Yesterday saw the world premiere of the trailer for James Cameron’s eagerly anticipated Avatar hit computer screens. The early opinion from those I’ve spoken to seems to suggest that after all the hype the trailer fails to deliver. And I’d have to say I agree. The CGI just didn’t look at all realistic.

But with that said there’s a clear difference between watching a flat trailer on a tiny computer screen and watching it in 3D on a monster IMAX screen as it’s intended to be viewed.

With that in mind I pushed my doubts to the back of my mind and attended London’s BFI IMAX for a preview screening of 16 minutes of Avatar footage at lunchtime today. I was certainly right to do so because the collection of scenes that were previewed were at worst technically impressive and at best utterly immersive.



After an introduction from none other than James Cameron (a fifty foot tall 3D James Cameron is a bizarre site) a packed out IMAX was then treated to footage from five different scenes. The first two being of an introductory nature and not particularly thrilling – firstly an army officer rouses his troops before a mission and secondly a laboratory set scene featuring Sigourney Weaver sees Sam Worthington’s character embedded inside his Na’vi avatar.

But it was the scenes on the Na’vi planet of Pandora which really impressed. The colours, the design and the movement of the CGI were all fairly remarkable. Huge, alien creatures crash through the luminous jungle with ferocious speed and intent. The Na’vi humanoids swing their spears and fire their arrows as if the action were unfolding right in front of you.

It’s fair to say that even at this level the Pandora set scenes still didn’t look wholly realistic and that’s partly down to the fact the world displayed is so alien from what we can relate too. The problem is the juxtaposition between the entirely live action scenes and the computer generated scenes; there’s a clear contrast. You’re well aware that you’re watching two different mediums – in that respect it’s like a modern day, ultra refined update of the live action/cartoon crossover The Water Babies.

But that shouldn’t take anything away from the enjoyment of the spectacle. The movement and fluidity of the CG characters is probably the most impressive leap forward I’ve seen since Gollum. The romantic set-up and some of the dialogue may have been quite clunky, but if you’re looking for realistic relationships you’re in the wrong kind of theatre.

Avatar is all about groundbreaking technology. A new era for cinema as James Cameron would have us believe. That said, the all important 3D element isn’t that more advanced than Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf (a film that seems to have been unfairly overlooked in the technological advancement stakes). While the Avatar marketing machine goes into overdrive another CGI 3D offering from Zemickis – that will be released on almost the same date as Avatar – has completely slipped under the radar. It will be interesting to see how Avatar and A Christmas Carol square up in December. For all its early grandstanding could Avatar be shown up?

I doubt it. Not entirely anyway. Judging by the visually striking footage I saw today Avatar certainly will bring the next phase of cinema exhibition to the public consciousness more than any other film has done so far, even if it’s not the 100% finished article.

Perhaps the highest praise I can give Avatar is the fact that when a shorter version of the trailer was shown at the end of the preview it looked utterly fantastic – an entirely different experience from yesterday’s eye straining disappointment. Is it worth the hype?

Just about.