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The Blue People Are Coming to Take Our Wallets

The New Avatar Trailer / Dustin Rowles

Trailers | October 29, 2009 | Comments (52)

If you’ve been to the theaters in the last couple of weeks, there’s a chance you might have already seen the new full-length trailer for James Cameron’s Avatar. Today it finally popped up online. And if you haven’t seen it, it’s MASSIVELY EPICALLY AMAZINGLY EYE-MELTINGLY BALL-BUSTINGLY MEDIOCRE!

Yeah. It’s better than the trailer that came out over the summer, in that at least this trailer gives you an idea of what the fuck is going on instead of just presenting the Avatar universe and expecting your to gouge your eyes out with glee. Yes: The visuals are impressive, and the blue people are cool — cooler, at least, than skinny, blue Koo-Aid pitchers. But if you ask me, the story feels very … conventional, maybe a little ham-fisted, and racked with cliches. And while I will grant that the Avatar universe is eye-popping, it’s still not particularly compelling for me. The more geeky among you, however, are sure to like what you see. I think.


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Comments

well hell yeah, that gets my money. you KNOW i'll see it a couple of times in the theater and will more than likely own it within the month it comes out.
sure, a lot of nitpicking is going to go down (probably even from me), but right now, i think it looks wicked. i didn't think so much with the earlier footage.

Posted by: gp at October 29, 2009 2:55 PM

I am still failing to see the significant differences between this and Ferngully.

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at October 29, 2009 2:57 PM

It looks like SHIT.

I'm seriously reconsidering Cameron's awesomeness reserves.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 29, 2009 3:02 PM

Why do you hate people in Canada so much? I can't even watch a trailer to bore myself to death. I guess I will have to live on another day. Sigh.

Posted by: Tra at October 29, 2009 3:05 PM

This new trailer was one of the *eight* previews we endure (er, saw)
when we went to the MJ rehearsal movie opening the other night.
Looks kinda purdy (and different / weird. The character design / make-up).
What is it though that is supposed to make this so ground-breaking and all
out expensive to make??

Sorry. Too lazy to go try and do some Net research and... I'm having a
crappy day. Maybe someone could just hand me a free clue on this
James Cameron extravaganza. ;-)

Posted by: Ms MoMo at October 29, 2009 3:12 PM

I really hope this movie fucking bombs. That's all.

Posted by: annoyingmouse at October 29, 2009 3:31 PM

Well, what's worse now is that now I know Sigourney Weaver and Giovanni Ribisi agreed to be in it (though Giovanni surprises me less).

Does it seem wrong that "The Phantom Menace"'s animation flattens this crap, and it's ten years old? Hell, this looks as bad as the '97 Jabba.

This movie is bullshit.

Posted by: Jay at October 29, 2009 3:41 PM

I liked the first trailer better than this one, but both are awesome except for the overly pretentious music in this new one.

Posted by: Adam C at October 29, 2009 3:42 PM

I am still failing to see the significant differences between this and Ferngully.
This movie looks preachy yet badass.
Ferngully had Robin Williams "rapping". In fact, I don't know if you remember how much "rapping" was in that flick. It had Mr. Funky Cold Medina TONE LOC up in that bitch. HE WAS A SALAMANDER!

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at October 29, 2009 3:43 PM

Many of you may have read the recent New Yorker article about James Cameron that revealed he likes to have the sound effect of a submarine klaxon diving horn to let him know he's needed on set.

What the article didn't reveal? His favorite meal to eat on set which is a salad made with... ahem:

A-ROO-gala! A-ROO-gala!

Posted by: TheUpsetter at October 29, 2009 3:54 PM

Either that or: GUA! GUA! GUAcamole!

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 29, 2009 4:07 PM

The Cameron movie this reminds me most of is The Abyss, which mixed science-fiction, action and an environmental message.

I'll still see it. It is Cameron and the last time he had an apparent turkey in his hands, he delivered the biggest movie of all time. On the other hand, if this bombs, you'll know it cause it'll bomb like nothing else has.

Posted by: Fredo at October 29, 2009 4:25 PM

I hope this movie rocks and everyone who hated it for the hype gets a big ol' sweaty dirty foot implanted firmly in their mouth. I could care either way personally; this is the equivalent of a movie my buddies and I would see on a boring rainy day after some marijuana intake just to pass the time and go "oooh, ahhh", but it's not a must see sort of deal. I just think it's funny that because it's so hyped up for all the CG that it automatically garners dislike across the internet.

Posted by: danny at October 29, 2009 4:34 PM

I'm finding it really hard to believe in this movie. I can't watch the trailer yet, I'm in a library, but how the hell can I connect to a movie that's mostly CGI?

Posted by: George at October 29, 2009 4:40 PM

if this bombs, you'll know it cause it'll bomb like nothing else has.

