Movie editor blog
created Aug 20 2009, 15:43Avatar: the future of sci-fi?
We've just seen the first trailer for Avatar – consider our minds well and truly blown.
We've fallen victims to hype before this year – oh Terminator Salvation, how we wish you were better than your trailers – but having seen the teaser for James Cameron's Avatar, we're convinced it represents the next stage of movie evolution. Bold words, but it looks like a bold movie.
The trailer, which you can watch here and soon on this very site, keeps its details close to its chest – in fact, the only line of dialogue is: "This is great." Agreed.
We see Sam Worthington's paraplegic soldier Jake landing on the offworld planet of Pandora – a lush, jungle-covered world with floating islands, dense fauna and a native species of 6 foot high warriors called the Na'vi.
Immediately it's obvious that Cameron's design team have outdone themselves – Pandora looks incredible and the Na'vi, with their starry eyes and long bushy tails, are like nothing you've ever seen. (Although one joker in our office did describe the trailer as "Smurfs: The Movie").
With the help of his military doctors, Jake is able to transport his mind and soul into the body of a synthetic, artificially created Na'vi body – the 'avatar' of the title – allowing him to ingratiate himself with the planet's natives. However, in true Dances With Wolves style, Jake empathises with his new friends – and turns against his old ones.
Though few action scenes are shown in any great details, we do get a glimpse of some incredible looking aerial battles, with Na'vi warriors fighting on dragon-back against the might of the military. Some of Pandora's toothier creatures look a bit tasty too – we detected a hint of Jurassic Park about some of the bigger beasties.
Absolutely everything about the trailer looks unique – the Na'vi look beautifully distinctive, Pandora looks like a holiday destination to die for and Cameron's grasp of badass war movies looks even better than it did in Aliens. Factor in 23 years of improved technology and imagine how hard your jaw will hit the floor when this is released in December.
Check out our 10 reasons why Avatar will change the face of sci-fi here.
What do you think? Will Avatar live up to the hype? Post your comments below and let us know what you thought of the trailer.
Your comments
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. from . says:Sep 20, 18:04
Just No
Will Avatar live up to the hype?No -
Angry sci-fi fan from Norn Iron says:Sep 7, 10:10
I'm sick to death of people actually thinking that making a movie mostly comprised of CG and throwing a few live action actors into the the mix is the worthiest thing James Cameron can do. ou just need look at aliens, terminator and terminator 2, it was live action and used special effects when needed. Cameron made titanic, a movie so dull and and unappreciative of the subject matter that he should never have been allowed to make another action/sci-fi movie ever again or a movie for that matter. Avatar can go jump of the same pier king kong should have.
Will Avatar live up to the hype?No -
Alex from Huddersfield says:Aug 30, 19:43
I think this film looks fantastic! The only things I'd change about it at the moment (not having seen anything beyond the trailer obv), is the music on the trailer, which I know has put some people off, and the fact that it's in 3D. Will they have a cinema/DVD option that doesn't require us to wear 3D glasses? You never get enough pairs in the DVD box,and then those ones promptly go missing, which does detract from the viewing a bit. I mean, it will look fantastic in 3D, but having to hunt down the single pair you get everytime you want to watch it will get old really quickly.
Will Avatar live up to the hype?Yes -
keith from brighton says:Aug 21, 23:06
with out any shadow of a doubt this film oozes class great imagination and lets not forget one of the best directors in the buisness i think it will blow even he most synical of sceptics out of the water , in the sci fi world all film makers are now playing catch up to this masterpiece.
Will Avatar live up to the hype?Yes -
mike from Gosport says:Aug 21, 22:16
lol at some comments, This movie is cool and looks very cool and should push the bar far up for others to follow! The old star wars movies beat all the cgi stuff in the new ones because the old ones had a good story to follow , and when i first put on titanic i thought i was watching a documentry how wrong was i, thats just how JC made it so well ...good luck to him for pushing the boundries a bit more, not heard one reporter not coming out with there jaw on the floor yet who had a preview!
Will Avatar live up to the hype?Yes
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