Only children-including adult-children-will see Avatar as simply an adventure film; their own love of technology has co-opted their ability to comprehend narrative detail. Cameron offers sci-fi dazzle, yet bungles the good part: the meaning. His undeniably pretty Pandora-a phosphorescent Maxfield Parrish paradise with bird-like lizards, moving plant life and floating mountains-distracts from the inherent contradiction of a reported $300-$500 million Hollywood enterprise that casually berates America’s industrial complex.

— via nypress.com