In Dances with Wolves we saw the natives versus the U.S. government's expansionist agenda and its war against the native americans. In The Last Samurai it was the Americans helping the Japanese corporate/government interests to suppress the traditional way of life of the "native" Samurai. In Avatar, it's corporate miners accompanied by mercenary, military protectors playing the role of outside invaders trying to profit on the planet's superconducting mineral, unobtanium, at the cost of the native wildlife and indigenous people, the Na'vi. That main idea is intertwined with many of Cameron's recurring themes, such as corporate greed (or military interests) over ecology, humanity, and/or common sense as seen in his own previous works (Aliens, The Abyss).
Though the story is true to its Avatar name, a manifestation or representation of someone else, the presentation makes up for whatever predictability or lack of originality in the story. The predictability or familiarity doesn't detract from the experience of the film, and instead at times, adds to the enjoyment. It's a truly slick package whether experienced in its optimum 3D or the more traditional 2D.
Visual Tour de Force
The visual presentation is where Avatar surpasses all expectations and excels beyond any other film before it. James Cameron made a wise decision when he chose to wait an additional ten years for technology to catch up before making this film.
Most of the film is computer generated, utilizing the actor's live performances to animate the Na'vi creatures through special capture technology (similar to that used in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, though more advanced) pioneered by Cameron on this film. I must admit that when first confronted with the computer generated creatures, one can suffer a bit of the uncanny valley effect, but that is quickly overcome as the film dives into the Navi's world and life fully. The world of Pandora is simply put: Spectacular. James Cameron has outdone himself. The moon feels alive and absolutely real. There's truly a seamless interaction between the real life elements and the animated surroundings.
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When presented with such a visual spectacle, it's easy to get lost in its beauty and miss some of the slightly disappointing details. I may be nitpicking, but the dog-like animals (Viperwolf) and dangerous, panther-like creatures (Thanator) seemed a bit too shiny-plasticky, and more akin to a lesser, more artificial looking animation and therefore out of place in such an elaborate, realistic world. One could easily argue that the plasticity of their skin is due to their alien nature, this being Pandora after all and not Earth, but in terms of the design and animation of the film, it was probably the only part of the impressive visuals that I found lacking.
Let the awards roll in
Avatar is an impressive achievement. Despite its occasional and easily overlooked flaws, it's something akin to the game changing nature of films like Star Wars, Terminator 2 (another equally impressive James Cameron film), Jurassic Park, The Matrix, and Lord of the Rings, just to name a few. It redefines film with its new and effective use of new technologies, of 3D, its overall visual presentation, integration of digital actors, etc. It's certainly worth the 10 to 15 dollars/euros/pounds to see it in its full theatrical splendor, something proven by its title of second highest-grossing film of all time worldwide and second highest-grossing film of all time domestically (in the U.S.).
Having already captured the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama and Best Director, it's already gathered a striking number of awards and nominations on its way to the Academy Awards,
Be it in IMAX 3D, Real3D, or in good old 2D, Avatar certainly impresses and is the must see film of the season. If you haven't seen it, what are you waiting for? Go see it!
Related links
Avatar Official Movie Site: The official site for everything Avatar.Avatar Official Flickr Site: Here you can find official promotional images.
Avatar Store on Amazon.com (USA)
Avatar Products on Amazon.co.uk (UK - English Europe)
Avatar on Wikipedia
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UPDATES: Updated highest-grossing film titles to reflect new records.
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