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Aroview: James Cameron’s record-shattering 3D epic is a woozy mix of allegory and special effects (developed at Wellington's Weta studios), set on a distant alien moon where warmongering humans have set up camp with the intention of pillaging its many resources.

A watershed blockbuster with the perfect companion storyline to its high-tech thrills, its wow-factor in cinemas largely revolved around its premise of a disabled marine (Worthington) using technology to enter into the mind and body of an alien creature, thus mirroring the immersive effects of the 3D goggles audiences were clamoring to experience. Minus the extra dimension, however, the film can no longer disguise its clunky action-movie conventions and heavy-handed thematic concerns (environmentalism, imperialism, and so forth). Still, as an out-and-out sci-fi adventure delivered by groundbreaking CGI, this promises pure, unadulterated escapism – even on the small screen.

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