11/09/2009

Will 'Avatar' fail?


Call me crazy but I've really been feeling lately like James Cameron's latest project 'Avatar' is not going to live up to the expectations of those in the industry. Ever since it was first announced it was talked about like it would be the biggest most amazing movie of 2009. From the comic con panel to the first of it's kind 'Avatar Day' this was going to be an event movie. Now, here we are, in November just weeks away from the December 19th release date and I'm really just not feeling it. Perhaps I'm the only one, but usually you can sense when a movie's going to do huge things. Hell, I remember knowing how big 'The Dark Knight' would be 6 months before it came out but honestly I think people have been underwhelmed by the trailers for Avatar and thusly are not buzzing as much about it. Sure the blogging community and film nerds are talking, but what about everyone else....after all they are who counts when it comes to making a box office smash. To Mr. and Mrs. John Q Public the cartoonish blue skinned deer looking creatures populating the world of Avatar may just be too out there. Speaking of cartoonish, the CGI I've seen so far looks like crap, to be completely honest. I mean, c'mon, District 9's aliens looked real and that movie only cost like 20-30 million to make, 'Avatar' is clocking in at a 500 million dollar budget, thats right HALF A BILLION for this flick...it damn well better look amazing. Now before I dig too much of a hole the second trailer looked more promising, making the actual story a bit more clear but still needing a 500 million dollar box office just to break even seems like quite a task for movie that doesn't seem to have the mass appeal that something like the Transformers or Batman has. Contrary to everything I've just said I actually do want this movie to succeed and I really want it to be great, the theaters are dying for a new original concept franchise and I really want to see the film's star Sam Worthington in as many action flicks as possible, I just don't know that it will happen. We've posted it before but I'm including the second trailer for 'Avatar' below so you can make your own decisions and let me know how off base I actually am.