A really herculean effort with a totally new movie experience as the result. There are elements of the live action/animation that have been used before, but not to this beauty and intelligent effect. The main enticement is the world of Pandora, but the acting is also believable and touching. Well-cast. A film that I would actually agree to see as many times as my 12 year old daughter will want to drag me to! There are some elements that would be a little rought for kids 10 and under most likely.
There are a couple of lame/slow parts in the dialogue, but overall the movie is well-crafted and acted. There's no outstanding acting except for Helen Mirren, but everyone else holds their own and is believable. The story is compelling enough and great for kids who love to read and/or can relate to literary or film characters seeming real. Seeing the movie interested my daughter in reading the book, so that's a good thing!