Avatar (20th Century Fox)
Moviemaking Will Never Be the Same
The initial introduction to Avatar was not good. The trailer left something to be desired. Plus it is in 3-D which to some people is a hindrance rather than a help. Also the running time of the film is close to three hours and that is too long for a large segment of the population. So by the time you actually go to the film you have had your expectations lowered.
Then you actually sit down in the theater to watch the movie. You get your 3-D glasses in place and whammy! The movie takes off and it is a rip-roaring treat of a film from beginning to end. This is moviemaking unlike anything you have ever seen in this lifetime. James Cameron is absolutely the "King of the World."
The story of Avatar concerns a paraplegic man named Jake Sully (Sam Worthington). He is a marine who is offered a slot in a special program after his twin brother has died. The government needs a man with a special DNA. Jake's brother had it and that is why he was in the program. Now they need Jake so they continue the work. Jake says yes and soon he is on his way to the planet, Pandora.
It seems the government has come up with a way to transfer a person's brain waves to the body of a Na 'Vi. These are creatures who look semi-human and live on Pandora. Jake is to be transferred into a Na 'Vi body and used to convince the people of the planet to move their home site to another area. It seems their home site is located over a rich mineral vein that the government wants.
Jake infiltrates their tribe and befriends a young female Na 'Vi named Neytiri. She helps him explore the planet which is a new type of world. It is also a place that Cameron has created for the film and it is amazing. The creatures on the planet as well as the vegetation are mind blowing.
All of the visuals are letter perfect and this is a case of 3-D being the perfect format in which to display the movie. There is also a melodious score by James Horner that adds to the overall effects of the film.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
You can't be prepared for the spectacle that is Avatar. It is stunning in its presentation of another world and this presentation appears to be actual rather than computer generated. It is baffling to try to understand how these "tricks" were done. Just be thankful that James Cameron and all his crews are geniuses in their fields.
Just as Titanic attracted crowds for multiple viewings, Avatar will do the same. Its box office earnings should be colossal.
Avatar earns high marks for being inventive as well as being totally entertaining. It is the movie of the year and maybe of the decade. If you haven't decided whether or not you want to invest almost three hours in it, then let me give you a nudge. I scored it an otherworldly 10 out of 10.
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