The season of worthy movies is beginning, with some of the year’s biggest films hitting box offices in the coming weeks. I already made my list of what I like to call a ‘Must See ASAP’ and first on it? Avatar.
Clearly, the hype for this movie has been unprecedented, as it marks James Cameron’s major return to the big screen. His last large-scale directorial effort was known as a little movie called Titanic. Never heard of it? Look it up. What Cameron was known for in Titanic translates directly into the heart of Avatar: big special effects that not only radiate, but leave you with a sore jaw from its continued dropping. From the opening credits to the last frame, this film dazzles with its technicolor creation.
Avatar takes place on the planet Pandora in the year 2154. U.S. military forces have inhabited the planet, hoping to not only learn more about it, but to also mine a rare mineral found there worth millions of dollars. The inhabitants of this planet range from tiny, multi-colored lightening bugs, to enormous four-eyed, multi-horned rhinoceros-like creatures. Pandora’s equivalents of a human race come in the form of Na’vi, a tribe of tall, blue-skinned, loincloth-wearing creatures who look similar to humans, but have the ability to leap and climb as lithely as tree dwellers.
In order to win the Na’vi over and infiltrate their clan, the humans have created the Avatar program, where a human uses a pod-like device to create a state of subconsciousness in order to enter a Na’vi host body. Once they have fused their mind with a Na’vi body, they essentially can become one of the Na’vi…that is, until the pod is opened and they are brought back. Then, their host body falls to the ground, rendered useless until its human counterpart enters it once again.
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), who is confined to a wheel chair, is the newest recruit to the Avatar program. When he enters his host body, he is able to use his legs again. And boy, does he use them. Seemingly fearless, Jake tackles Pandora’s fiercest animals the minute he touches down on the planet. Soon, he meets Neytiri (Zoë Saldana) who teaches him how take full advantage of his new chiseled, lean and agile body.
This movie continues in a fashion that is eerily reminiscent of Pocahontas. Jake (a.k.a. John Smith) is at first skeptical of Pandora and its riches..but then starts to understand all that it has to offer and falls for Neytiri. Next, the humans want to take over Pandora and exploit its resources and their leader, Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) has a clear intent: he wants to wipe out all that is valuable to the Na’vi, including -get this- their Tree of Souls. Starting to see the resemblance?
Other cast members include Sigourney Weaver as a sharp-mouthed, passionate scientist spearheading the Na’vi conservationist efforts, Michelle Rodriguez as the resident rebellious bad-ass, and Giovanni Ribisi as the comical, yet unrelenting, director of the program.
To put it simply, Avatar is mesmerizing. The consortium of colors and wildlife overwhelm; you simply don’t know where to look. Where the film really comes alive is when night falls and the ground glows and neon insects hum about. The constellation-like freckles on the Na’vi’s faces and their brilliant blue hue is magnified by this and the effect is dazzling. Furthermore, the action scenes are just as impressive. Cameron’s hiatus was well worth it once you see his finished product.
The only thing that Cameron asks of his audience is simple acceptance. Like other sci-fi movies, you truly must accept what you’re seeing, accept that these creatures can coexist on such a planet, or the film will be lost on you. Sure, there are some times where you can’t help but scoff, like when Jake, in his human form, strokes the face of Neytiri, but other than that, the overall experience depends on believing. If you don’t, then the whole movie will not translate.
Overall, Avatar is a sensory experience. The action, romance and adventure pale in comparison to the rush of color and movement filling the screen. While the plot could be less convoluted and slightly more convincing, the thrill of this new world will be enough to leave you wanting more. Already nominated for four Golden Globes, including Best Director and Best Motion Picture-Drama, Avatar is guaranteed to make you want to book a one-way ticket to Pandora.






