In case you want to read the scripment for yourself:<p><a href="http://www.docstoc.com/docs/14294813/Avatar-Scriptment-by--James-Cameron" rel="nofollow">http://www.docstoc.com/docs/14294813/Avatar-Scriptment-by--J...</a>
That is an interesting comparison. Still the movie is worth seeing no matter what the script as a demonstration of what special effects are now possible. And for the full experience, IMAX is best.<p>That said, I would have personally enjoyed the amazing special effects in <i>Avatar</i> more if I hadn't recently seen <i>Under The Sea 3D</i> with my 5 year old son. Therefore I was aware of exactly what 3D visual experience that screen is capable of, and was correspondingly aware of how much the movie fell short of that ideal.<p>In the documentary I remember looking from one fish to another, and feeling my eyes refocus for the different depth and then notice the amazing detail. By contrast in <i>Avatar</i> I never felt that anything really was in solid focus.
(cross-post from here: <a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1018254" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1018254</a>)<p>wow thanks so much for that link! it's great to see that cameron's original script (which really seems like a short novel) had much more depth and soul. however, i suspect that he was first and foremost aiming to make a dazzling action film, so unfortunately a lot of the back-story and slower scenes had to be cut. i can't imagine how he could've squeezed in more story without cutting much of the action.