Cameron's special effect driven epic paints a pretty picture that falls short in every other category.

Welcome to the world of Pandora, a well crafted, lush environment that is dramatically presented, the 3-d only enhancing the experience.  The detail of the natural landscape is simply amazing,  But a bad story and poor clichés disrupt these eye-popping effects, creating an emotionless story where every stereo-typical flat character for these type of epics makes an appearance.

Our re-hashing of Pocohantas, begins by establishing that 99% of humans are evil and greedy (Im looking at you Corporate and Military guys) and that the indigenous Blue Cats are the good guys – un-willing to share an abundance of natural resources because they were here first! We are at the point both sides have drawn lines. Life on Middle Earth...I mean Pandora will be forever be changed because the evil humans are using the awesome Avatar technology to build bridges of peace (its never really explained why they just don't go in the masks) but the natives will believe our remote controlled puppets instead OK, I can accept that.

Avatar revisits the over done Technology vs Nature themes, sticks in a 911 reference for good measure, takes a run at the Advanced vs Primitive argument and teaches us a lesson in morality (not a good one, mind you). We are to embrace this anti-hero. the one directly responsible for escalating tensions because it takes him 3 months to bring up the touchy subject while using his puppet to enjoy Pandora's tourist spots, court the hot princess and make a little human currency on the side – its a paid gig! A hero who causes both humans and Blue Cat People to be mass murdered because he likes his new form better than his old one.  Way to go, double-genocide!  

   But the natives are wise (we are reminded repeatedly) , they are one with nature!  Military humans are merciless and need to blow things up!  Both sides are ruthless, peaceful settlement cannot be reached. Its impossible! Thus let the slaughtering begin.  I was not sympathetic with neither,  none sought compromise,  no olive branches.  Only arrows and bullets.  But the Cat people are better then humans, they  will forgive you if you can wrangle a bigger dragon In the end, the humans are banished, forever cutting off a natural resource that is established to be crucial to human existence. Nice going! Our hero dooms us all to extinction, except allow a few humans to remain to serve his own greedy purposes.