Commentary: Why I Won't Buy Avatar

Today's the big day. To cleverly coincide with Earth Day, James Cameron's environmentalist war epic, and multi-billion dollar earner, Avatar is finally being released on Blu-ray and DVD. I'm sure there will be plenty of people who will flock to buy the movie, and I don't blame them. After all, I gave the film a very positive review on my old blog and thought it was one of the best films of the year. So with all that, I am more than confident that I will not be one of the many who will buy James Cameron's latest cinematic achievement.

One main reason why I won't indulge is that this particular version is being released is that it's a bare bones edition of the film, one in which only the film is included. Perhaps that is enough for some, but for me it doesn't even come close. I know with certainty that Cameron is preparing multiple releases of this film, complete with the commentaries, featurettes and those well documented deleted scenes. Even if that were the only reason I wouldn't buy this film, I'd consider myself justified.

But that's not the only reason I'm not going to buy the film. In fact, it's not even the main reason. I had the privilege of seeing the film three times in theaters, once at IMAX and twice at a regular movie house. What all these experiences had in common is that both were generally large screens and all were in 3D. And that is the only way to see this movie because that is the way James Cameron wanted me to see it.

You may call me a purist about a movie going experience (another term for some is probably movie snob), and I believe that every movie should be seen in the way it was intended by the filmmaker. If the movie was shot in widescreen, then I must watch it that way. If the movie was shot in another language, then bring on the subtitles. And when a film is conceived and shot in 3D in order to bring me into the full universe of the film, then that is the experience I need.

Unfortunately, you cannot duplicate that experience with a home viewing experience. When Avatar is eventually released for the 3D television sets, they'll be pimping that idea of the "true" experience you'll get at home. I have no interest in getting a 3D set because 3D doesn't work at the home, at least for a gimmick-less film like Cameron's. The only way I can get immersed in that world is by looking at that 3D environment with a huge, encapsulating screen in front of me. No matter how big a television set is at home, it cannot duplicate the theatre going experience. To me, watching it any other way would be comparable to watching a widescreen movie in full screen or a foreign film dubbed in English: I can still get the gist of the film, but I'm missing out on the experience I was intended to witness, and I lose a bit from the film which saddens me greatly.

I don't look down on anyone who wants to buy Avatar, and if you decide just to wait if only for the 3D special edition that is released for your pretty impressive 3D set, then I won't discourage you. Avatar is a wonderful film to support. But the way I see it, Cameron made a film so perfect for the big screen, movie theatre experience that watching it on a dwarfed television set takes away from the exquisiteness of his expertise. So that's my two cents. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch Jeff Bridges's Oscar winning performance in Crazy Heart. I'd highly recommend you do the same.