Avatar Trailer

[David M]

Has any one watched the first trailer for Avatar? It’s the new film from James Cameron. I must say it looks VERY good.

Here is the link to the HD version: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/hd/

Just want to say hello too, bout time I actually joined this site.

Topic

[pfm]

To me it only looks half good. The CGI IS impressive but it looks too busy, overblown and cartoony in an Attack of the Clones/Revenge of the Sith type way. We’ve just got to hope that the acting holds up under all that technology. The live action parts should be pretty solid. They look a bit like a brighter-lit Aliens and The Abyss.

[p2p_productions]

Hi there, David.

Yeah, I gave the trailer a brief mention on my blog. TBH, I was expecting a little more that what was presented (essentially, Aliens, ET, Minority Report, etc. in a blender), too.

Don’t get me wrong, the trailer’s clearly well produced – it just didn’t grab me the same way the Star Trek ’09 or Terminator Salvation trailers did recently. Word is, Avatar as a whole, works amazingly well in Imax, so maybe that’s the venue I need to see it in.

Still looking forward to the flick, though. I mean, it IS from James Cameron, after all. :-))

[Andrew]

I think it looks utterly mediocre, to be honest!

I fully expect the film itself to entertain the hell out of me – aside from Dark Angel and Piranha II he’s always managed that – but that trailer is just…nothing. With almost no character stuff on show, it’s all ‘look at these visuals’. But I’m looking…and I’m seeing Star Wars prequels.

Cameron’s already said that one boon of 3D is that it sells you on the CGI in a way 2D can’t. You see it move in the same three planes as the actors, it gains a credibility to the eye that a flat image can’t match. I can completely believe that…but in 2D that CGI stuff looks like CGI stuff. Well enough done, but nowhere near eye-fooling.

Sure, blue people suffer the Hulk problem – how can it EVER look natural to the eye? – but trees don’t. And military ships really shouldn’t: the design of vessels and combat suits are wicked, but the execution is yet to impress. Cameron’s always had a gift for making things seem SOLID (in block capitals) – there’s weight to his action, a ‘heavy’ feel to everything from strapped-together guns and power loaders to diving suits and Robert Patrick – and so far everything here feels vague and floaty.

But, as I say, I anticipate this being a trailer issue. That SOLID feel comes from sound FX as much as the visuals, and the trail’s not giving us those. And the tension and character weight will come from the story, which has yet to be effectively communicated.

In the meantime, though – nah. I’m more excited by District 9.

[ChrisM]

I think the ship, and mechanical stuff looks awesome. As for the aliens… I don’t mind the design too much (although they’re a bit too cute maybe) but they certainly don’t look real. They’d be ok in a CGI film where everything is in that style like Beowulf, but in a hybrid film like this which incorporates both, I’m rather disapointed. Not that it’s bad, per se, it just seems disproportionate with all the hype. Lets face it Gollum looked just as good.

And why do they have a CGI version of Sam Worthington in a wheelchair?
For your reference.

A HUMAN guy in a wheelchair? Maybe it’s just easier for them to have a CGI version since he’s outside the ship in a rendered environment rather than sticking him in there using blue screen but I don’t buy that. They mastered blue screen long before CGI. I’m not a CGI hater, but that’s a major example of it’s overuse.

[p2p_productions]

The one thing I DID like was the low key music – a real change from the usual sweeping movie/opera-lite tracks that I usually use..! I’m sure it’s there to help the viewer focus more on the visuals, but as has already been said here, there and everywhere, the visuals are… well, ‘meh’.

[Pete Part Three]

Well, that was incredibly depressing. I was prepared to love this. It’s Cameron and it’s Sci-fi, so as long as it’s not The Abyss II, I was prepared to book my tickets now.

But this just looks like Final Fantasy : The Spirits Within. Urgh. The CGI for the blue aliens is crap too.

Cameron seems to have been infected by the bug that Lucas and Zemeckis have contracted. Priority #1 : Push technology.

[p2p_productions]

New Inception trailer’s out, too.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810099246/video/15201197

[pfm]

Anyone who’s seen Terminator Salvation knows that we have a right to be worried about Sam Worthington’s performance in Avatar. Can Cameron’s influence turn someone from a crap actor with little presence into a good actor who can carry a massive movie even under a CGI guise?? Salvation was shot after his work on Avatar so he could have IMPROVED for Salvation!! Dear God.

The other main cast are solid enough. Zoe Saldana, the new Uhura, is a personal favourite of mine, even though it seems we will only be seeing her as a big blue CGI alien in Avatar (or WILL we…? maybe that would be too obvious a twist to have HER secretly being an Avatar rather than a natural Na’vi creature). Sigourney Weaver, there’s nothing that needs to be said there, apart from – does she ever age??? Get her back as Ripley one last time PLEASE!!

[Dessie]

Models look far more impressive to me than any CGI i’ve ever seen. That’s what i like about Aliens, the queen looks fantastic in that film but the CGI version in AvP was boring to watch. Cameron’s movies have a certain “real” feel about them which seems like it could be lost in this film.

