Quote - this is what happened to almost everyone.

they think that there is no way that this movie could work and BOOM.

Imagine this is true - I went in sort of hoping/wondering if it would be an adaptation of Alan Dean Foster's book "Midworld" which I read as a kid. 

It really was a very cliche story.  Some very bad stereotype, ridiculous characters (Col. Quatrich, all the things Wolf pointed out are true when viewed purely as a script)  But the way it was told was perfect, and the acting was awesome.  3d helped bring the viewer into the experience. 

The story was as much about the "injuns" being helped to survive their encounter with a hostile force as it was the other way around, teaching the "white man" to survive and integrate into a hostile environment and become accepted by it.

There is an older story lurking in the script, but I am not sure if it was intentionally placed there. One of self-destructive aliens invading a peaceful world, and shattering a species' connection to it...  Something about that rings true of ancient humaity (Atlantis / Lemuria story, Sumeria, etc.). 

Anyway - one of the best theater experiences I've ever had, despite the overdone story concept.