Hype or Hope?

A trailer for James Cameron's opus Avatar has recently appeared online as well as a sneak peak of 16 minutes at theaters the other day. I've seen the trailer numerous times, and even read a synopsis about the storyline. Considering the amount of time Cameron has spent on it, 6 years since conception I think, and the obscene amount of money it's cost I am not impressed. Cameron is the man responsible for Aliens and Terminator both of which were revolutionary sci-fi films. Now, he gives me blue elves running around a rainforest filled with rejects from Jurrasic Park? Some genre media types have proclaimed Avatar as being a milestone and revolutionary movie in the genre. Yet with the same tired old storyline of earth men saving alien civilizations, I'm not impressed. Yes, I get the geek factor of the Avatars being controlled by humans' minds. It just doesn't impress me much.

Avatar will be in 3-D when it hits theaters this December. Apparently, that is part of the buzz surrounding the movie. Some claims are that the detail in the CG will make this unlike any other 3-D movie. I suppose it does have the potential to be a very immersive experience. Hi-def CG and surround sound in a theater does have that potential. Yet a major part of immersion into a movie for me is the storyline and acting. It can have all the bells and whistles of the latest technology but miss the mark in story/acting and I won't finish watching a movie.

Not a lot has been released about this movie when compared to the amount of hype on genre web sites and forums. So, it is possible I'm premature in my opinion about Avatar being high on eye candy and low on content. Yet first impressions made by trailers are what draw audiences more then critics' accolades especially in the genre of sci-fi/horror/fantasy. My impression right now is that Cameron has lost his ability to tell a story in exchange for the glitz of special effects and novelty of 3-D.