"Avatar" Review by Anthony T

Avatar
Year: 2009
Director: James Cameron
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 162 Mins





“Avatar” is the very long awaited film from director James Cameron, who has done great films like “The Terminator” and “The Abyss”. His last film “Titanic” was his worst film, as I really felt that it focused too much on the “Gone With a Wind” type love story and was an hour too long. So going into this one, I was nervous that it would turn out to be another “Titanic” but in 3D. So I decided to put this film to the ultimate test and watch this film in IMAX 3D.

The film is about a paralyzed solider Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) who is dispatched to a planet known as Pandora, to drive one of the avatars that his deceased brother that has created. While there, he finds out that the person (Giovanni Ribisi) who is funding the research has intentions on driving off the natives, so that he can mine the minerals that are scattered throughout the planet. But he is offered the chance to walk again, if he gets intel for the military unit that is lead by ruthless colonel (Stephen Lang) that wants to drive the natives out. Soon Sully begins to gather infiltrates the natives, but while doing that he begins to fall in love with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a beautiful alien Sully is then forced with a very difficult choice continue with his mission or help the natives with their fight against the business man and his military force. The film also costars Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez and Joel Moore.

To me the whole 3D craze has gotten out of proportion with films like “Monsters and Aliens” A “Christmas Carol” and “The Final Destination” I don’t see the big deal with it. But this is the first movie that I can see the argument why 3D films are made. This is the first film that I actually get can say that it needs to be seen in 3D, as the images were just amazing to look at. It helped enhance the viewing experience to whole another level, as it has that magical feel that lose a bit when you the film in 2D.

Without the visual images in Imax 3D, “Avatar” is still a very good film. James Cameron erases any doubts that I about him as a director, after the awfulness that was “Titanic”. One of things that’s made him so legendary, the way he uses his imagination and translates that into the images that you see. It feels like you’re at an event, instead of watch a regular film. It worked with the first “Terminator” films, Aliens, “The Abyss” and this film here. Cameron makes sure that the technology is used wisely so integrates with the film’s story to give it that feel that you’re in that universal and not using it to blow everything up, every ten seconds. I wish “Mr. Awesome” Michael Bay could take lessons from this guy, instead of using it to blow everything up. Without the very good use of the technology, he still manages to make this film impactful through the acting, as everything worked onscreen. Cameron gets very good performances from his actors including, Sam Worthington, who makes his character work. His performance makes you interested in the story, because if the performance didn’t work, then this film wouldn’t had work as well since everything is tied to his main character. The film also has some very good supporting performances from Stephen Lang, as the evil colonel, Sigourney Weaver, as the scientist, who against everything that the corporation and Giovanni Ribsi, as the greedy businessman that wants the planet’s resources.

Cameron’s script was also better from the “Titanic” debacle. What makes this script good, the fact that he tells the story from the main character’s point of view instead of focusing on various characters to the point that everything becomes out of control. By doing that, it really makes an interesting story and not an effects film, which too many films have done this year (ie: “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, “GI Joe” to name a few). I liked how everything is connected to this one character, from the backstory to the love interest. The relationship between Worthington and Saldana’s character work much better than main relationship in this last film because it’s fully develops instead of being forced. That really makes you appreciate movie magic, when all of these elements work to perfection. Everything just works on a very good level. Cameron also develops the planet’s backstory very well, as it feels magical and you develop a sense of compassion for the characters that are living there. The actions scenes were well timed and severed an actual purpose to the film story. The action is just powerful and entertaining, as it fits with the message that Cameron is trying to get across to his viewers. I fully wish that this would happen more often in screenwriting process, but it doesn’t because you have writers that want to blow up everything and sacrifice the story to do it. It pains me to say that, but it’s the truth. I wish screenwriters would view films like these and realize that it only makes sense to blow stuff up, when the story calls for it. Not to do it, just to put people in seats.

This is one of those rare films, in which the 3D technology it ment for. “Avatar is very intelligent story that is definitely a return to form for James Cameron, as this is truly an event film that worthy of your time

Review Rating: Five Stars