After how everyone who went to saw the movie was twitting about how great the film was, bla bla bla. I finally caught Avatar today and boy was I disappointed! I wasn't expecting cinematic gold here but I was so surprised when Dances With Wolves kept coming up in my head as I was watching the movie. As my brother mentioned this was from the "Go Native" formulae of the movie playbook. ie. Guy comes from one advanced background, joins up with native people, learns to love the land, love the chick, then choose to fight against his own people.

Ooops, did I just spoil the movie for you? It's not like you wouldn't have seen how the story was going to end coming from a mile away.

From my twits I can see how people keep talking about how great the graphics are, and how James Cameron DESIGNED AN ENTIRE WORLD to fit the story in. I play next gen video games so seeing entire lush beautiful worlds that have been DESIGNED for the story? I see them all the time.

Since the pretty pictures can't distract me from concentrating on the story. Here are my nitpicks following in the vein of my Star Trek nitpick post. Oh yeah... stop reading if you want to try and spot them yourself.

• The humans keep talking about how dangerous the planet and the people are. It makes you think that the humans have been fighting the Navi for at least 10 years. (one way trip to Pandora takes about 5 years) But considering the technology gap (We're talking poisoned arrows vs armour plating here) and the WAAAAYY too well equipped military force the humans have you'd have to wonder why the humans haven't already WIPED THE NAVI OUT!! ALL OF THEM!
• Since they were talking about how dangerous the Navi are... do we hear of Navi raiding parties on the mines? Do we see guerilla assaults on the mines by the Navi?
• It is mentioned the Navi are hard to kill, hmmm a few bullets seem to do the trick. When the humans were fighting the battle never once did you see this Navi that's pretty hard to kill actually getting an upper hand.
• Rape a dragon into submission so you can ride it... What a nice way to put it. (Why rape? Our censors spared it for us but think about the hair connector for a second. First time Sully plays with it Grace says "You'll go blind if you touch it" The act of connecting 2 connectors is called a link. If there was a way for 2 creatures to share a bond greater than physical, how do you think they'll have sex?)
• A venerable FLEET of flying dragons vs a FLEET of helicopters with vulnerable propellers, and the best tatic Mr Marine could come up with was slam into them and hope you can toss the helis aside? I was expecting death from above, rocks, tree trunks... Heck.. even the Ewoks tried to throw rocks at AT-STs! I can't believe I just said the Ewoks are better than something!
• "We are familiar with these lands" but instead of planting traps to try and entrap the giant mech suits approaching your hideout. You decide that the best tactic against mobile artillery with escorts is a cavalry charge? But you don't even have HORSE ARMOUR!
• Against an enemy that's holding out in an OPEN AREA, you decide that even though you have SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGICAL advantage against your enemies you'll just charge straight into their front door and BOMB THE PLACE TO HELL! Even though you know that that area is strategically disadvantages to you. You have SPACE FLIGHT capability, ever heard of Orbital Bombardment or heck just mere Kinetic Bombardment. You want shock and awe? Isn't a MESSAGE FROM THE SKIES shock enough?!?

Yes.. I'm just disappointed with the flick.

ps. In case you're wondering I didn't lookup on anything about the movie before watching in. So I had no preexpectations of it.