at the moment, I feel compelled to write about it.

The story line, from start to finish, is EVER predictable: protagonist is given a "second chance" at life and embarks on and adventure. He trains and learns and experiences and finally confronts an obstacle - an enemy - and fights for "right." Just as you think all hope is lost and the villain is about to win, the protagonist comes in from behind and saves the day.

That said, the artistry of the film was stunning. Serious work went into inventing a world that seemed truly organic. From it's wildlife and foliage to the way natives worshiped their deity - it was well thought out and beautiful in a way that went beyond aesthetics.

There was so much potential.

I think Joe (he'll be 9 in February) will enjoy the film. It's simple enough - like Star Wars or Indiana Jones films - that he can look beyond the redundancies of the story line and revel in the planet they present. The 3D enhancement will impress him even more - and rightly so: it feels like you're right there in the forest. It's quite amazing actually.

Maybe I'm jaded. I like less predictable films.
But that's just me.

Did you see the film? What did you think?

P.S. As a graphic designer I would be remiss not to point out my utter shock at seeing the font "Papyrus" used for subtitles. This was a $250million dollar project. They could have splurged and hired someone to make them an original... Sheesh.