The thing is, even if this bombs (which it will - it will crater hard) basically Cameron's spent $400 million kicking the motion-capture and CG industry into a new level. Like the movie or not, some of that does actually look like live actors on a real stage.

Which means that other directors and creators in multiple fields will be able to use these tools to create more spectacular and realistic effects.

So even if or when this movie bombs, he's still provided a valuable service.

And even though it looks bland and basic, it'll still be one of the first fantasy/sci-fi movies in a while that isn't destroying my happy memories of a predecessor, so that's nice.

Posted by: twig at October 29, 2009 4:48 PM

OK, 2 things:

1) Never understood the Cameron worship. He's made 2 good movies - Aliens and the Terminator (only the first one...don't get me started on his "now I know why you cry" bull shit) and some decent looking but poorly written crap.

and 2) Apparently, these people can rapidly grow human/cat people hybrids but they can't make a crippled guy walk? And he has to drag his ass around in a regular ol' wheelchair? Can't even get a Hoveround?!? What kind of miserable, half-assed future is Cameron trying to sell us here?

Posted by: ChickenStu at October 29, 2009 4:49 PM

I realize there are no new stories at this point, but good god, could this be any more hokey and cliched? Evil imperialists are gonna destroy the natives land! (check) Some of the soldiers are good and will actually save the natives (because natives always need white people to save them)! (check) Inspirational speech! (check) Love story between invader dude and native chick (she's exotic!)! (check) Pisaster gouges her eyes out rather than watch this bullshit! (check)

Posted by: s.pisaster at October 29, 2009 4:55 PM

I'm fucking bored, this couldn't be more cliched if it tried. And the star Attack of the Clones CGI definitely isn't winning me over either.

Posted by: jack at October 29, 2009 5:14 PM

Great. Once again, by the time I'm interested in a film like this, everyone else has apparently given up on it. Why wouldn't acting throw the target audience out of this film? Why wouldn't it?

Now I want to see it for Sigourney Weaver as a badass military scientist. That's worth the $6 matinee ticket.

Posted by: Robert at October 29, 2009 5:36 PM

So it's a movie about a white guy from a technologically advanced civilization (but he's in a wheelchair which makes it edgy!) who is sent to subdue a group of natives (but they're blue cat people which makes it cool!). White guy learns holy wisdom from the noble savages (but they're aliens so it isn't a racist cliche!) then teaches the po' little natives fight off evil imperialists (but it's in space so it's not condescending!)
Rip off Kipling much?

Posted by: Inaras at October 29, 2009 5:36 PM

The thing is, even if this bombs (which it will - it will crater hard) basically Cameron's spent $400 million kicking the motion-capture and CG industry into a new level.

I totally understand, even buy, that argument. The problem is, from the trailers released thus far, it DOESN'T LOOK ALL THAT SPECTACULAR.

Who cares about plot, characters, acting? (Most of the time, not me.) If it really did push the special effects industry forward $400 million worth, all could be forgiven. Some of us just aren't seeing all those dollars on screen. However, I will reserve further judgement until it's actually out.

Posted by: MM at October 29, 2009 5:40 PM

Apparently, these people can rapidly grow human/cat people hybrids but they can't make a crippled guy walk?

Actually, the dialoged in the trailer pretty much states then CAN make him walk again, but he has to earn it by killin' some natives first.

Posted by: Vermillion at October 29, 2009 5:53 PM

"Actually, the dialoged in the trailer pretty much states then CAN make him walk again, but he has to earn it by killin' some natives first." - Vermillion

Well, that's retarded. Give a crippled man his legs already!

Posted by: ChickenStu at October 29, 2009 5:58 PM

As far as the whole thing, well, I will also hold judgment. I am not exactly impressed with the story, but the effects are impressive, especially compares to the live-action shots.

With Attack of the Clones, there was still a marked difference between the real stuff and the CG stuff, not so much there. I think it just seems easier to pick out because we don't see giant mechs and blue cat-people everyday.

Posted by: Vermillion at October 29, 2009 5:59 PM

I am still rooting for Cameron because, despite Titanic, Aliens will always be enough to redeem anything he does. But please, please, give us a plot a little more complicated/interesting/original than this one! And one without the mind-numbingly stupid premise that the magical McGuffinite stone can only be found in one inhabited village on one planet in one solar system anywhere in the universe.

