I thought it was definitely a dazzling and entertaining spectacle, but there isn't much substance behind the curtain to keep me coming back to the well for more.  Unoriginal visual design, second-rate planetary romance plot, boring neoromantic "epic" soundtrack... 

I liked this movie, but I don't understand the hype behind it.

I enjoyed avatar a lot.  I think the main hype was the graphics & 3d not necessarily the story -at least that's how I interpreted it.   They were fantastic.   A couple of people (either in sci fi or in fantasy forum) suggested it had a very similar plotline to Fern Gully and I totally agree.

Haven't seen it, don't really want to. 

I loved the visuals, but the plot seemed pretty hackneyed, and the characters were IMO, without nuance or depth.

As an actor and a bit of a movie geek, I liked Avatar and enjoyed it a lot, but certainly don't think it's a revelation and don't think it should have been anywhere near the Best Picture race. The visuals are amazing, and the acting wasn't bad (I especially liked Sigourney Weaver, but when isn't she good?), but Best Picture contender? Really? Personally, I think the acting, script, and directing in Sherlock Holmes was miles better than in Avatar, and I still don't think Sherlock Holmes should be nominated for Best Picture.

"  A couple of people (either in sci fi or in fantasy forum) suggested it had a very similar plotline to Fern Gully and I totally agree."

Actually it's pretty much Dances with Wolves in space with blue cats. I really enjoyed it, though. The visuals were absolutely stunning. I saw it twice in theaters and will probably buy the DVD when it comes out.

Dances with Wolves ... or Pocahontas.  Did you see this?  Nails it.

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/3867/poca2u.jpg

Personally, I was quite disappointed.  I've enjoyed ALL of Cameron's prior movies, and I expected more, substantively, from this one, to ago along with the fabulous CGI.  I thought the CGI was wasted on such a poor story.

LoL, I personally thought it was a braveheart + pochahontas hybrid.  They are blue, THIS IS OUR LAND, everything else is Pocahontas.

Story is competely unoriginal.  The graphics were amazing and the technology they used to film is revolutionary, but the storyline is pretty standard.  Not worth the hype imo... not buying the blueray.  I still value story over the visual stimulation.