Customer Reviews
An Amazon.com official commented on the review belowSee comments
By
M. Western "MYD Movie Fan" (REAL NAME)
***THINGS YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY*** 1. A special edition likely including 20-40 minutes of additional footage is already being leaked to media for release later THIS YEAR! 2. No special features. If you are a fan, of all the discs in your collection this is the one you really want the extra stuff. It really should be amazing! 3. No 3D presentation. New technology in TVs is out this year and should enhance the home 3D experience. I don't usually care about 3D at home but things are changi ng. Be ready! 4. There is also news that the movie itself will be re-released shortly with the 20-40 minutes of additional content I mentioned above. Why buy the Blu if you can see it with additional content and in the best possible 3D at theaters--- then buy the special edition just a few months later? I have to echo the comments of a previous reviewer. The studios are becoming so brazen. They released this edition and tried to explain the poor accoutrements by saying "they wanted to save all the space on the disc for the best possible presentation". Are you kidding me? Bust out the extra discs already! Offering this bare bones BR right before re-releasing the movie with additional footage was also a classless act that spits in consumer's faces. Just rent the movie or see the enhanced version in theaters. It will tide you over until the Special Edition comes out. Lastly, there are plenty of people adding comments that you shouldn't wait for 3D because the home experience with 3D is lack luster or most people don't have the new 3D TVs. That's partly true, however... IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT 3D! The lack of additional storyline, missing special features and blatent disregard for consumers (in an economic downturn) are what make this a bad deal. There is new home theater technology out this year that should enhance the home 3D experience. Your home theater will catch up. People who are excited about this movie should be standing together against a poor release offering, especially when there are terrific alternatives to hold us over. Wait a few months and get a much superior release for similar money.
As it turns out, Fox has craftily decided to milk "Avatar" for every possibly penny, since the debut DVD/blu-ray will be a bare-bones release -- and it will be one of the first major films to appear in home video without any of the regular special features, such as theatrical trailers, deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage. If you want all the extra features, you'll have to wait until November, when you can buy a second "Avatar" DVD, currently titled the "Ultimate Edition," which will include all of the fancy stuff. And then, if you have real ly deep pockets, you can come back to the video store next year and buy a third, 3-D, version of the DVD. So in a nut shell... This Blu-ray/DVD release JUST has the movie on it! NOTHING ELSE. NO EXTRAS, NO TRAILERS, NO SPECIAL FEATURES.
By
the-movie-guy "movie and electonics buff" (Lawrence, KS)
Five months after "Avatar" received its initial big-screen release, we are presented with its first release to the home-video market. Much has been written about the double and triple-dipping. We know this is a bare-bones release, devoid of ANY extras, special features, deleted scenes, commentary, etc. We know the studio is releasing a more complete edition of the film on Blu-ray in November 2010, and a 3D version at some point in the future. We've all h eard the complaints from those who think this stripped-down version is merely a cash grab. So now Earth Day has arrived, and "Avatar" has been released in this bare-bones edition. For those who, like me, love the movie, and want to have something on-hand to enjoy until the more thorough release arrives in the months to come, is this worth it? In a word, yes. This Blu-ray is the movie only, with some basic search/bookmarking features and subtitles. There is no commentary, no trailers, no previews, no annoying advertisements that play before the movie starts. It's the movie only, much like the way DVDs presented films back in the early days of that format. You insert the disc (the disc loads and starts playing automatically in my Sony BDP-S570). There will be a moment or two of a blank screen as the disc loads. You'll see a brief message informing you to update your player's firmware if you experience any problems playing the disc. Then you'll see a piracy warning (thankfull y it's brief), and then a basic Fox Home Video title screen. Now you come to a nicely animated menu screen, which gives you options to play the film, set up your options or search for a scene or bookmark. The disc has an advanced feature which allows you to resume playback if you power your player off during the film playback. This option comes on automatically when you turn on the player again, even if you've removed the disc and reinserted it. The video quality is astonishing, easily besting last month's Toy Story and Toy Story 2 releases from Disney. You have a full 16x9 (1.78:1) picture, which is how I remember the film being presented in RealD and Dolby 3D Digital in theatres. Colors are crisp and bright. No visible artifacts. Audio is superb, a quite robust mix that will engage fully your 7.1 system. This is the finest-looking Blu-ray of the year, thus far, and the best way to enjoy the film until the next more complete edition is released in November. Is this stri pped-down edition a cash grab? I don't think so. I appreciate having a bare-bones release. It's refreshing to have a disc that is the movie only. Who needs all the junk that we get on most Blu-ray discs? Yes a making-of documentary would be fun, but is there anyone who loves the movie who doesn't already have some idea of the craft that went into making it? This release is for people who love the movie, end of story. If you love the movie, you'll appreciate having such a wonderful, flawless transfer to enjoy in high definition at home. If you don't love the movie, you will find things to quibble about such as the lack of extras. I, for one, am happy with what we've got now.
