I don;t understand why so many people rave about avatar. The effects were amazing, but they made up for that by having such a weak plot.
I think the independent review summed it up pretty well:
"But just how fascinating is it to be immersed in Avatar? Barely at all, if you're looking for narrative intelligence. The characters are barely 2D: militaristic baddies, plucky tough cookies, noble and vaguely African embodiments of life force. As for the dialogue, Cameron's script budget must have run out at first-draft stage. "
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/avatar-james-cameron-163-mins-pg-1845569.html