Prior to Avatar’s release I was unenticed by their advertising; I wanted to come out of the theater as say, “If Michael Bay had directed Battle For Terra, you would have the mess that is Avatar.”  But then the film got decent reviews, several awards and nominations, and was on a lot of “best of the year” lists.  I thought that I might have a wrong impression about the film and went and saw it.
 
I do have to say that this is the best looking digitally animated film I have ever seen.  It is more realistic looking than this past summer’s Up.  But it might be the worst looking film that uses green screen.  I couldn’t stop thinking “That looks digital.”  There were several times that I thought even the human characters looked digital. 

Avatar is only okay.  It is predictable, slow paced, and too long.  If Michael Bay had directed Battle For Terra, it would be worse that this film.  But that is because Avatar is directed by James Cameron and not Michael Bay.  The film is not a mess, it just isn’t fun or enjoyable to watch.

If you put Battle For Terra and The Matrix into a blender you would get Avatar.  Avatar's story is the same as Battle For Terra: Humans invade a planet of peaceful aliens, who, with the help of a human, band together and fight back.