Avatar: Has anyone seen this yet?

[StillForest]

Hi all,

I've been reading through the reviews for Avatar and think it sounds very interesting. Wondering whether anyone has seen it and whether it would be appropriate for an 8-year-old who adores sci-fi and fantasy movies. What is the level of violence? I'd appreciate any thoughts you may have. Thanks!

[Pinoikoi]

I haven't seen it yet, but my bff JUST saw it and said it was one of the best movies she has seen in a long time. She said it is like an analogy for South/Central America and the explorers/decimation of cultures set in a futuristic setting.

I think there is a lot of opportunity for education in that

[bayberry*moon]

I haven't seen it yet either (I plan to tonight though) so I can't say much about the violence....I have heard nothing but amazing things about it as well, and if you're into mysticism and ecology, you'll definitely find it really interesting. Otherwise, it's a fun action flick. I would imagine the violence would be on par with Transformers or Terminator Salvation....

[meemee]

my 7 year old is DYING to see it. we will either go on xmas day or the day after. its almost a 3 hour movie isnt it?!!!

[quest4quiet]

We saw it w/ DD (12) and DS (6) on DD's b-day. I read several reviews for parents beforehand, and was on the fence about taking DS along with. Then I thought about it...he is a big time Star Wars fan and has seen and enjoyed a few of the LOTR movies. The violence in the film, I felt, was considerably less than any of the LOTR films. There is some objectionable language , but not anything more than any other PG-13 movie that I've seen lately. There is one "sex scene"...more insinuated than shown. No nudity....well, scantily clad, but we're all pretty used to breasts around here and none are bared in the film. Since they wear loin cloths, a little bit of butt on occasion, but we all have one.... Honestly, for me, violence and language are a bigger issue than nudity...so maybe for some the "digital skin" is a deal-breaker.

Now that all that's out of the way..... I don't regret taking the kiddos to see it. It was phenomenal. The animation was absolutely seamless. I couldn't tell where CG ended and live action began, in regard to landscape. The plotline did provoke interesting discussions re: the perceived "right" of a powerful nation/company to take resources regardless of cost to the eco-system/indigenous population; what your "spirit" identifies with vs. what body/culture you are born to (if you see it that will make more sense-this actually led to a discussion of gender identity, which was cool), and the kids wanting to find out much more about how CG rendering is done.

I only wish we had an I-Max or 3D theater nearby...it's probably unreal in 3D.

So, I guess it's like anything else. You know what your 8yo has seen/read and what your comfort level is....Hope this helped. And if you go, get an aisle seat...it is freaking loooooong.

[philomom]

I would not have taken anyone under 9 to see it. There was a huge amount of violence and peril. There's a fair bit of bad language and a confusion of bad guys and good guys. Also, the military stuff was spot on with its use of people as tools/weapons. I was disappointed and my sensitive 16 year old wept at several spots.


My advice... go out and see it without the kids first, then make a judgment call for your kids.

[meemee]

thanks for the heads up. actually my dd 'enjoys' the violence philosophically. and so the confusion between the good guys and bad guys is going to be perfect for her. the part she will not be able to handle is suffering. or suspense.

there is no way i CANNOT take her. she has already researched the film and is totally looking forward to the duality of the real world and the blue world.

and i am looking forward to all the questions that will come up after we see it. when dd saw ninja turtles when she was 4 she brought up the death penalty. she felt if we were killing the bad guys then how are we different from them.

we will see it in 3D.

if she wants to leave we will do so.

see the movie coraline freaked her out. we werent going to see that movie but her dad borrowed the movie for her. the thing that perplexes me is even though seh was scared she still continued to watch it. she watched 'the boy in stripped pyjamas' which i think did a great job to introduce the holocaust to kids and it really moved her and made her think. though it was a simple movie and not full of action.

[Amandamanda]

i just saw it and it was amazing. the best movie i have seen in a long time. HOWEVER, it is rated pg-13 for a reason. I would not feel comfortable taking anyone under 13 to see it.

[wytchywoman]

It was unbelievably awesome!!!! There was some graphic violence, one inferred sex scene and a fair bit of swearing. I think you just have to use your best mommy judgement on this one. you know your child better than we do. Some older children may be really upset by it and some younger children may have no problem. A word of warning though, it's three hours long. So fidgety kids probably wouldn't like this one so much. It's definitely worth the three hours and is fast paced pretty much the entire time. Just don't drink too much soda.
ps...I thought Coraline was really, really freaky. My ds 2 who normally has no problem with violence scenes in a movie was really scared by it. I think it really hist home for younger kids because it's a young girl who's lost her parents and is being pursued by an evil "mother". Avatar is far more "other wordly". There are some relatable parts but not as freaky as Coraline was.