By
Michele Lyons (New York City) (REAL NAME) < /div>
I find it amazing that so many of the people who reviewed this disc whined about it having no "extras". I buy a disc because I want to watch the movie and enjoy it, over and over. I have no interest whatsoever in all the extras, deleted scenes, commentaries, interviews, bells, whistles, fireworks, violins, etc. that clutter up most movie discs today. That is all nothing but an excuse that the studios can use to double the price of the disc and they do nothing to enhance the enjoyment of the film. This disc was fine for the purpose of anyone who wants to enjoy the film. What is even better is that even though it reads as "widescreen" it was put out in an aspect ratio that makes it fill virtually the entire screen of your tv set. I throughly detest the "widescreen" format that leaves you watching a movie that fills the center third of your screen, with huge black blocks at top and bottom. What, exactly, is the point of buying g iant big screen tv's when movie discs leave one third of your screen blank at the top and another third blank at the bottom, leaving you to watch a movie squeezed into the middle of your screen? I was not able to see Avatar in the theaters, so I wanted to see it at home. And when I did I was enchanted. The fantasy world of Pandora is utterly breath-taking, with colors so vivid you wonder if you ever saw real color before this. Cameron has done it again; someday the film world will stop doubting him. Bigger, better, more amazing, more entertaining, he does it all. Film reviewers keep grouching that his characters are steriotypes, his dialogue clunky----but I think I am sensing sour grapes here. I think all the critics wish that they could have made a movie that was not only marvelous, but made so much money it is unbelieveable. As for steriotypes? Did you ever wonder why something is a steriotype? Mostly because it is a character that speaks deeply to people, and is very, ver y popular. The story of Avatar is that of a weary hero, very much abused and alone, finding himself willing to risk everything, even his chance at a new life, for a girl, a people and a world he has come to love. The hero that stands against great odds, to defend what is right, is an eternal figure. He has existed in every time, land and race since humanity began to dream. Humanity needs such heros, real or fictional. We all wish we could be such heros. The filming of Avatar is ground breaking, the story ideas interesting, the visual effect gorgeous. You fly with dragons, run through giant forests, fight enemies, find love, taste disaster and triumph. The basic story is simple---but all the very best stories are. Especially the ones that last. As I think this one will. So get this disc, enjoy the movie, the adventure and the beauty. It is a fantastic "feel good" film. And there's not a damned thing wrong with that as far I can see.
