Justifying AVATAR as the highest grossing film of all time

It should come as no surprise to learn that James Cameron’s epic 3D sci-fi/fantasy film Avatar– which apparently you all went to see– has surpassed Titanic‘s $1.8 billion worldwide takings to officially become the highest grossing motion picture of all time. This means James Cameron directed the two highest grossing films in history, accumulating almost $4 billion (possibly even more, depending on how long Avatar‘s can remain on screens). It’s possible Avatar might nudge the $2 billion mark before it’s box office run is complete– that’s before DVD/Blu-ray.

Variety posted the news Monday night.

This says a lot about the movie-going public today. It demonstrates the kind of film audiences want to lap up. This is what they turn out for. The simple story, creatively-re-told. Obvious information and plot blatantly spoon-fed, all the while brilliantly delivered in a shiny, new, preferably 3D, package. But we knew that already, right?

Avatar is not without its haters– I guess I’m considered one because I openly admit I didn’t enjoy it like most people did. Although a true ‘hater’ really rags on a film or item of pop culture– I mean really rags on it; turns people off of it and uses swear words when it’s mentioned. In the case of Avatar, I didn’t try to talk anyone out of seeing it (hell, it wouldn’t hve mattered in this case).

Truth be told, I did enjoy what I saw on the screen. Yes, I found the 3D effects entertaining, there’s no arguing that. Visually, Avatar is a huge ‘pass’. Where it stumbled and fell for me was the story. It doesn’t help that science fiction and fantasy films don’t sit well with me in the first place, but even so, I found it hard to completely invest in Pandora and the action and characters that surrounded it because it was plainly and obviously delivered. There was no challenge, no contest, no query for my mind to ponder. I was commanded to sit and watch and I didn’t like not being involved that way. I wanted to get invested, I really wanted Avatar to prove me wrong– but it it only passed on a technical level in my book… and even then there were times when the Na’vi were awkward to watch.

Since Avatar was released it slowly became obvious that this day would come. I’ve been scratching my head and pondering exactly what I missed. What caused me to not be as excited and vocal about the film as most people are?

Friends and family who have seen it generally agree with me– it was ‘just okay’, a bit too long and hardly the greatest film ever made. And while box office earnings definitely doesn’t decide which film is the greatest of all time, it goes a long way to determining which films got it right. Because, at the end of the day, even independent films need to admit they are in the business of filmmaking. And business is booming. (Even here in Australia 2009 was one of the biggest box office earners of recent years, which Variety also discuses in detail in this nifty article.)

I’ve reached a conclusion in my head. It may not be alright but at least I can sleep at night knowing that, no, Avatar wasn’t anywhere near that good, and the film I saw can be justified (in my mind) as the highest grossing motion picture of all time for these reasons:

• As I already said, the genre wasn’t my cup of tea to begin with, so it had too much work to do getting me invested.
• I see a lot of films, and most people I know who have claimed it was ‘the most brilliant thing they have ever seen’ only went to the cinema maybe five times last year. Their level of appreciation differs (and that’s okay).
• I’m a filmmaker at heart, and I might just have tall poppy syndrome for that clever Cameron bastard. Though I doubt it.
• Inflation. Tired argument, I know – but accounting for inflation, Avatar still sits way below the top 50. FYI, when accounting for inflation, Gone With The Wind would earn around $9 billion today. Ponder that for a moment…
• 3D glasses. If you’re like me and saw Avatar in 3D, you paid an extra $3 to wear those goofy glasses so you could see it correctly. That is counted in the ticket price. Clever, eh?

I do wonder if my two young boys will enjoy it as much as the world seems to. I wonder if, in ten or twelve years from now, Avatar will prove to be their generation’s Star Wars. Probably so.  Ultimately, I guess I should just enjoy the fact that at least something original is the top box office earner.

Now I wait with fear as the Oscars nominations are announced soon. Avatar is bound to be all over them– I sincerely hope it doesn’t sweep like Titanic did.