The story is a bit predictable, but not such that it detracts from its entertainment value. In fact, I think that it is the story's adherence to common archetypes and a classic character progression which makes it so appealing to such a wide audience. In all, James Cameron does an excellent job of keeping the viewer completely engrossed in the film--I found that the nearly 3 hours passed by all too quickly, leaving me wishing I could stay on Pandora just a little bit longer each time.