By
M. Stifler "XBL: zombiePeeNis PSN: DuskUponTh... (York, PA USA) (REAL NAME)
Let me start off by saying that I am one of the people that saw Avatar multiple times in theaters and loved it. The CGI , as well as the 3D technology infused, were by far the best I have ever seen. James Cameron and all of the people who participated in the making of this movie did a tremendous job. Weta workshop is taking its place at the top of the mountain, as far as visual effects companies go. Watching this movie was like being transported to a different universe. I was completely immersed throughout the almost three hours I was in the theater. As for the story and acting for the film, I am probably in the minority on most of th ese reviews. The story for me, while predictable and reminiscent of other movies I'd seen previously (What movie isn't nowadays?), was extremely enjoyable. Watching this made me feel young again. It made me forget about all the worries that an adult life brings, and just enjoy myself in the moment. Many people argue that the acting in this movie was subpar. These people say that the portrayals of the characters were downright cartoonish. I would argue strongly against that. For the type of movie that this is, the good versus evil portrayals given by the actors works in the movie's favor. Sam Worthington especially does well. If you haven't seen him in Terminator: Salvation, do so. He made the movie worth watching. Now, to get to the actual product at hand. I ordered the Blu Ray / DVD combo pack from Amazon. From the moment the menu came onto my screen, I knew this was going to be something special. When I pressed play, there was no turning back. Over the next three hours, m y senses were completely assaulted and my mind was dumbstruck. Simply put, James Cameron's Avatar on the Blu Ray format is the best picture and audio we have seen or heard to date. I have a feeling it will be years before anything better is brought to the table. Watching the visuals was more stimulating than looking at a real life forest. Every detail could be seen from far and away. The walls of my house shook, and I just hope the neighbors did hear. I would tell them to buy the movie themselves and experience it. With this release comes certain issues. While I don't have any of them myself, I will still talk about them as it would be uninformative of me to not. This release of Avatar is not in 3D. Many people complain about this, and a large percentage of those people do not even have the right equipment to properly experience 3D yet. The technology for home theater 3D is very new and very pricey. Next year, after all the quirks have been worked out, is when we will likel y see Avatar in a home release 3D format. Another gripe is the complete lack of special features. This again has a good reason. In the Special Edition coming later this year, there will be scenes incorporated into the movie not even visually completed yet. Documentaries in high definition have to be put together. A commentary track needs to be recorded. No one is being forced to buy this "stripped" edition, however. I am one of the people who will knowingly double or triple dip on this. The reason for that is because I love it so much. Now to the biggest complaint. During the initial release, many people were complaining that Avatar would not play in their Blu Ray players. The reason for that seems to be some new copy protection put on the disc. While I was not one of the people with this problem, I can certainly sympathize with those who did. A new firmware update is all it will take to fix the issue. My PS3, which serves as my Blu Ray player, had a firmware update ready f or me before I watched the movie. So if you are one of the millions who loved Avatar when you saw it in theaters, or one of the people who didn't get around to seeing it, now is your time. Pick this movie up right away without hesitation. Keep an open mind, and let yourself become immersed. You do not want to miss what many people believe is one of the top movies of all time.
Avatar is a watershed moment in cinematographic history. It is a step forward as important as the first Star Wars movie was. Avatar is an experience not to be missed by any fan of movies, it is a truly impressive achievement. I've been a movie fan since the late 1940's, in all that time I had never gone to any movie more than once while it was in it's first run... until Avatar. My wife and I have been to see Avatar three times in theaters (once in each of the three formats: Big screen 3D; IMAX 3D, and big screen 2D. We were favorably impressed by the movie, and the technology, in all three formats. We both felt that Avatar will be remembered as a powerful, ground breaking film, and that it will become a major classic. We recently bought the DVD and Blu-Ray two disc combination package (from Amazon.com) and consider the package to be one of the best bargains in entertainment. Getting two and a half hours of entertainment, in two high quality formats, each for the average price of one movie theater ticket is extraordinary... especially when the film is just concluding it's first run in theaters. If you can see Avatar on a big screen (in 3D or 2D) by all means do so. I also recommend buying a copy to view at home... the quality and the experience on a good digital TV screen are extraordinary. This film is one that will influence the making of, and course of, film entertainment for a long time to come.
By
B. Chang (Southern California) (REAL NAME)
I really enjoyed Avatar in the theaters and watched it three times in three different locations, with two IMAX 3-D and one real 3-D. I must say this 2-D Blu-ray is absolutely stunning, beautiful, and more vivid and vibrant than watching it in the theaters. It's like watching a different version of the movie. [I'm viewing this through my Panasonic 42" 1080P plasma TV (it has been color calibrated) from 8' away.] I find, I enjoy the crispness of this 2-D Blu-ray version more than the 3-D (in the theaters), because some of the background is a bit hazy in order to enhance the 3-D effect in the foreground, thus scarficing some of the clarity. Everything is hyper clear with this version, it's really unbelievable. Avatar on Blu-ray is absolutely worth buying and does not disappoint.
