I was worried I might regret paying a little extra just to see this movie in 3D....... worth every penny, and MORE! Avatar was visually stunning from start to finish and although the "wow factor" of the effects outweighed the characters slightly, I thought they still did a good job of developing the characters from the very start. As a viewer, you are emotionally invested in the main character very early in the film, and you despise the villain of the film just as quickly. I knew there would be a political "message" in the storyline, but it wasn't "in your face" at all, in my opinion and did NOT distract from the film itself. Overall, "Avatar" is very entertaining and I would highly recommend it!