Avatar is finally here, and while professional reviewers seem to be falling all over themselves to heap praise on it, it’s getting the oddest reviews from users, and it is somewhat reflected by the opening weekend box office numbers.

In an unusual turn of events, Avatar’s box office numbers dropped from Friday to Saturday, an almost unheard of happening for a film with this amount of hype surrounding it.  True, the east coast was socked by a massive winter storm which is sure to have impacted the box office, but it is also suspected that word of mouth is not running favorably for the film.

Jumping to the juice of this, the film looks to have taken in $73 million domestically, which for a film of this magnitude on its opening weekend is pretty weak.  As I have discussed numerous times, most times foreign box office isn’t considered that much, but in the case of this film, the studio is trumpeting the number this time which was $159,180,000 from 106 territories.  Considering this film cost $310 million to make, which was knocked down to $280 million after tax rebates, and add on top of that around $150 million spent on marketing, this film is going to have to gross a ton of money to be profitable for the involved parties.

I admit I haven’t seen the movie, and I will also admit I have zero interest in seeing it.  The plot looks so generic, so cookie cutter and familiar that I just can’t be bothered to waste 2 hours, 40 minutes on it.  And what kills me is that people on Rotten Tomatoes are saying it’s pretty to look at, but that the plot is “pedestrian”, “takes itself way too seriously”, “eventually gets boring” and more.  Folks, do you realize you have all just admitted you are willing victims in a game of “Oh!  SHINY!”?  The shiny, pretty things replaced the plot, and you don’t care that the movie seemingly lacks any semblance of originality in its plot.

The coming weekend will be the real important barometer of this film’s long term prospects, but my gut is telling me this won’t be a repeat of James Cameron’s last film, Titanic.

Update: The final domestic box office take was $77 million