By
River Rat "River rat" (New Orleans, La.)
First of all, its a great movie. I can call it a parable because of all the strong naming such as the precious ore "unobtainium". That said, I cannot comprehend how people are complaining about the theatrical release at such a low price. Its the cost of two movie tickets for pete's sake! You want to wait till November to get the extended edition and not be able to see the movie now, at home? Are you waiting till Christmas for some new restaurant to open and are avoiding any o ther place until then because you don't want to "waste your money"? It's a wonderfully entertaining movie, it will have both BLURAY as well as DVD copies in the package, making the BLURAY version as cheap as the BLURAY version of HOME ALONE; and you complain? Get the movie. When the extended version comes out, give the old one to your kids, or your friends, or just use it as a deluxe and conversation-starting drink coaster. Remember that the movie was about people who were not satisfied with what they had and wanted the more cost effective ore under the sacred tree, so try to be a little less selfish and just enjoy the movie.
By
Porfie Medina "Porfie Jr. Medina" (Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA) (REAL NAME)
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Avatar was a great movie that I really enjoyed. The movie is about a paraplegic ex-marine named Jake who gets picked to go to space to pick up the job of his twin brother who was helping a scientific company to mine the planet of Pandora for a valued ore. In order to get the ore thy have to invade the home of the Na'vi, a ten-foot-tall, blue-skinned native tribe who have been at war with the greedy scientific company since they have been forcing them out of their own land. Humans have been genetically grown in to these Na'vi and they can switch their consciousnesses into their own Avatar and explore the world of the Na'vi. After pressure to get te job done sooner than later, Jake tries to pursuade them to move their home before they get forced out. Jack starts to understand the secrets of Pandora and the ways of the Na'vi people which now makes his conscience torn between his new adopted world and the wheelchair bound one awaiting him wh en the psychic connection to his Avatar is broken. I will not say any more so that I don't ruin it for people who have not seen it yet. The Avatar blu-ray will be released in a bare bones edition with no special features (other than a DVD of the film) on April 22, 2010 with a special edition to be released in November of 2010, and a special 3-D blu-ray version of the movie to follow sometime next year when more 3D TVs and 3D blu-ray players are in homes. I personally do not like to have to purchase multiple copies of a movie or double or triple dip so to speak. I do understand that James Cameron and Fox would rather get his film out ASAP than to wait a year or two to see if 3D blu-ray takes off. As for the special edition with 30-40 minutes of extra footage that was not in the film, well I fell in love with this version since it's the one I saw in theatres. According to the press release even though the blu-ray disc itself will have no extras inside the Blu-ray/DVD combo o f the film will be a special code giving customers exclusive access to bonus materials and offers, including a coupon towards the purchase of the planned special edition release in November. Fox and the Earth Day Network will also plant one million trees in fifteen countries before the end of 2010, which fans will be able to adopt by registering at [...]. In addition, there will be other digital initiatives including: "Pandorama" - Via a computer's webcam users can immerse themselves into the world of Pandora, inserting themselves into different locations from the movie and interacting with the elements in each; users can snap postcards and share amongst friends only at [...] "Pandorapedia" - The official guide to the world of Pandora and James Cameron's AVATAR, fans enter a world beyond imagination with hundreds of facts on Pandora that can be accessed online at [...] "Immersive Trailer" - The first-ever interactive trailer allows fans to click on any part of the video t o explore detail frame-by-frame and in-context "hot spots" that will offer meticulous information on characters, locations and more "Interactive Desktop Wallpaper" - Instant access to all things AVATAR including newsfeeds, videos, social network updates and exclusive content that is updated automatically right on your desktop The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and as previously mentioned this release won't have any supplements. UPDATE 4/22/10: This Avatar blu-ray is one of the best looking and sounding blu-rays ever. The colors and sound will bring your 1080p tv and sound system to life. In it's first day of release Avatar is all ready the biggest selling blu-ray. I'm sure many other records will be broken as well. For those of you you are upset because of the lack of special features your missing out on one of the finest blu-rays and movies to date all for special features you might watch once or twice.
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