There's a battle going on right now as film critics who went to see Avatar struggle not to spill. Most reviewers such as myself saw the film under an embargo. Reviews are supposed to be held until the 18th. But the big papers are pushing the studio hard and the damn is breaking.If you're looking for an early taste two good places to get a sense of the film are David Poland's excellent blog and Jeffery Wells' website. There's a boyish enthusiasm emanating from both of those reports and I say that in the most positive way possible.
I'll hold off on my full review for now. But let me say this. It is an experience. It will do quite well. It will become (or already is) an event movie that you have to see to be part of the conversation. The difference between Avatar and James Cameron's Titanic is that we didn't see Titanic coming. The movie disappointed critics and was being compared to Waterworld.
Already I can feel the industry getting on side with this one. It's going to change the business. How, is hard to say.
