Q6: How have audiences responded and reacted to the film?

From reviews and comments on the web, the general consensus by people who have seen the film:

+ Stunning visual effects

+ The story of avatar is quite predictable

+ In spite of this, the narrative holds up well enough for a great film experience overall

BOX OFFICE FIGUREs

Opening weekend: North America - $73m (£45.3m) Uk : £5,940,479 in opening weekend

As of Jan 4^th 2010:

Domestic total: $360,209,452

Foreign total: $702,942,307

UK: £32,815,618

Total Worldwide: $1,063,151,759

Uses and Gratifications Theory

+ Social interaction

Being a big budget Hollywood event & blockbuster movie, Avatar has been a basis for social interaction and conversation from pre production to its release.Audiences can take pleasure from being ‘in the know’ about the numerous issues and stories relating to the film. Examples:

~ The new technology that James Cameron helped produce led to high expectations that it would revolutionize cinema with directors such as Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg already using the equipment for their upcoming films.

~ Parallels to our world - Although Cameron states that he is ‘not directly politically active’ discussion has been raised on whether Avatar's story reflects political issues with one scene that echoes the events of 9/11. Cameron credits Science fiction for allowing metaphors concerning human history to be recreated for modern day audiences, possibly providing an educational appeal for some:

‘Avatar was more in response to the way the history of the human race has been written in blood by technically or militarily superior people taking from those less capable. It’s important for people to see the patterns in history. Science fiction is a way of making history exciting by putting it in the future and taking you to a new planet ... Suddenly it’s got a new context and people are paying attention.’

The entertainment and escapist pleasures also contribute to pleasures gained from social interaction as the audience will also be talking about these aspects:

+ Escapism – the action-adventure and sci fi aspects of the film allow the audience to be immersed in the world of Pandora and introduced to a new alien species.

'I think kids will want to stay in the theater with their sleeping bags so they don't have to go out into the real world’ - Sigourney Weaver

+ Entertainment

It’s an important film from a technical standpoint but it is also great entertainment.

‘The irony is that the technology made the technology go away’ (JC) i.e. The technology reinforces the storytelling, it doesn’t replace it.’

Posted by Sheera