In fact, if one were to ignore Avatar's 3D technology and visual effects and focus solely on the story itself, to be honest, Gilbert felt it was a boring and clichéd tale.
For example, when the male protagonist transforms into a Na'vi and goes to war against the colonel, Gilbert actually hoped the colonel's side would win.
The reason was simple. If the Na'vi were elves or angels—something that fit human aesthetics—Gilbert might have let his values follow his looks.
But a group of blue-skinned beings with thick dreadlocks and long tails? Unless one had very particular tastes, there was no way to like them.
From a human standpoint, Gilbert naturally wanted the colonel to win.
That said, movies are called the seventh art for a reason, and they do not rely entirely on storytelling alone.
Story matters, but for a film like Avatar, it seemed far less important.
Looking around the theater, whether it was the audience, the media, or the dazzling array of Hollywood stars, everyone was astonished by Avatar's visual effects.
Sitting not far behind Gilbert, American idol Kristen Stewart was so immersed in the 3D experience that she couldn't help reaching out to touch it—only to grasp at thin air.
Martin Scorsese was completely stunned. As an old-school director, he had never been particularly interested in so-called 3D technology.
Yet these astonishing visuals continuously assaulted his understanding, as if God had descended upon the human world or perhaps Satan had crawled out of hell. This would change the entire film industry.
Of course, once Martin Scorsese regained his composure, he arrived at the same conclusion as Gilbert: the story was truly very ordinary and clichéd.
However, the Hollywood directors and producers who came to show support were thinking about something else entirely—riding this wave and making 3D movies themselves.
But aside from a handful of people, most producers and directors lacked Gilbert's creative and storytelling ability, and also lacked James Cameron's capacity to develop new technology.
They didn't think about how to make good movies. Instead, they thought: let's remake 3D versions of RoboCop and Total Recall!
To be honest, in his previous life, the trajectory of 3D films—from initially shocking the world and being wildly popular, to later being disliked and even rejected by audiences—had a great deal to do with these unambitious filmmakers blindly following trends.
After the premiere ended, amid thunderous applause from the entire audience, James Cameron led the main creative team of Avatar onto the stage to take a bow.
James Cameron insisted on pulling Gilbert up with him, leaving Gilbert no choice but to go along. They took bows five times in total before the applause finally subsided.
At the press conference following the premiere, Gilbert once again lavished praise on the film:
"Unparalleled—a truly epoch-making film.
The stunning 3D effects mean that even after more than one viewing, I am still completely immersed in the magnificent world of Pandora.
I believe it is fair to say that today, December 26, 2009, can be called Avatar Day."
"Avatar Day" was quoted by influential newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, and The Hollywood Reporter.
"From this moment on, Hollywood's history will be divided into two parts. All of this comes from Avatar, which has led Hollywood's technological revolution."
"Avatar is not the first 3D film, but it is the first film capable of making people truly lose themselves. James Cameron spent ten years creating an astonishingly beautiful Pandora that leaves audiences intoxicated."
"The only person who can surpass James Cameron will always be James Cameron himself—even Gilbert is no exception." — The Washington Post
While praising the film, The Washington Post didn't forget to take a subtle jab at Gilbert, which fit perfectly with its long-standing position as one of Gilbert's critics.
Of course, the film was not without its critics and their voices were not insignificant.
The New Yorker film critic David Robey harshly criticized Avatar:
"A white soldier saving a primitive tribe through the body of an alien race—this narrative is like purchasing absolution with blood diamonds.
When audiences shed tears for Jake's choice, Hollywood completes the most lavish psychological substitution in history: we are both the planet-looting RDA corporation and the self-indulgent blue savior."
David Robey was indeed correct, but very few people paid attention to this point.
Veteran film producer Paris Andrews, active in the late twentieth century, also criticized the film:
"When Jake is reborn through his Avatar, the entire film industry completes its digital baptism.
This is not a movie, but a technological manifesto: from this point on, actors will become sacrifices to motion capture, and production designers will kneel before rendering engines.
When films no longer require real actors and can be completed entirely through CG technology, can they still be the same as the original cinema?"
This assessment also made sense. History would later prove that even after starring in Avatar, its lead actors did not achieve global superstardom.
Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana did not have the luck of DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Zoe Saldana fared somewhat better, as she had other roles that allowed her to break out.
As for Sam Worthington, aside from Avatar, he was practically nowhere to be found.
In Avatar, the status of actors was placed very, very low—lower than the visual effects, and lower than the presentation of 3D technology.
After the premiere, Avatar quickly entered its midnight screenings.
For an original science-fiction film, with no major stars attached, even with Gilbert's name involved, Avatar still appeared to lack sufficient box-office pull.
As a result, during the midnight screenings, the film only earned 7.39 million dollars at the box office, which was completely disproportionate to its massive investment.
At Sky Dance Studios, it was already deep into the night, yet David Ellison still had not gone home to rest. He was in the office together with Michael Ovitz, Mel Gibson, and others.
An assistant knocked and entered: "The midnight box-office numbers for Avatar are out."
"How much?" David Ellison asked.
"7.39 million dollars."
"Yes!" Mel Gibson clenched his fist hard. "I told you, he can't always succeed."
Michael Ovitz, however, was much calmer. He said, "This is an original science-fiction film with no big stars, and it's unfamiliar to audiences.
Being able to achieve this kind of midnight box-office result already proves that the film itself is of good quality."
"But the director is James Cameron, Gilbert is also a producer, and so much money was invested. This midnight box-office number is absolutely unsatisfactory."
A relaxed smile appeared at the corner of David Ellison's mouth. "No matter what, for us, this is good news."
David Ellison was happy a bit too early. Although the midnight box office was not high, as more audiences saw the film, its astonishing viewing experience quickly began to spread across the internet.
Many moviegoers who had seen the IMAX 3D version couldn't wait to share their shocking viewing experiences, sparking even greater curiosity among more audiences.
"No matter what, Avatar is a film you absolutely cannot miss. Believe me."
"IMAX 3D is the best choice. Although the ticket price is higher than a regular theater, it is absolutely worth it."
"James Cameron truly deserves the title of King of the World. A sword forged over ten years is indeed astonishing."
"This is the most breathtaking movie I've seen in years. Anyone who doesn't watch this film will regret it for the rest of their life."
Word of mouth rapidly spread from North America to the rest of the world, and Avatar's shocking viewing experience soon became known to audiences worldwide.
...
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