Posted by: Royalewithcheese at October 29, 2009 6:03 PM

Wait...wait...wait. I thought in the original trailer it made it look more like the guy "became" the alien. Now he just uses it like a remote controlled alien? So he's not actually the alien? So the chick alien is falling in love with a fake alien being controlled by a human and vice versa? That just made this all out fucking retarded.
"He's got to go in and help them fight!!" -random lab assistant/dorky guy
*General walks over to pull the plug out.*
"We've got to stop him." -random lab assistant/hot chick
*Locks doors and jams the controls.*
General on a the radio "They locked the doors...anyone out there got a gun?" -General
"We're Marine's sir!" -random Marine
"Right, stupid question. In that case can someone just shoot the fucking power supply to this building?" -General
"That would shut the power off to the hot tub room too sir." -random Marine
"So?" -General
"Yes sir."
*sounds of gunfire off screen.*
"Oh no." -random lab assistant/hot chick
*power in the building goes down. Dude hooked up dies from having his brain disconnected. Elsewhere, across the planet.*
"Don't worry, we're going to get through this." -blue alien/marine/clone
"How do you know?" -hot blue alien chick
"I just do. You're going to have to trust me!" -blue alien/marine/clone
"I love you." -hot blue alien chick
"I love..." -blue alien/marine/clone
*blue alien/marine/clone drops dead. hot blue alien chick screams and holds him in her arms.*
"Nooooooooo!!!" -hot blue alien chick
*Elsewhere we are in a helicopter (but really...they still use helicopters?) with a group of Marines.*
"Holy shit...that one just dropped...anybody shoot him?" -random Marine #2
"Nope." -random Marine #3
"Well somebody shoot that hot one." -random Marine #4
"That's just gross dude." -random Marine #3
"What?" -random Marine #4
"Nothing." -random Marine #3
"Well somebody shoot her." -random Marine #5
"I go it." -random Marine #2
*Random Marine #2 fires a shot and blows her head off.*
Roll Credits

Posted by: DeistBrawler at October 29, 2009 6:04 PM

kicking the motion-capture and CG industry into a new level.

I don't see that at all.

Posted by: Jay at October 29, 2009 6:11 PM

Well its official its going to suck so there should be no line for the movie on opening night and i don't have to show up an hour early for a fucking movie and stand next to some tool boxes discussing lasers, robots or terrible jokes about Windows 7.

Posted by: Sad Rockstar at October 29, 2009 6:27 PM

I'd just be apathetic if this silly mess wasn't COMMANDING me to give a shit, thus I'm fairly irritated.

Posted by: Jay at October 29, 2009 6:34 PM

There's two big effects things that are going into this film. The first is that, "Cameron's new virtual camera allows him to observe directly on a monitor how the actors' virtual counterparts interact with the movie's digital world in real time and adjust and direct the scenes just as if shooting live action.", which is about as groundbreaking as the morphing technology that debuted in T2.

The second is a new motion-capture technology that will transfer about 95% of an actor's facial expressions and performance to their digital counterpart. Another huge leap forward in effects filming.

Posted by: longcoat000 at October 29, 2009 7:37 PM

I think it's purdy. Seriously purdy. But $400million worth? No indeedy. Where is that number coming from? Is it trustworthy?

Posted by: Jerce at October 29, 2009 7:57 PM

The movie may suck, which I will continue to think in order to avoid the hype, but even if it does suck, it'll still be an interesting mess.

Besides, you guys aren't always right about movies like this, *cough* Star Trek *cough*

Posted by: George at October 29, 2009 8:18 PM

Stop already with the snarky comments almost every last one of you are making!

Is every post now a contest to out-clever each other?

What a bunch of pretentious wannabe's.

Posted by: fitzwilly at October 29, 2009 8:30 PM

Cameron will always massive coin w/ me for his non-Titanic oeuvre (OK Abyss was kinda shitty, too), but this just looks...ordinary. It took 10 yrs for the tech to "catch up" and make cartoony cat people? I could live w/ that if not for the thudding cliches that seem to be stomping their way thru the plot. Likely i'm gonna be seeing this...but Avatar is going to be a massive bomb, bank on it.

Posted by: stryker1121 at October 29, 2009 8:38 PM

as long as the blue people stay the fuck away from my ham wallet, i'll be content.

back off, you blue bastids!

Posted by: stopthemadness at October 29, 2009 9:19 PM

fighting wars on alien planets is always easier when your opponent miraculously speaks your own language.

Posted by: yungrii at October 29, 2009 10:21 PM

Stop already with the snarky comments almost every last one of you are making!

Hi fitzwilly, welcome to Pajiba!

I think the worst thing about this movie is that they cast Sam Worthington in the main role, and for most of the movie he's not even on screen. That blue avatar doesn't look enough like him to make this worth my while. I need my eye candy!

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at October 29, 2009 10:50 PM

Still can't work up an ounce of interest in this. But I do sincerely hope it bombs. A fucking movie shouldn't cost that much money. It's insulting.

Posted by: figgy at October 30, 2009 2:40 AM

Pocahontas in space?

Posted by: Brave Sir Robin at October 30, 2009 6:59 AM

Everyone's so quick to judge and hate. The trailer for 'Aliens' was basically THERE'S A LOT MORE THAN ONE ALIEN AND SPACE MARINES ARE GOING TO FIGHT THEM.

