3D Blu-ray Review THE HTF 3D ADDICT: Avatar (1 Viewer)

What can I say?  I love 3D!  From the moment I began watching 3D content in my home I quickly discovered that I needed more content.  I suspect that those of you just purchasing your first 3D hardware will acquire the same ferocious appetite.  That's why I became the HTF 3D ADDICT.  I personally love images that pop off the screen and come inches away from your face without becoming overly gimmicky.  However, I certainly appreciate the nature documentaries that offer beautiful depth and separation.  These are not necessarily reviews of the film themselves.  I am not going to concentrate on story or supplements -- you can find the 2D reviews elsewhere on this forum.  My job is to let you know exactly what kind of 3D experience to expect from the titles that are being released.   As I will be receiving a handful of new product from the studios expect to see more title coverage.

Avatar 3D

Studio: Fox

Product Release: December 1, 2010

Ratio: 1.78:1

Audio: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English, French, Portugese & Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1

Running Time: 162 Minutes

Rating: PG-13

ON A SCALE 0-5

Overall 3D Presentation Rating: 5

3D Separation: 5

3D In Yo' Face Factor: 1

Utter 3D Perfection that will be difficult to surpass

It's certainly not news to everyone that Avatar has become the

highest-grossing domestic box office film to date, earning well

over $760 million.

It has always been my opinion that when you strip Avatar down

to its basics, it never breaks any new ground with its all-too-familiar

story and uninspired dialogue.  However, when considering the

film's groundbreaking effects work enhanced in glorious 3D,

nobody can argue that Avatar is a technological achievement --

and that's enough to credit its director, James Cameron, on 

a job well done.

After all, one of James Cameron's goals was to change

the face of cinema forever by selling audiences on new

3D technology that promised more realistic image quality

than they have ever experienced before.  That gamble

turned into a huge success as theaters raced to embrace

the new technology.  Long gone are the red and green

cardboard glasses which have been replaced with more

elaborate polarising eyewear.  Studios are rolling out

more 3D fare than ever before and consumers are now

able to bring that experience to the home with enhanced

displays that effectively recreate the theatrical 3D experience.  

One can't help but wonder how successful 3D would be right

now if not for Avatar leading the resurgence.

With Avatar, Cameron has created a world unlike anything

we have seen before thanks to the advances of motion 

capture technology and CGI animation.  The technology 

disappears within itself to the point that the viewer easily

accepts everything they are watching as real.  I was 

instantly reminded of all this upon my viewing this evening.

Let me stop for a moment and remind everyone that the

3D Blu-ray of Avatar is only available with the purchase

of a 3D Panasonic television.  In fact, James Cameron

worked closely with the manufacturer to incorporate his

personal picture settings into the display.   I have always

been a fan of Panasonic displays since in my opinion, 

they exhibit the best 3D with less crosstalk than any of the

other brands currently available.

That being said, I ended up winning a 3D LG display this

year in a raffle.  My dreams of owning a Panasonic are

on hold for a bit longer.   I was actually a little worried that

I would get less than stellar picture quality viewing Avatar

on my LG.  Those worries were immediately put to rest.

Back in November I had the opportunity to hear Avatar

Producer John Landau talk about his expectations of 

watching his film in the home vs. the theater.  He 

predicted that the home experience would be superior

thanks to displays being better tuned for 3D than theaters,

allowing better brightness levels when using polarised

glasses that dim the picture.   

Mr. Landau was absolutely correct.  Watching Avatar

in the home exceeds the theatrical experience.  And let

me tell you, I sat in in Mann's Chinese Theater at the

Hollywood Premier of this film on December 16, 2009

and it pales in comparison to the viewing I just had in

my home theater.

Even when wearing 3D eyewear not a detail within

this 1080p transfer has been lost. The image is razor

sharp with no indication of compression or noise reduction

to be found.  Skin tones are lifelike and colors within

the human world look very natural and "spot on."    With 

the enhancement of 3D, you become engrossed in 

Pandora's colorful surroundings bursting in vivid purple,

deep blues and lush greens.  Most spectacular here are

the night forrest scenes with its piercing neon colored

florals and bioluminescence within the Tree of Voices.

Shot and choreographed specifically for 3D there is

a wondrous sense of depth that never loses its focus

when the camera pans back to add more landscape.

Easily, with all the camera movement that goes on 

there's great potential for blurring but I'll be darned if

I saw any.  Cameron was careful not to use any 

gimmicky 3D shots, but one would be surprised how

effective the process works within the confines of

the screen itself. Most to all of the forest area was 

computer generated and within its vastness it's 

amazing to find that you focus on the smallest of

objects such as fireflies and and various insects

that entice the viewer's eyes to follow.  Things like 

dirt kicking back from the feet of a running Na'vi or 

fire embers falling to the forrest floor really take 

advantage of the 3D process.  Of course, one of