[Andrew]

I woudn’t blame the CGI for anything in AvP being boring to watch…

I actually thought their queen was very well executed – but the method’s only as good as the filmmakers. Spielberg – now there’s a man who knows how to shoot for the vis-FX. Anderson? His live action shots aren’t that interesting either.

But yeah, I agree about Cameron’s ‘real’ feel. His stuff always had a heft to it, always felt solid, and so far I’m not getting that from Avatar at all.

[Andrew]

Actually, I will say this for the CGI: it’s clearly good enough to confuse people!

There’s a Den of Geek review of the trailer that claims the alien bobbing in the tank is a prosthetic, which I don’t believe it is. (Confusion likely caused by a ‘production still’ released by the makers. But when you’re working with hi-res digital, every rendered frame’s a potential still.)

ChrisM – what makes you think that’s a CGI Sam Worthington? The face lighting is odd, but that’s because he’s wearing an internally-lit breathing mask. That’s a bloke in a chair, surely?

[ChrisM]

ChrisM – what makes you think that?s a CGI Sam Worthington? The face lighting is odd, but that?s because he?s wearing an internally-lit breathing mask. That?s a bloke in a chair, surely?

It is mainly the face, that creates the affect it’s true. If the body is real the face looks like it’s been tacked on. It struck me the first time I saw it in the video. His whole appearance looks slightly off to me too, but it could be the whole screen filter/tone* coupled with the strange face that gave me that impression.

*using the word ‘tone’ in the literal colour sense here, there’s probably a proper filmakers term for it. It’s not a bad tone though, quite nice in fact, I’m referring more to the overall affect coupled with the image of Sam.

[Pete Part Three]

I thought the same as Chris. It looks weird.

[p2p_productions]

You know, there’s some fantastic CG work in that first AvP. In a few of those shots where the pyramid’s walls are shifting, there are often completely digital walls in full view, and I can hardly tell which are real and which aren’t.

Even though they say Art thrives on restriction, AvP is probably one movie that I’d admit legitimately needed just a bit more money and a slightly more realistic age classification. Oh, and I suppose a script polish couldn’t have hurt. Conceptually, Andrerson made some great choices (the grid-alien, Arctic setting, etc.), but IMO, his vision was likely cut short by the budget.

[Rad]

I went to see the 15 minute preview. It’s a James Cameron science-fiction film so I was expecting something truly great. But… I am a bit disappointed. It does seem to be telling a conventional story of man finds a new life in different society then fights against his own people to protect it by utilising extraordinary special effects.

After seeing the preview I have to say I don’t agree with this 3D = greater immersion idea. If anything it was just distracting. When the general addresses the troops in the scene he just stands out unrealistically from everyone else. It was like watching a film while something waves an Action Man in front of your face. And the action scene with Sam Worthington being chased through a forest by a beastie was actually blurry in comparison with what I saw in the trailer.

However, it looks like a very well-worn story but you could probably say that about most of Cameron’s films to an extent. Also, Cameron has amazing form when creating believable worlds. I don’t think there’s a shot out of place in the incredible Aliens. So I’m still definitely going to see it when it comes out.

[Andrew]

I don’t think Anderson’s failings were remotely budgetary. Cameron’s $18m budget for Aliens in 1986 adjusts to $31m in 2004. Anderson had $60m to play with.

It’s not like the guy’s ‘vision’ amounts to much of anything. There’s no ability in evidence that would have elevated some of his more brain-dead ideas – from his own script, remember – and the good ideas he did have were executed just fine.

All else aside, one of the reasons he got the gig was because of his ‘proficiency’ at delivering low-budget mainstream genre fare that recoups its costs and does well on home video. His vision comes a poor third after ‘I promise I’ll make it for 60’ and ‘I guarantee you a PG-13 certificate’. There’s not much artistry in that pitch.

He’s a DTV guy who gets lucky – give him a hundred million and he’ll give you something expensive with a few good ideas but otherwise misguided and ill-conceived. Same flat ideas, same avoidance of insight. The guy can fuck up a David Peoples script, after all!

[pfm]

The man’s a maggot.

[peas_and_corn]

So where’re you going to go?

[David M]

Oh, and I suppose a script polish couldn?t have hurt.

The script needed to be torn up and thrown into the bin, if you ask me. AvP was probably the biggest let down, ever.

Anderson could have made a great film, but it was smeg. I agree with what Andrew said about him and couldn’t put it better myself. Mortal Kombat was good tho.

By way Andrew, what’s your picture? Can’t make it out.

[Danny Stephenson]

It’s the poster for ‘The Fly’ with the pod, the arm and the fly’s leg.

[Tarka Dal]

> The man?s a maggot.

True, but he’s a maggot who gets to make blockbuster movies and sleep with Milla Jovovich.

[Nick R]

Two awful quality cam copies of the new trailer.

Bright, but blurry and will probably be taken down quickly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhkPpcbu-Ts

Sharper but darker, but it disguises the title so it might stay on YouTube longer…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a47YvdYYYLQ

Well, I’m still excited by the film! When the teaser trailer came out, I was surprised they only mentioned Titanic, but the new trailer includes that knockout sequence of captions TERMINATOR – ALIENS – TERMINATOR 2 – TRUE LIES – TITANIC. A reminder that this is James Cameron we’re talking about, it will be good!

