Avatar- Movie Review

The next 3 posts will be movie reviews. I'll also include movies that I'm looking forward to and their upcoming opening theatre dates.


I just came back from seeing Avatar two hours ago. I'll start with that one first.


Avatar, directed by James Cameron, stars Sigourney Weaver and a couple of other well known actors. It's a sci-fi movie with that's filled with a lot of heart, action and breakthrough special effects. It's a lengthy movie (160 minutes) but you won't mind it and it certainly doesn't feel that long.



It's story is set in the year 2154. Earth's corporations are aggressively mining the planet, Pandora, where it's inhabitants, the Na'vi, live in peace and have a natural connection with the energy and spirit of their world and it's many spectacular lifeforms. The Na'vi have blue skin and cat-like features and they will likely remind you of Indians because of the way they revere nature and all of it's lifeforms. They are also fierce warriors, like the Indians of the old west.




Earth's greedy corporate head honchos and ruthless military respect nothing and they do everything from tricking the Na'vi to destroying their world and their lives in order to get the mineral they seek. Several times it is mentioned that Earth is used up, nearly dead planet- so naturally they find another planet to exploit and destroy.




The symbolism is unmistakable. The story is much like our American heritage of the old west when the military nearly wiped out the Indians. Notice that I don't say American Indians! To give them that title , I feel, shows disrespect to Indians of the past and present. America was their land long before the Europeans came along, spreading disease, death and deceit before claiming Indian land as their own.




But back to the movie. I could rant on all night on that subject.



The hero, Jake Sully, is a wheelchair bound marine from Earth. He grows to respect the Na'vi and ultimately fights for them during the second half of the movie. His avatar counterpart is strong and whole. I can't explain, with any degree of technological clarity, how the Earth scientists are able to place the minds of the Earth soldiers and scientists into their Na'vi avatar counterparts- but they do. And it's totally believable.




I loved Avatar. The story is great and has real meaning that you can connect with. The pace is swift but doesn't feel rushed at all. The acting and all round performances by everyone are well above par with any movie I've seen all year. And I've seen quite a few. The special effects are cool and extremely detailed. Best of all, the ending is fully satisfactory. You won't leave the theatre feeling like you've been cheated or beat down with any heavy-heartedness. It's not just an adventuresome, special effects filled flick. It's an event that has to be seen on the big screen.



I was blown away by Avatar and I can't wait to own the movie when it comes out on dvd.