Yep thats exactly how they did it. There is a video on youtube showing the making of it, which shows the scene where Natiri is arguing with Jake, where she calls him a baby. It shows you the finished scene next to the bit with the real actors.
Not many things make my jaw drop but that did!! Amazing technology!
I'm looking for that video now...
here- several minutes into it.
You can now call me a full fledged fan boy. We went back to see it a second time on IMAX 3D. I have been a critic of 3D for many years now. However, if you have never seen 3D, have not been to an IMAX lately, don't mind spending $15 per ticket, this is the movie you should see at IMAX 3D. It was completely terrific, striking me as an epochal movie that will change the way movies are made. It is what movies like Final Fantasy were trying to achieve, but did not. I really liked that the plain of action on the screen seemed about 10' away from me visually. Contrary to others who have reported in this thread, I did not get any headaches or blurry vision.
Besides a technology Academy Award, I feel confident that this movie is competitive for both Cinematography and possible a Best Picture Award. The story is solid although not original. The moon called Pandora is incredible.
As far as comments about Cameron picking on the human race, you can consider this a cautionary tail. Comments about "they killed their mother", "the green is gone", "they can go back to their dying world" is not said out of hate, it comes from the perspective of an environmentalist who wants to see the good parts of the Earth preserved. I grew up in an area, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia, that in my opinion has been ruined by development. This kind of message registers with me.
It's a pro-environmental movie, that if nothing else might make you think about the value of the Earth, our home and wonder how much of if it should be cut down, paved over, and used up as a commodity for profits. My analogy is taking your home apart piece by piece and selling it for profits until you just have a concrete slab left to live on.
I'd like to clarify that although the theme in this story is not original, as it has happened several times throughout human history and been told in the movies before- the technically advanced take advantage of the natives and the hero goes native. But I'll propose that everything else is original, the setting, the characters, Pandora, the fauna, flora, the circumstances, the specifics, and the resolution. After thinking about it, although you could say it's Dances With Wolves, because it shares the theme, from the story details it qualifies as an original story IMO.
Regarding movies filmed 100% on a set, in the past I have been critical- 300 and Sin City I disliked because I knew most of the background was fake and it was too stylized, they turned me off. Here is an example where you have a movie created completely in a warehouse but it takes place in a photo realistic world. It is amazing what they have done in this movie.