It’s hard to say much about the special effects from video quality that bad (can’t wait to see a HD version). I couldn’t quite understand people’s complaints about the effects in the first trailer, but then I’m always quite tolerant of shortcomings in special effects anyway – The Matrix Reloaded’s Burly Brawl looked fine to me, except for Neo’s coat in the shots where he spins round high in the air. It’s only really bad effects like the infamous ones in Die Another Day that irritate me.

The film’s hype has made a big thing about the way the Avatars’ faces resemble the actors, but I confess that I still don’t really recognise them in either video or stills. :(

[Kris ‘Drivaaar’ Carter]

Better than the teaser definetely, but even though I’m a MASSIVE Jim Cameron fan-boy… eh, I’m just not feeling it.

[ori-STUDFARM]

This movie is coming with lots of hype…most of it that I’ve heard is people who say they don’t think it’ll be any good. Usually a sign of an excellant film on the horizon……expectations not being dashed and all that….

meh!….we’ll see….

[The PerformingMonkey]

Everyone’s going to see it, I don’t think there’s any question of that.

[Tarka Dal]

> TERMINATOR – ALIENS – TERMINATOR 2 – TRUE LIES – TITANIC

PIRANHA II

[The PerformingMonkey]

THE ABYSS. Oh, and THAT STUDENT SHORT HE DID.

Hell, might as well name all his films. Hardly made any films at all, the crazy guy, however this has probably helped him stay well-respected. If he had churned out half a dozen stinkers over the last 10 years or so I don’t think we’d be holding out much hope for Avatar at all.

We’ve all seen huge effects spectacles like Avatar before, except normally the underlying elements (story, dialogue, tension etc.) are seriously lacking. The focus is on the technology not the guts. The tech seems to have been the main focus of Avatar’s production similarly, and that’s the worrying thing. You watch The Terminator back and the danger is very real, the dialogue strong and pace totally perfect. You come out of something like that thinking ‘fuck yes!’ You come out of a 3hr overblown CGI nonsensical, pointless mess thinking ‘fuck’.

[Tarka Dal]

[far too tired and argumentative]

[Pete Part Three]

Is it me or is True Lies a big, boring mess of a movie? I’d rather watch Titanic,

[Tarka Dal]

I’m not a massive fan of True Lies, but I think even it does seem pretty exceptional things. The scenes with the the Jump-Jet (if that’s what it is) are pretty spectacular, especially for its time.

The great fun with ultra-hyped event movies is that whilst everyones focusing on them one or two sleeper hits emerge that actually do change cinema a little. Who can forget the fanaticism that came with The Phantom Menace, but it turned out to be The Matrix and Blair Witch (I think) that were the breakout movies of that year.

[Kris ‘Drivaaar’ Carter]

Pete mentioned True Lies – and the Avatar trailers make me feel the same way as I did about True Lies. It was alright… but that’s it. Although Bill Paxton was fantastic in it!

[Dessie]

After seeing the trailer on the big screen i’m quite excited about this now.

[Andrew]

> Is it me

Yes. Pretty much all the time.

[p2p_productions]

You know what? I’m sick of being in the van. You guys are going to be in the van next time. I’ve been in the van for fifteen years, Harry.

[ChrisM]

There is some great comedy in True Lies. (If it’s the film I’m thinking of.)

[ori-STUDFARM]

Is that the one where Arnie steps from the screen, discovers he is a movie character and in true Bladerunner traditions, tries to track down his creator to plead for more life?

[Danny Stephenson]

that’s Star Trek!

[Ian Symes]

Is that the one where Arnie steps from the screen, discovers he is a movie character and in true Bladerunner traditions, tries to track down his creator to plead for more life?

That’s Last Action Hero. True Lies is the one where he kidnaps his own wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) and forces her to strip for what she thinks is a stranger but is in fact himself. Then they shoot a fuckload of foreigners.

[Tarka Dal]

True Lies is also the one with a young Eliza Dushku in it.

[ori-STUDFARM]

Aaaah yeas! The one where John Cleese speaks Russian because Jamie-Leigh Curtis gets turned on by the Italian language!

[Ian Symes]

No, that’s A Fish Called Wanda. You’re rubbish, unless I’m missing several levels of sarcasm.

[ori-STUDFARM]

I thought that was the one where Nemo finds Dora (who is forgetful) and they try to get back to Nemo’s Dad?

[Danny Stephenson]

That’s ‘Shark Tale’

[ori-STUDFARM]

I’m confused!

[Petetranterssister]

I can’t wait to see this film it looks ace, we are going to watch it at the IMAX in manchester to get the full experiance!

[ori-STUDFARM]

What? Sharks Tale is on at the IMAX in Manchester!!??

[Petetranterssister]

No no no lol avatar is!

[Ben Paddon]

I don’t remember this.

[Danny Stephenson]

I’m going to bed, this is gonna go on all night!

[ori-STUDFARM]

Night night.

[Author]

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