Avatar

I went into the session of the much hyped Avatar having read a review saying it was the best film the reviewer had ever seen. So needless to say my expectations were sky high.
The first thing I can say is that this is a visually spectacular film, made even more impressive by the 3D version I saw.
The second thing is that Sam Worthington is a very, very good actor. If you weren't convinced by him in Terminator then this should seal it. When your character is asked to carry the film it is a big burden, especially when there's $300 million or so invested. Worthington is excellent as Jake Sully, a wheelchair bound ex-marine who joins a mission on a planet called Pandora but becomes emotionally attached to the inhabitants.
I won't go into the plot - I think it has been pretty well publicised.
James Cameron has invested a decade, or so we are told, on Avatar and it shows. His attention to detail is unbelievable. I do think the technology still has a way to go though, because he was going for realism in the natives of Pandora and almost pulled it off except for a few scenes where they had to mix with real people.
Given that I expected this to be a standout film I find it a bit hard to rate. As I have said, visually this is pretty well second to none. The story is good, though the 'outsider who infiltrates the enemy then sympathises with them' plot has been done a billion times.
The casting is solid also. Worthington aside (and I'm not talking him up because he's an Aussie) there's the always excellent Sigourney Weaver, the quirky Giovanni Ribisi, tough girl Michelle Rodriguez among the cast.
I have to say that if Avatar wasn't an almost 3 hour film I'd be pretty keen to see it again soon. There's a lot to take in. At times I felt I was being bashed with an environmental message which was hard to miss given the humans were trying to pretty much destroy the planet.
My verdict is this: definitely a groundbreaking film overall, stunning to watch and one with a bit of intelligence. An 8.5 out of 10.
Not the best movie I've ever seen but one I enjoyed. Believe some of the hype but keep it in check.