Let's get the obvious out of the way first. This was some of the best CGI I've seen. No real difficulties with suspension of disbelief here... if you buy that you are seeing an alien world, you will buy the CGI creatures.

The story has classics of several genres which simultaneously earn and nix the title of cliche. The science of the "Avatars" rings true with Cyberpunk themes of what reality is real, etc. The concept of the "noble savage" is present from classics such as The Last Samurai and the Mission. The Evil Corporation, such a key theme in so many of Cameron's movies, is present as well. They never name the company that I noticed, but I kept looking for Weyland-Yutani symbols on the Marines. Maybe they were there, and I missed them.

Matrix meets The Last Samurai meets Return of the Jedi meets Aliens meets Fern Gully. But when so many influences are being mixed, and done fairly well, might I add, the term cliche doesn't quite seem to apply anymore.

This is a movie where you will pretty much always know what will happen next. There are no plot twists to throw you, no grand reveals, no Sixth Sense moments, which is fine, as movies boasting those often seem sit back and say "aren't you so surprised?" To which we usually answer "Uh... no." However, instead of feeling all smug and disappointed when you see the path the movie is taking, instead you find yourself looking forward to it.

As has been said, this movie will win no awards for acting or screenplay, but the passable writing and acting combined with top notch technical movie making to be a very fun time... a darn good popcorn popper.