[34me]

we saw it in 3d today and it was pretty amazing. The violence is going to be up to you and how your child tolerates it. Very much white vs blue and very little actual blood and guts. I actually heard worse language in the theater before the movie started but I live in a college town.

[meemee]

dd and i just got back from the movie. we really enjoyed it. dd pointed out how funny it was that you saw the advt for national guard and this movie against war at the same time. i got what i really wanted out of the movie. that dd would think and ask questions. and we had a v. v. interesting conversation coming home.

dd was blown away by the concept that one can easily connect with plants and animals. their pony tail and ability to do so was her favourite part.

of course it was a typical movie. i was disappointed it followed a typical plot - but i cant imagine how it could have been otherwise. i really enjoyed the weaving of the native american way. of course it left me deeply sad as i left. coz the avatars got their land back and were saved. soooo not true with the native americans here.

on another note, saw the preview for Alice in Wonderland in 3D. CANT WAIT to watch it.

[thtr4me]

We took a chance and took our 3 year old DS today. He really likes sci-fi type movies, and does not seem to get scared easily. He was mezmerized and perfectly behaved through the entire film. He cannot stop talking about the winged creatures that the blue people rode on. You have to know your child, but if you have a child who can handle this type of content, I would not hesitate to take them.

[wytchywoman]

Originally Posted by meemee

on another note, saw the preview for Alice in Wonderland in 3D. CANT WAIT to watch it.

I am so excited. Can't wait for March to be here!

[DaughterOfKali]

I'm looking forward to seeing it.

I suggest going to see it without your child first. Then you'll have a better idea whether it's appropriate.

[MommaFox]

I saw this film with DH and one of our DPs. We loved the movie, and are planning on taking DS1 when we can afford it. There's some violence, some people die, and the harsh reality that humans can't breathe the air on Pandora. There is some rough language. But I don't usually discect movies very harshly. I cannot say it's an anti-war movie, as the Na'vi are clearly a warrior people as well. They just go about it in a diffrent manner than the humans do. It's more of an anti-jerk movie and, make no mistake, the General is a jerk. Even the lead scientist is starting to come around by the end but the General is a jerk and he dies like the jerk he is. In the end it's very much a formula movie, and all the people live who are supposed to live and all the people die who are supposed to die.
OK All disection aside: It was a stunning movie. The visuals are unmatched. The story is beautiful, the world they created in Pandora is beautiful, the artistry is amazing. The sacredness of nature is a big part in the film. It's a good message. The creatures are very unearthly, from the sky jellyfish to the land-shark-rhinos. I was blown away. The technology is very "Futuristic-but-still-obtainable"
See it first, then decide if your kids can see it. We do this with all the films that are "edgy" like my mom did for me.

[mom2snugbugs]

Saw it in 3D the first night. Loved it. Would not take DD (6) or DS (3) to see it. They have seen the first star wars, but not Empire strikes back. We will be going to see it tomorrow for my Dnephew's 12th bday.

[susanjohnson1969]

I personally liked the movie. Well the violence is a bit on higher side, but the movie has a good message and the animation is just amazing! If your kid likes sci-fi movies, it should be a treat watching this movie.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by susanjohnson1969

If your kid likes sci-fi movies, it should be a treat watching this movie.

I think that is a really good point. If kids are accustomed to the not-quite-reality flavor of scifi then I think it makes a difference how they handle content that might be in there..

I took all my boys to see Star Trek last summer. A couple fell asleep in different parts (but then my youngest is only 4) but they LOVED the graphics and tech stuff/space ships.. even though there were some violent parts.

[Storm Bride]

hmm....maybe I will go see this, after all. I wasn't going to, because it's James Cameron. (All I've seen by him is Titanic, and I hated it.)

[hollytheteacher]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

hmm....maybe I will go see this, after all. I wasn't going to, because it's James Cameron. (All I've seen by him is Titanic, and I hated it.)

WHAT!? I saw it six times in the theater, cried everytime and loved it more and more and more *sigh* Leonardo was my dream date! hahhahha (I think I was like 12 when it came out).