Avatar
Directed by James Cameron
Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguiz, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi, and Laz Alonso.
Backstory
Jimmy, buddy, where have you been? The man who gave us the first two Terminator films, Aliens, True Lies, and the #1 film of all time, Titanic, kind of dropped off the face of the Earth for the past 12 years. The official reason was he was waiting for the technology to catch up with his vision so he could start making bigger and better movies. The real reason was he, personally, was developing the technology. 12 years and several technological breakthroughs later, what was he giving us? Avatar. As I told a buddy, that’s why this film is such a big deal.
Plot
Several hundred years in the future, a Marine by the name of Jake Sully loses use of his legs in battle, but gets a second chance on the distant moon of Pandora. Jake is selected to pilot an “avatar,” a genetically engineered body of one of the Pandoran natives, the Na’vi. By controlling this avatar, Jake can become one of the Na’vi, and it’s hoped that this means the Na’vi will be less resistant to the humans tearing up their villages and mining the rare ore beneath them. So, while in his avatar body, Jake soon becomes part of a Na’vi tribe and begins to enjoy their way of life. And soon, Jake is torn between two duties, as he tries to meet the demands placed on him by the Company, and protect the paradise that is Pandora and the Na’vi.
What I Liked
As was to be expected, this film is visually spectacular. I paid the extra to see it in IMAX 3D, and James Cameron designed the whole film to be seen in that format. Pandora is a truly fleshed-out world, with fantastic creatures and stunning landscapes. The 3D effects were understated, too, with a lack of stuff popping out of the screen. All of the performances were top-notch as well, with Sam Worthington being quite good as our hero, Jake Sully. Technically, this film is mindblowing.
What I Didn’t Like
The plot is fairly predictable and routine. You’ve seen about a dozen of these films before and you know what’s coming…the outcome is never a surprise.
Final Assessment
Mr. Cameron, it is good to have you back, and you’ve once again delivered some solid sci-fi entertainment.