Avatar was written and directed by Academy Award winning actor James Cameron. It tells the story of Jake Sully, a crippled marine who gets the opportunity to transform into an alien creature called the Na'vi. Jake's mission is to learn the way of the natives from the inside out, so he can help the humans gain the rare mineral that they are searching for.The cast includes Sam Worthington (Jake), Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Zoe Saldana, and Stephen Lang.
This movie is truly a great triumph in film making. James Cameron spent years working on a special camera system that made this movie come to life. The camera helps to make every person look a lot more realistic and believable. It adds another layer of depth that just wasn't possible before.
One of the greatest parts of the movie are the visuals. For the first few minutes of the film, I wasn't even paying attention to what was happening. I was just so engrossed in the beauty of the world that Cameron had created. It was something of sheer and utter beauty. Some of the best visual showcases are when the Jake and company are in the forest at night. The way the forest lights up is something of magic.
From a plot perspective, it isn't anything fantastic. It sticks to a familiar plot structure that we all are familiar with. It wasn't bad, but it was something that we are used to. He sticks to the formula and it works, resulting in a great movie, with some predictability. I did find, however, a few holes in the film that were minor grips in the overall story arch.
I saw Avatar in IMAX 3D. I feel this is the only way it should be seen. Cameron created this technology so this movie could be viewed this way. I plan to see it at least one or two more times because watching at home just won't be the same. You just won't get the full experience of this film if you see it in 2D or even standard 3D. Everything from the sound to the gorgeous high def visuals adds another layer that just can't be matched. The 3D in this movie is one of the first films that uses 3D correctly. It doesn't do any stupid camera tricks where some object is flying out at you. The main emphasis on 3D is to show you the depth, which helps to put you more into the world.
This movie has changed the way I view film. Now I look at movies and say that it was either pre-Avatar or post-Avatar. I want to see more types of film implement this type of technology.
I have heard talks of Cameron making two more Avatar films, but I'm not sure if it will happen. The movie comes to a conclusion and ultimately resolves the conflicts it sets up. I could see an Avatar 2 and 3, but it will only happen if this is a blockbuster hit and James Cameron feels like making two more movies.
This is a genre defining movie that can't be missed. It has raised the bar on all movies in the future and has set a new standard on what can be achieved. Avatar is definitely a film every movie fan must see and it will be talked about for a long time to come!
10 out of 10
