Wow. Grossly disappointed in the just hit “Avatar” trailer from James Cameron. The beginning starts off normal enough, a live-action sci-fi with some impressive shots of a jungle-like world. Sam Worthington, as many of us know, is crippled and then apparently becomes conjoined with his Na’vi avatar host and then all hell breaks loose.
However, if you were expecting — like we were — realistic looking creatures in the vein of the tangible and frightening monsters in Cameron’s “Aliens,” forget it. These things — and the second half of the trailer — look like something out of a PS2 game and are not far off from that silly Elvin look in the Final Fantasy games. The second half basically turns into one of those mid-game sections of a video game and completely deflates us. This is supposed to be the game changer this year? Maybe it does look astonishing in 3D and on the big screen, but it practically looks comical in this Internet-trailer form and something akin to “Beowulf,” i.e., something we would normally not bother with. We suppose because it’s Cameron, we will have to at least investigate, but let the record show: we were semi-excited, but now any kind of potential chub we had has gone limp. Oh yeah, this trailer is in French, but not like it makes any difference as dialogue surely won’t matter. Here’s the synopsis.
Avatar takes us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery, as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization. The film was first conceived by Cameron 14 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not yet exist. Now, after four years of actual production work, Avatar delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film, disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story
“Avatar” day hits tomorrow and we suppose one of us will go see the footage [ed. but does it have to be me?]. The film itself doesn’t hit theaters until December 18. Is this really the picture we’re all supposed to be impressed by? The creatures look painfully silly — like a Saturday Morning Kids Cartoon in mo-cap — and it feels sub-Zemeckis overall (and lord he’s the worst these days). Man, even the CGI-d monsters in “Lord Of The Rings” looked 10x more believable than this. Technology is regressing? A wise reader says the action footage looks akin too — oh lord, so right — the action sequences in the “Star Wars” prequels. Yikes. Has this one jumped the shark before it’s even begun?
You can also watch the trailer in the size and format of your choosing over at Apple.
Could not agree more. This looks, dare I say, terrible. I try not to get apoplectic over trailers, but consider such a large portion of this movie deals with the Na'vi, and they look like–as you said–something out of Final Fantasy, I'm thinking this is going to be the biggest disappointment of the year by a long way.
I can't express how shocked I am over how awful this looks. I was actually semi-excited because hell, James Cameron can make some great films and like District 9, I was hoping for a smart sci-fi I could enjoy, but wow. This looks dreadful and unintentionally comical.
HD trailer available on apple's site:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/hd/
I actually…think it looks good.
The action sequences look an awful lot like the overly cartoony look of the battles in the Star Wars prequels.
So what's the deal, he gets alien DNA and becomes a hybrid just so he can walk again? That's lame.
Talk about underwhelming.
Now, maybe I'm just a weird-o, but the reason I love cinema, the reason I watch the cinema, that I even care, is because I love storytelling.
If I hadn't read a plot synopsis before watching that trailer, I would have absolutely no real idea what it was about. Actually, it looks pretty goofy, and the only way Cameron would have gotten me interested is by actually releasing a real trailer after all these months of hype. One with dialogue, and a plot set-up, and character introductions. This is not a trailer, this is an action montage set to dramatic music. And it does not impress me.
I hope he isn't just expecting everyone to go 'bwargh explozions!!!" and run out to the multiplex.
I expect the film to be better.
Worth noting that a lot of people who've seen the footage at Comic-Con, like Jeff Wells or Kristopher Tapley, think the trailer is unimpressive but the footage is great.
We'll find out tmw, there's probably like 2-3 of us seeing that footage on Avatar day.
ugh. no sale.
This is just another piece of crap that James Cameron and his megalomaniacal ass bring to us.
Geek shit!
Dude I *liked* beowulf
I don't understand. How is a giant screen and a third dimension going to change the way their faces look?
I really really don't want to join an Avatar pileon, but I am firmly unexcited.
Uh, District 9 is now "smart sci-fi"? If you want to qualify that by saying "somewhat intelligent science-fiction action film," I'd be inclined to agree.
Also, this is pretty much a more expensive, 3D version of District 9, though. Same character arcs and everything. I'm not sure you can trash one and praise the other.
Let us not forget we are talking about a 2D trailer of a 3D film.
That being said, there's no fucking way I'm sitting through 150 minutes of this. Since this is coming out on my birthday, I very much expect Jimmy to personally cut a 113-117 minute version for me.
It's just a teaser though, and it is attention grabbing. It's not poor looking. I didn't know what to expect, but once I saw the teaser it looked ok. I guess a full trailer will have a lot to make up for. They better get on that fast.
Sub-Zemeckis–ouch! Did anyone else get a slightly higher budget SciFi Channel movie vibe? I gotta admit, I've been gunning for this movie because I think Cameron is a douche. I'll concede he's made great films, but he also made Titanic (and I've never harbored such hatred for a film before or since). But I guess this is what you get when you start claiming you'll change the face of film. Those marketers better be careful and hope whatever they show tomorrow is great, because even for being the most hyped movie of the year, this trailer may be able to single-handedly ruin that.
Also of note: Over at Apple, on the trailer page, it says "From the Director of the 'Titanic'" Jeez people, if you're going to hype something, can you at least not do it so sloppily??
What a let down!
I've not got caught up in the hype surrounding this movie and after seeing this teaser trailer and glad.
The Na'vi remind me of when I first saw Jar Jar Binkis – but hasn't CGI moved on since then??
The trailer didn't come across as very coherent.
Heres hoping the finished product is infinitely better.
I don't get it. You guys are hilarious. How can you say that this footage does NOT look great. Hand's down, of course it's not holy or something. It can't cure cancer. It's still a movie, damn it! You mast have had way too high expectations.
How can anyone compare this CGI of any PS2 game or any game at all?! just name at least ONE movie where CG-based characters looked better. and I'm not talking about design-matters. Design is always a matter of taste.
I'm impressed by the teaser. I think it looks great and it makes me really want to see the whole movie.
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