Posted by: Doom70 at October 30, 2009 8:02 AM

...and that outline was pretty basic, and correct, but the actual 2 hour version of the film was great. I had no more surprises from this trailer than the last one--dude goes into alien body and may change sides and 'go native'. Okay, fine, lets see the 2 (or 3?) hour version. Cameron has always made complicated films, I'm sure there's more to this than what he's shown.

Myself, I think I'll see it before I decide to like or hate it.

Posted by: Doom70 at October 30, 2009 8:07 AM

Plus, it is not a remake, or an adaptation of a TV show or a sequel/prequel. Sure there's been blue aliens, and mecha suits, and fantastic worlds, and stories of changing loyalties before. But it's a new mix of elements. Have a little hope and faith people.

Posted by: Doom70 at October 30, 2009 8:12 AM

Pocahontas in space?

Well, that just hits the nail on the head.

Posted by: Pryce at October 30, 2009 10:41 AM

I guess I just don't understand why people want this to bomb. What would be the purpose of that other than telling studios that there's not an audience for science fiction and there's not an audience for creativity? In fact, if it bombs, I'm afraid it'll reinforce the current shitty trend of remaking tv shows and other movies because they're cheap and quick.

All that said, it looks pretty. I don't know if it's pretty enough for me to see it in the theater instead of waiting for dvd, but I'm sure I'll see it. Also, Michelle Rodriguez is in it and I'm fairly certain I've been clear about what my dirty, filthy, whorish self would enjoying doing to her dirty, filthy, whorish self ...so, you know, there's that...

Posted by: Lainey at October 30, 2009 12:58 PM

Yes, pisaster. Yes yes yes! Also, it doesn't hurt if the exotic alien happens to have a body like Marissa Miller.

Posted by: AM at October 30, 2009 1:06 PM

THERE'S A LOT MORE THAN ONE ALIEN AND SPACE MARINES ARE GOING TO FIGHT THEM.

Yes, and THAT is an intriguing story, unlike this.

Posted by: Jay at October 30, 2009 1:36 PM

Its your standard occupation/invasion story. Whats the big deal? $5 the main guy decides to stay with the Natives and lives happily ever after with the blue chick. Cool. Besides the trailer just gave me the whole plot. Whats there to see?
It does look really cool though. So kuddos?

Posted by: Fi at October 30, 2009 3:45 PM

Also, Michelle Rodriguez is in it and I'm fairly certain I've been clear about what my dirty, filthy, whorish self would enjoying doing to her dirty, filthy, whorish self ...so, you know, there's that..

No you have not. You have been quite obtuse about ti actually. Please, go on....

Posted by: Vermillion at October 30, 2009 5:27 PM

Yawn...if you don't like it, fine...but this "you stupid geeky fuckers will probably love it" shit is getting old. It looks good...too much mushy CGI that looks like all the other CGI out there, but there's actually some design work put into the production - at least the art dept did some decent work. Skids on futuristic chopper/vtols seems weird, but Cameron put tiny little Harrier nozzles on the drop ships in Aliens, so he's got some squirrelly design sensibilities. Story as far as I've seen it does seem a little tired, and the bizarre disconnects between what they can and can't do with technology are highly distracting, but it looks worth seeing. If you don't agree, I don't feel like you're some lower (or higher) form of life for it, just someone who likes other things.

Posted by: laredo at October 30, 2009 11:50 PM

Aliens? Check! Ruffed Space Marines? Check! Vasquez?! Fucking Check. This movie feels like every Cameron movie melted into one.

Posted by: Arthur Dent at October 31, 2009 10:36 PM

I just can't subscribe to the idea that Cameron is somehow advancing filmaking here. He spent what? 5 years (not accounting for the time AND money wasted on original development)crapping this thing out. FOUR HUNDRED mil, I'm pretty sure that don't include advertisement (add what? 200 more) by the time it opens we will be playing in the billion dollar range folks. How is that advancing filmaking? This thing LOOKS like Final Fantasy and we all know how that went.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 1, 2009 8:45 AM

Everyone that says the movie looks like "Final Fantasy" or even "Star Wars 1-3"... Just look at the HD version of the trailer!
This site is obviously meant for blind and dumb people, I guess... Cameron has never made complicated movies. He has made movies with these basic plots smple to understand but he has always managed to make them believable and interesting to audiences. That's why he's a good director.

None of his movies are complex. Abyss = Avatar, Aliens = many aliens fighting space marines, Terminator = a guy comes to kill a woman and another guy comes to protect her and falls in love with her, Titanic = two people fom different social strata fall in love while on a boat...

Star Wars was also simple as hell, the new Star Trek too. Also full of clichees... But the main thing is how the director makes it a compelling, epic story. And I'm sure Cameron still can do it.

Posted by: ansons at November 5, 2009 6:02 AM





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