Following the massive hype around the movie how could I resist? We braved the freezing weather, downed a pizza slice or two and settled in for what I thought would bea snooze movie – great for the kids but not for the Dads.  After endless trailers telling me to put on my 3D glasses now ( but not telling me when to take them off) I sat there through a barrage of 3d and not at all 3d ads and trailers, slowly but increasingly becoming more and more irritated by the crunching and slurping noises in the quiet moments in between.

Finally and at last the movie started. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not immediately harpooned by flying effects emanating from the screen (in fact the ones that did venture outside the screen’s landscape looked a bit blurry and a bit naff). The 3D effect wasn’t wearing on the senses either – especially as we needed to sit through 2.5 hours looking like Joe 90.

Anyway once the movie got into its its full swing i could not help but be drawn in – a bit like when I was a kid – it wasn’t long before I had suspended years of cynicism of American action hero movies ( although there were the inevitable ‘kick some alien butt’ moments) generally the the story line, animation and characters blended seamlessly into a wonderfully made piece of sci fi make believe. Yes I know the critics will take pot shots as usual but as long as you suspend your sense of reality for about two and a half hours and you have a weakness for a bit of juvenile sci-fi, this one ticks all the boxes.

The very clever James Cameron has managed to tap into our global concerns and thread these themes generously interlacing them throughout the movie,  but in ‘another world’  setting-  yes, he certainly did his homework for this film.

This is one film you have to see for yourself on the big screen only  - and not just for the 3D effects.