Avatar (2009) in 3D

Watched Avatar in 3D today. We caught the matinee, not too many people which is just the way I like it. This isn’t a review but just a post about what I thought of the movie in 3D.

My first 3D theater experience was in Universal Studios, LA. I don’t think it was IMAX but it was a huge screen and I remember the experience well as the 3D effects were really popping out of the screen. Many of us reached out to grab at the objects flying out of the screen. When everyone is doing that it doesn’t feel silly but funny!

Avatar in 3D was a big disappointment, not the movie itself, but the 3D effects or lack of. Before leaving for the cinema today, I read up a local review and the reviewer mentioned that there is little pop-out 3D. She’s right! In fact, we watched a good chunk of the movie without the goofy glasses because they were starting to get uncomfortable but more because the 3D pop-out effects were very few.

Unless there is an IMAX in your neighborhood, I guess you can skip 3D in normal theaters and watch it in 2D. I hear the aspect ratio in 2D is better too.


Before the start of the movie.


By now probably everyone who’s reading this know about the film’s plot. It' really reminded me of Ferngully, the Last Rainforest. I think it’s great that the film’s trying to spread a green message but I have a feeling no one’s going to care about that aspect. And even if they get the message, they’ll continue as before. Few will actually take a conscious step to treat the environment better. But here’s hoping I am wrong.

Little Miss Reviewer above thought the movie was very dull and dragged on the first half but I thought it was actually quite well paced. Not all of the characters get their time but the main ones were adequately developed for me to feel for them when they met their fate.

The special effects are of course mind-blowing. Beautiful renditions and sceneries too. The floating mountains bit reminded me very much of Hayao Miyazaki’s imagination in his many old pieces released by Studio Ghibli (Laputa: Castle in the Sky, the Cat Returns etc.).

Overall, I give it a 6 out of 10. I might have enjoyed it a lot more had I seen it in normal 2D. The two young “reviewers” above gave the movie a 6/10 and a 7/10. They too did not think the 3D effects was anything great at all and wished we had seen it in normal 2D so we didn’t have to pay a 122% “premium” over normal ticket prices.

Would I watch it again? Yes, when it goes into “half price bargain movies” rotation in a couple of weeks. But next time, definitely in 2D!