Avatar in 3D: Massive Win
James Cameron's new budget-busting blockbuster is nothing short of spectacular. Though it's very much a Big Hollywood Movie, with obligatory clichés (like a fight-the-bad-guy-hand-to-hand finish) and moments of painfully overt political preaching, it's also nearly three hours in a mesmerizingly beautiful alternate reality.
Like Lucas before him, Cameron wisely wraps his new world in the myths of our existing one. Viewers are led along the hero's journey, set in a not-so-subtle retelling of America's own colonization. But what makes the film work -- what takes it from noteworthy sci-fi to epic cinema -- is the absolutely masterful use of technology. Somehow, Cameron and team have figured out how to create human-like animations that actually feel human-like. His characters have faces that speak emotion -- in that sense they look and feel very real -- and that makes all the difference.
And then there's the 3D part. If you think that you might ever want to see this movie, do yourself a favor and go see it on a large screen in 3D. It won't be hard to find -- nearly 2/3 of all screens are showing the film in 3D, and there's a reason for that: on its own the movie is remarkable. In 3D, it is revolutionary. Not only does the technology feel like magic (through clear lightweight glasses you see images on a flat screen come alive in the room), but the would-be gimmick soon gives way to the experience of being fully immersed in the world Cameron has created.
It's no secret that movie theaters are dying. Sites like Ninja Video offer free, high-quality downloads of most feature films (including Avatar) within hours of their release. Not only is free better than $12 per person, but it comes without the over-priced snacks, sticky floors, or stranger in the seat next to you. But Avatar in 3D is a mass-market killer app. There's no other way to experience this film as it was meant to be seen. It's a really good reason to go to the theater, and one your living room can't compete with.
Maybe that's what Cameron meant when he named his imaginary world "Pandora": I think this movie will set in motion massive changes to the filmmaking industry and the technologies that support and and enable it. So powerful was the 3D experience that during the movie I had a sort of prophetic flash to the future in which I saw my kids laughing at how all of mommy & daddy's home videos and photos are recorded in 2D. Movies like this one (maybe this one) will be the force that drives 3D technology into the home. And once that happens we'll be opening the door to all sorts of wonderful innovation.
