Avatar tells the story of a planet named Pandora, a breathtaking place inhabited by a peaceful, beautiful tribe called the Na’vi—sinewy, blue skinned, tiny-waisted humanoid creatures with tails and pointy ears—whose existence is being threatened by the evil humans and their military. To save the Na’vis, scientist Sigourney Weaver sends forth to Pandora “Avatars”—laboratory-created human versions of Na’vis—to earn their trust and protect them with their human know-how. (In addition to Weaver, the movie stars relative unknowns Sam Worthington, of Terminator Salvation fame, and Star Trek's Zoe Saldana as the central Avatar and Na’vi, respectively.) “This is a film with a conscience,” Cameron explained to a crowd of 6,500, about the rape of the environment by industrial society.

Okay, not the most groundbreaking theme, but Pandora is spectacular—a color-saturated world of 1,000-foot-tall trees, shifting mountains, iridescent flora in pinks and purples, floating jelly-fish-like “seeds.” The most stunning detail is the mossy turquoise ground that lights up under the feet of the graceful and Avatars and Na’vis.

I won’t pretend to know what’s actually trailblazing here on a technological level. I will say that the aficionados leaving the theater could not have been more pumped. “This is CG at the best it’s ever been,” one guy said to his friend. “This is CG at the best it ever will be,” his friend said back. Likewise, the crowd was psyched about the 3-D. “This was the way it should be,” said one, “not in your face and gimmicky, with things suddenly coming out there. You’re just there.”