Stop reading now if you don't want spoilers. You can stop reading anyway. I'm ranting.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that was a bit disappointed with it. Just saw it last night in 3D. Yeah, the visuals are amazing. And that's the only amazing thing about it. The story was predictable after 20 minutes of the movie. I pretty much called it all and I went in knowing practically nothing about the movie. Even the 3D aspect wasn't terribly impressive. I feel like they did that for the publicity of a high budget 3D film.
It was a huge rip of older, better sci fi. I saw some Stargate, Matrix, LOTS of Ender's Game (more of the other books after Ender's Game - Xenocide, Children of the Mind...). I'd mention Ferngully but I haven't seen that in forever so I'm going based on what other people say.
The major theme of the big bad corporate world eating up the planet is ancient. The love story was the same as any other romance...
Jack: "I'm doing my job. Wait, this chick is awesome. Let's get together!"
Neytiri: "Ok! I helps you, too!"
Jack: "Uh, hate to break it to you, but I have work to do."
Neytiri: "Zomg, you lied to me?! I hate you!"
Jack: "Things change, honey! I love you!"
Neytiri: "Wait, I love you too..."
Gag me with a freakin' spoon.
The more I think about this movie, the less I like it. Did I mention that it looks like Lisa Frank puked on the whole thing? 'Cause it totally does.
Did anyone notice that the handcuffs looked like a slap bracelet?
Ok, so I *do* see the appeal for people who don't read or watch much Sci Fi. It presents the other society well. You've got a noob, just like the audience, and he goes in needing to learn everything. Stuff gets explained, it makes sense. The aspect of sci fi being so totally foreign that one can't associate with it isn't so present in this movie. (I've found that problem with Sci Fi myself. The original BSG series is awful 'cause it's in English but you can't tell wtf is going on without a glossary 'cause they have a new word for everything...in the pilot episode. Not a good beginning.)
Anyway, it looks nice, but I think it kinda failed at everything else.