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January 13, 2010
Alejandro Montalvo
Have you seen Avatar yet? That seems to be the question on everyone’s lips these days; and for good reason. Director James Cameron (of Terminator and Titanic fame) blows $300 million to bring his wildest dream to life. However, where expectation and massive budget would have killed any other production (e.g. Michael Bay) Cameron succeeds. Is it beautiful? Yes. Is it a prime example of a technological revolution? Yes. Is it good? Hell Yes.
Conceived about 14 years ago, Avatar was shelved by Cameron because the technology wasn’t capable of meeting his needs. A little arrogant? Maybe. Remember, Cameron is the guy who screamed “I’m king of the world” during his Oscar acceptance speech for his win as Best Director in 1997. Now that technology has caught up with Cameron’s vision, he finally unleashed the world of Avatar unto the masses. And boy, what a world it is.
The story is quite simple, allowing special effects to dominate the film. Basically, Earth is a dying planet and the U.S. has sent marines, scientists and corporate suits out to this planet, Pandora, that holds the key to our survival. But Pandora is already inhabited by natives, the Na’vi, who are ten feet tall and dislike humans. The allusions to the Native American exploitation are about as subtle as an explosion. Cameron makes sure not to preach to heavily, however, he just offers food for thought. However, the scientists breed these giant avatars, cross breeds between humans and the Na’vi, to try and settle things diplomatically with the Na’vi. However, the diplomatic solutions don’t work and the marines become impatient and trigger-happy.
Our hero, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), is a recently paralyzed marine who steps into his dead brother’s shoes to take over an avatar and join the diplomacy. Things get more complicated as Jake’s alliances are torn between his real life and his avatar life which offers him an escape from his paralyzed body. His romance with the Na’vi princess, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), isn’t the next “Jack and Rose” but it works for this film. The escalating conflicts between the Na’vi and the humans eventually erupt in an epic battle in the skies. Massive sequences like this battle are prime examples of Cameron’s technology shining its bright colors. Everything is so vibrant and clear, inviting the audience to live the experience. The camera follows the swooping and diving aerial maneuvers of the Na’vi riding their dragon-like banshees.
Cameron broke new territory with his revolutionary equipment made for this film. The budget and wait may have been overblown, but damn this movie shines like a new penny. The Na’vi look truly authentic as does the forest around them. All the flying sequences are breathtaking. Don’t even bother looking for glitches or mistakes- there are none. The 3D experience of this film is worth the money, and the 3D glasses are dorky enough to keep. While the Imax experience may be too overwhelming for some, it will surely be an unforgettable experience. Now that the Academy has opened up the total nominees for Best Picture to 10 films instead of five, Avatar has a strong chance for a Best Picture nomination. No doubt, this film will sweep up the Oscar for Best Visual Effects, possibly Art Direction and Score.
Is this film “the next Titanic?” I don’t think so. Cameron has done wonders with the visual effects but the story leaves something to be desired. Avatar is another solid hit, like Aliens and The Terminator were earlier in Cameron’s career. If you have not seen this film yet, do so now, as it is an exhilarating experience.
