I think after this movie's flop, Cameron is going to get over the shiny lights and pictures, and move on to presenting a great universe AND a great storyline-movie to go along with it.
One thing that will lead me to watching this movie is the fact that, 5 years ago?, would of been something akin to my favorite movie ever.
Im all about dragons, and rainforest, and to me those flying things are alot more of a draw than the Blue people, although everything seems to be blue over there.
I could still use a couple more fantasy movies, especially if they are well done, and have to do with either rainforest OR dragons. However, I would also like some "real" sci-fi movies like those mentioned above. It does seem a growing trend that as the ability for "graphics" increases, the willingness for "story" or "originality" decreases.
I mean ... I saw that battle for Terra trailer ... and the two movies look very VERY similar. The fact that they are releasing within the same 5 year period is surprising to me (or even the same decade, due to all the parallels)
Although, the themes represented in these movies could simply been Public or Individual sentiments a decade old that have finally made it into movie scripts and onto the big screen. In this case I will watch them for Nosalgia's sake if nothing else, and buy the DVD's in order to impression young new minds of the future with these movies. Probably Battle for Terra first, due to its more kiddish style. ALthough I grew up on Walter Cronkite documentaries and didn't complain (until they stopped showing the pictures of dinosaurs 
)
So even though these pro-Rainforest, pro-Indigenous ideals are at least a decade (or two) old, it doesn't make it any less important ... just a tired and tried hat for those of us who have been here for a relatively long while. Of course, there are probably those of you that have watched so many movies, and lived so long, that your tastes for the Original, or for what is good, are probably either more specific or simply incongruent with my own views. However, I agree Avatar is probably not going to be a great movie, although I feel like im the only one that likes the initial premise.
Still doesn't match the epicness of my Adventure story which evolves into leading a nation of Lizardmen against Corporate human nationalists whose strings are pulled by aliens and a giant fiery demon. The aliens work closely with talking vultures, and they also pay Pigmy tribes well in order to constantly attempt ambush's on the main character's life. Most of the adventures simply revolve around surviving the hazards of a strange and much larger rainforest inspired by fantasy elements. However, there is always the external presence, visible influence of the men in black suits and dark sunglasses. Most confrontation with the anti-rainforest faction is done with the less-than-human minions of the Fire-Overlord. Such as the intelligent and heartless vultures, and -more commonly- a massive Caiman dubbed "broken tooth". Yes, I was in kindergarten at the time it all started, although its not such a bad premise. Change the timeline around, and cut out all the plot-irrelevant tangents (unless when needed as dramatic filler for the story), and you start to get some possibilities. Of course ... since my lair of Story is so dense with various different ideas, its impossible to synthesize the Amazon story into on particular plot or even timeline. The only genre it consistently fits into is Fantasy/Sci-Fi.
Most versions include stumbling across a dimensional rift, into a much larger world which includes not only rainforest, but all manner of biome. Although "the rainforest" including its more than massive "swamp" is by far the largest biome in the land. Out in the open, many dinosaurs and other variants roam, while deadly mutants, monsters, and man-eating plants live within the swamp. Most animals have some sort of intelligent voice, but only if they are an actual existing animal. Most mutants, monsters, dinosaurs, dragons, and other such creatures do not speak common. (although dragon's might, but there are no true dragons in the story, only many dragon-like mutants). Also, tangents include such anecdotes as many of the mutants present along the story were actually created by the author at an earlier date as experiments, and they some-how got released into this place. Its also revealed that the long-time nemesis and henchman of the Fire-Demon .... the giant Caiman dubbed "broken tooth" with a seemingly personal grudge vs main character ... was actually the first of such mutant/experiments performed by the character. Of course, the only outlier is that for most versions of the story the main character is a human child within 5-8 years of age. However, in other versions the main character is a near immortal Lizardman of Iguana origin, who commands powerful psychic powers and Ice powers. The human child as well, later on in his travels, appears to have been given powerful psychic powers by benevolent visiting aliens, which includes the power of flight via levitation as well as telepathy.
Its more or less an open book of details and ideas, with no real ending. And theoretically with no definite beginning. Although the official beginning was that the human child followed a dart-frog off into the woods, travelling from his family on a river tour, running off deeper into the jungle following this frog, becoming lost from the shore. Eventually the human child approaches a Jaguar. Said Jaguar mentions that he thinks of eating the child, and eventually the two become friends. There is something special about that Jaguar, and he ends up becoming the leading general in the child's armies, as well as chief companion in all adventures. It is later revealed (but not too late, before the first main Swamp chapter but after initial sighting of BrokenTooth), it is later revealed that the Jaguar's evil twin brother works for the bad aliens, and by extension the vultures, and by extension the fire demon, although the brother would not actually answer directly to the Fire Demon, and if there was a later decision between the good brother or the Being of Fire, the Evil Brother would choose to help out the good brother. However, as working as mercenary to the Vultures and the Aliens, (or if you prefer, the Vultures piloting a UFO) the evil brother works counter to the goals of the main party.
The story includes large battles between allies and enemies, although the main party of 5 or so never diverts course. Its always on a constant quest forwards for something, although destination is often unknown. It could be considered an ongoing exploration into the Wide and Vast world of interdimensional rainforest,swamp, and other (collectively referred to as Amazonia, referencing the location of the initial "incident" where the child locates the talking Jaguar). Along the way they come in contact with allies, ect. In one particular battle, the main party has several vehicles which are important to the current mission, although they have to cross a location with no floor (wether quicksand, or enemies in the water, or what-have-you) ... so many howlermonkeys help carry personel and equipment to the otherside, while fighting off the enemy to buy them time to escape. then the party reaches a treacherous ravine/ocean/something, where a small but treacherous body of water is traversed by them with the help of sea-turtles.
Usually most "super battles" which actually include the Fire Demon are in the Lizardman version of the story. Where the lizardman takes upon monstrous form to match the size of the Fire demon, and he uses Ice powers to combat the DemonLord's fire powers and bodily flames. Lizard also has psychic powers, include flight of any form. In this way you might almost say the main character has the powers of an Ice-Dragon, although isn't much from day-to-day other than an Iguanid Lizardman with extraordinary Ice and Psychic powers
