After 12 years, and countless millions of dollars, James Cameron has made a triumphant return to filmmaking with the mega-expensive epic Avatar. With this film, Cameron proves that he has not lost his touch in any way. The director of Titanic, Aliens, and The Terminator is back in fine form and has given us a film for the ages.
The story centers on Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), who has lost the use of his legs during combat and is confined to a wheelchair. He is chosen as part of a select group to venture to the world of Pandora where he will live among the natives there and help convince them to give up their land for the good of Earth. Because humans cannot breathe the air on Pandora, Jake must take the form of an avatar in order to roam the landscape. In this form, Jake is once again able to walk and move around and the freedom he experiences from this is the first time that the film really shows off its special effects. Cameron has created a gorgeous and well-crafted world here populated with some of the most amazing looking sights and sounds I have seen in a very long time.
The film never looks cheap or tacky, and it is obvious that Cameron spent lots of money and lots of time on this film. I don't mean that in any way as a slight against the film. I actually like that the film looks expensive, as way too many movies don't look that way at all. While on Pandora, Jake becomes adopted by the locals, known as the Na'vi, and becomes assimilated into their culture and their way of life. He even falls in love with one of them (voiced by Zoe Saldana) and realizes that their way of life isn't so bad and should not be destroyed.
While I do realize that the plot is not that original (indeed, it copies both Dances with Wolves and FernGully: The Last Rain Forest), this is not one of those movies that you see for the plot. What Cameron has done here has never been done before, at least at this magnitude. He has managed to make an entirely new world with new sights and sounds that looks as realistic as our own. Also, the script does allow for some character development so you won't walk out thinking you saw a movie with poorly developed characters. While watching this film, I was reminded of how I felt when I first saw Star Wars over 20 years ago. Star Wars also did not have a very original plot or characters but created entirely new worlds with new languages and creatures that had never been seen before on screen. I loved every single minute of this film and found myself on the edge of my seat during the breath-taking and heart-pounding climax. Also, Cameron's casting of Ellen Ripley herself, Sigourney Weaver, was inspired as her portrayal as the scientist who is out to prove that Pandora is not just another place that can be destroyed for humanity's benefit provides the film with its moral compass and Weaver imbues the character with that steely reserve that we have come to expect from her characters.
I will be the first to admit that I was apprehensive about seeing this movie because I wasn't sure if Cameron could retain his magic all through the film but he proved me wrong yet again. In 1997, he gave us Titanic, a film that managed to gross over a billion dollars worldwide despite the fact that everyone knew how the film would end. Now, in 2009, he has given us Avatar, a film that is sure to be a moneymaker and will completely redefine the motion picture industry. It proves that 3-D technology is worth the extra cost and that audiences are willing to sit through a three-hour 3-D epic and then spread the word about it to their friends and family members. I have already told many people that they need to see this movie and I will continue to tell people that. The visuals are fantastic and this is one that has to be seen in theaters. Don't wait for DVD on this one! Avatar proves that perhaps James Cameron wasn't incorrect when he declared himself “King of the World” at the 1998 Oscars. He is certainly a viable candidate after seeing this gorgeous and heart-breaking film. This is a strong contender for one of the year's best films and don't be surprised if it ends up on my Top 10 list. Film making this grand and rare should definitely be rewarded! A+
