Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington in alien form in James Cameron's "Avatar."

Credit: 20th Century Fox

Over a decade ago James Cameron was battling media reports that his delayed and pricey epic "Titanic" was a creative disaster and ready to sink at the box office like the famed ocean liner whose story it dramatically re-told.  Instead, the Paramount Pictures/20th Century Fox production became a cultural phenomenon and grossed over $1.8 billion worldwide and won a staggering 11 Academy Awards including the prestigious Best Picture trophy.  In less than two weeks, Cameron returns to the big screen with his almost as hyped Sci-Fi motion capture adventure "Avatar." The film has sparked heated debate among genre fans and everyday moviegoers as well as finding itself under the microscope of the testy entertainment media.  Factoring in the substantial negative responses to the IMAX and Comic-Con previews, many in the industry were coming to the conclusion that "Avatar" would be a nice hit (i.e., $200 million plus in the U.S.) at best thanks to some nicely cut TV spots. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who expected the picture to stand alongside the critical favorites of Cameron's previous work.  Boy can things change after one screening in Hollywood.  No one who has seen the film is allowed to go on record [and this writer has not seen the film himself], but word has leaked that Fox's gamble may have paid off and "Avatar" may be way more than meets the eye.