Movie Review: Avatar
After nearly a 2 decade absence in directing a blockbuster movie, James Cameron (Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2, Titanic) makes his return with this epic movie, Avatar. With the screenplay sitting idle for nearly as long, James Cameron just waited for the technology to catch up to fulfill his vision for this movie. Was all that waiting really worth it?
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
(although if you’ve seen the trailer the plot is practically predictable)
The story begins with the humans landing on the planet Pandora in search of a rare mineral called Unobtainium. They also discover that the planet is already home to a race called the Navi. To be able to have good relations with the “indigenous” folk, the humans decided to create “Avatars”, biologically grown Navi clones that are controlled by humans. They do this by creating a link between the human controllers brain and the Avatars brain. As you can guess, one of the humans has a change of heart. Deciding that pillaging this world for monetary gain isn’t worth it. It was the right thing to do, right?
The movie can be split in to two parts. During the first half of the movie you find yourself torn between the preservation of the Navi and the world itself or the loyalty to the human race itself. But how far is our race willing to go just for a hunk of minerals? I’m not sure if the director of this movie actually meant for us to feel this but it sure is the main issue at hand. Whenever a technologically superior race stumbles upon a piece of land that has precious minerals in it, the technologically superior race more often than not will try some sort of hostile take over, history can prove that. (white man vs red skins, exploration of the “new world”) The second half of the movie is how the conflict would be resolved. I don’t really want to go into details so that I wont spoil your movie experience but lets just say it kept me at the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next.
Technically wise, this movie is just amazing. You can give them the award for Best Visual Effects right now. If they don’t win it, something is wrong with the system. (I.E. Shakespeare in Love wins best picture over Saving Private Ryan) I found myself at awe and also curious about this world that James Cameron has created. The different creatures and insects, the plants, etc. I kept asking myself “What? This is just CG?” It was THAT beautifully made.
With awesome visuals and a pretty good, albeit predictable, storyline Avatar does not cease to amaze. It does have its cheesy spots here and there but nothing that would completely destroy the movie. It has the just the right amount of chatty parts and action scenes so that you won’t be either too bored or too tired. It does have an epic length, a good 2 hours and 30 minutes. But it didn’t feel like it was a struggle to watch. Just when I was about to get ready to leave and thought the movie was over, it tacks on another hour to the movie and thats not a bad thing.
If you live in the Philippines, the film festival is just around the corner. So you have about a little over a week to catch this film. After December 25, all you have to watch is Wapakman and Mano Po 6. Yup SIX. Again if you live in the Philippines WATCH THIS MOVIE THE FIRST CHANCE YOU GET. Especially if your a sci-fi, action or James Cameron fan.
If your lucky enough to be located anywhere else in the world, go watch this film. Grab your friends, your family and take them to the movies. There is no better way to get the holidays started than watching a terrific, blockbuster, lives up to the hype, over-budgeted film.
Rating = 91%
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