I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Everyone is screaming 'Masterpiece!' because the water and fire effects look realistic. Yes, it looks pretty. But can we talk about how the script is basically the same as the last two? Jake Sully worries about his kids, someone gets captured, they do a big rescue mission, and things explode. It is a 3-hour tech demo with a C-tier script. If you stripped away the CGI, this would be a direct-to-DVD sci-fi movie. We need to stop rewarding Cameron for pretty colors.
DISAGREE
You are missing the point. Avatar isn't a book; it's an experience. You don't ride a rollercoaster for the 'plot.' The visual storytelling is the story. The way he uses the fire biome to show destruction is visual poetry. If you want Shakespeare, go watch a play. I paid $25 to see alien whales and volcanoes, and I got exactly what I paid for.