Trish

Leona Lewis - I See You

I don't wanna do a typical review. I don't know why... it kinda feels unnecessary. You know... the acting was solid, of course. He had good peeps in it. We know the overall plot. It's a story that's been told before, sure. So was Star Wars. So have many films. Good and bad. That's not really an issue. Now it's being told slightly differently. To be told any more of the plot (which, let's face it... anybody who is dying to see this knows anyway) or be given more spoilers than the trailers or docos or clips out there have already given away does the whole experience a disservice I think.
 
Because this is more an experience than a film in a way. Deep down everyone is expecting something bigger than just a film. In the same way everyone was expecting some kinda religious experience from 'The Phantom Menace'... and we all know how THAT turned out.
 
So I'm just gonna give you one person's account of their 'feelings' during and after seeing it. Plus a couple of observations/opinions from someone who, I'll admit... had some serious reservations about getting too hyped about how amazing it was gonna be after watching the trailers.
 
BTW. This was a RealD digital screening.
 
So.
 
As it started, and for a good bit in... a slight panic hit me. I thought to myself "something's up with the contrast... the colours...the clairty, all due to the 3D. Bugger! (Keep in mind I LOVE 3D... have a 67 inch 3D Samsung at home, and go to all the 3D films. But gaming and animated films are a different thing. You want your sci fi blockbuster to be perfect, right?
 
And at the first sight of the CG Na'vi. A little bummed too. Again, I thought... no, the trailers were right. They definitely aint completely convincing.
 
And then, I dunno. 15, 20 minutes in... something happened. I can't remember when it was, coz it kinda crept up on me without me noticing. Suddenly... I was sucked in. Suddenly, I didn't notice any of that shit I was letting bug me when it started. Everything looked amazing, and convincing. It was like I needed a bit of time to adjust to the 3D, and the 'reality' of what was in front of me for it. It's hard to explain. It would have to do with the sotry involving you, and caring about the characters and what was going on just as much as the physical aspect of your eyes adjusting to the 3D itself til your comfortable (they still haven't completely nailed getting rid of all 'ghosting' yet... no matter what anyone says)
 
But I'm tellin ya. At that point, I was COMPLETELY enthralled and loving it. To the point that I got choked up a number of times for the Na'vi, and had to stop myself from getting all girly and having a weep in front of my friend.
 
And you know that feeling you get when you see a good war film, and you just want those bad guys (Nazis generally) to die so bad you can taste it? Man... I wanted to dive into that screen and waste me some humans big time. Evil, evil humans. Kinda funny actually... it's a strange emotion to be hatin on your on kind so much you want them all to get their asses kicked. Don't think it's happened in a movie before.
 
So yeah... it friggin rocked, i guess is what I'm trying to say.
 
Now if you're desperate to hate on it (as it seems quite a lot of folks here are) of COURSE you're gonna find flaws with it. It aint a flawless film. It does have a couple of pretty 2D (ironically) 'bad dudes'. You know the kind. Michael Beihns character in Abyss springs to mind. Maybe Billy Zane in Titanic even? But hey... it didn't hurt those movies. I loved the hell out of 'em.
 
There's a cheesy line here or there that did invoke a chuckle out of a few peeps in the audience that obviously weren't meant to. A bit too much testosterone in scenes with the human soldiers that's reminiscent of 'Aliens'. Again... friggin awesome film. All that kinda stuff. Hey, at least James is consistent!
 
But that all means nothing. Fact is... it's a god damn blast. Filled with amazing and unforgettable scenes. And way more emotionally involving than it has any right to be, considering it's bleedingly obvious that the whole message is laid on a tad thick, and obvious (we shouldn't kill our planet, or kill people for oil)
 
It should, and probably will be everyone's first 3d Bluray purchase.
 
My main concern is, it's being marketed as sci-fi. And while my girlfriend couldn't be less interested in seeing it...after seeing it for myself, I gotta feeling she'll love it. Space is just the backdrop. It's got more in common with 'Last of the Mohicans' or 'Last Samurai' than any sci fi I've ever seen before.