Avatar: 3D Imax Preview

In the beginning God created man, in the knowledge that James Cameron would one day create Avatar, thus putting his own creations to shame in the process…………… well, that’s what the guys at Fox’s marketing department and Cameron himself have been claiming for the last few years! Quite a tall order, surely he is doomed not to live up to his own hype? Ordinarily yes, but this is the man who wrote and directed The Terminator, somehow surpassed it with a sequel born of genius, reinvented Alien, and lets not forget The Abyss and that other one about the big boat! Who else but Steven Spielberg and George Lucas has done as much to push the boundaries of high concept fiction and frequently redefine the definition of revolutionary?

When the trailer for Avatar debuted online yesterday there was a surprise vitriolic backlash of confusion and indifference (though mainly confined to the cynical forums of sites like Ain’t It Cool News) Countless geeks posed the question “Is that it?” or “What’s with the blue smurf/cat dudes?” Even I jokingly suggested an alternate title “Avajar Binks” For most people this was the very first glimpse of anything associated with the film. I can understand why some of them where caught off guard. Personally I’ve had some extra time to adjust. Although I’ve not worked on any shots myself yet, I’m surrounded by people who are attempting to preserve their sanity while they grapple with the stereoscopic visual effects. Yeah, each shot essentially has to be done twice (one version for each eye!) So I’ve watched several intriguing and eye popping sequences over the last few months, and frankly much of it surpasses content shown in the trailer (trust me, they are holding back!) Then after watching the 15 minute 3D Imax preview, I reckon any doubters will soon be silenced. It’s simply impossible to gauge the sensation of viewing it in 3D on a screen the size of a building. The digital characters and exotic vistas are beautiful and breathtaking.

If anything, it’s probably the deeply saturated colour palette causing any detractors to yell “video game!” Admittedly, the outlandish creature designs don’t feel as unique as when Cameron first imagined them all those years ago. There have been numerous films in recent years which explore a similar aesthetic. The Star Wars Prequels (especially Revenge of the Sith) King Kong etc. Personally I adore those films, so I’m not complaining. At this stage, we can’t make judgements on the story, script or dramatic weight. Will anything ever match the life changing, era defining, and profound effect of viewing Jurassic Park or The Matrix for the first time? With a track record this consistent, I for one, am willing to give James “King of the world” Cameron the benefit of the doubt! Roll on December 18th.

~ by thewholebuffalo on August 21, 2009.