A CubaNews translation. Edited by Walter Lippmann.

I’m sure that Avatar in its 3-D version is the ultimate sci-fi spectacle, as evidenced by box-office takings which soon turned it into the highest-grossing of all time, surpassing Titanic, also directed by James Cameron.

Much as the money invested in the making of Avatar is anybody’s guess, there’s talk of two sequels to the film. What’s plain as day, however, is that 150 million dollars were allocated to international promotion.

The industry is already thinking in terms of “before” and “after” Avatar, while very frightened production companies are rushing to make changes and start shooting in 3-D as well.

Disney complains of delays to release the much-plugged Alice in Wonderland, also shot in 3-D, but theaters across the world are still crammed with moviegoers eager for a second helping of Cameron’s epic story and its ecological mysticism, undeniably critical of the West’s predatory –imperialist– methods but definitely necessary to put across his message.

Yet, for all its impressive SFX and revolutionary techniques to capture and digitize facial expressions, Avatar‘s plot remains quite simple-minded and repetitive. Halfway through the film you feel as if you’re watching the story of a messed-up cowboy who moves in with a tribe of Apaches and –surprise!– falls in love with the chief’s daughter, locks horns with her warrior brother, and in the end changes his allegiance from the supposedly modern civilization he represents and sides up with the weak.

But then you find out that James Cameron really liked Dances with Wolves, the western starring Kevin Costner, and things start to fall into place.

As to the framework of science fiction and the recreation of the universe in an invaded Pandora, Avatar feeds various sources –especially Russian literature– and there’s no shortage of the usual allegations of plagiarism from other smash hits of the big screen. But when it comes to the plan of events, add to the above that the movie is predictable and hardly different from non-3D mainstream Hollywood cinema.

Of course, the overwhelming visual effects of this epic adventure makes many of us forget everything else and, between great acclaim and rounds of applause, earns a point in showbiz’s favor.

But then again, is that the kind of cinema bound to rain down on us to no end from an industry long committed to the concept that “moviemaking” is moneymaking, entertainment, good box-office, and big bucks… and then whatever you want, including art?