With The Terminator, its sequel T2: Judgement Day, The Abyss, and Aliens, James Cameron solidified himself as one of the all-time great directors. He's still remembered for those movies and rightly so. But in the late '90s came a juggernaut of a movie, both financially and critically — the historical romantic blockbuster, Titanic. It made $1.8 billion at the worldwide box office and won 11 out of its 14 Oscar nominations.
Since then, Cameron hasn't directed a feature film (he's mostly been making documentaries on the depths of the sea). However, before he even made Titanic, Cameron had a vision for a film set on another world and filled with amazing creatures. That movie was Avatar. At the time the technology didn't exist to bring his ideas to life, and so in the back of his mind it stayed for a decade and half.
However, as the end of the first decade of the 21st century approached, the technology had finally caught up with Cameron, and he was able to make his vision come true. The hype leading up to Avatar was monumental, with proclamations of it being the greatest innovation in filmmaking since celluloid. That alone is a lot to live up to, and I'm happy to report it does.
First, the plot: Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation) plays Jake Sully, a paraplegic ex-Marine who one day gets the opportunity to experience living on another planet through the use of a genetically modified body known as an Avatar. The planet he'll be going to is Pandora, a world filled with an abundance of diverse and unknown creatures, including an indigenous race called the Na'Vi. Jake's mission is to learn the Na'Vis' ways of life and feed the info back to the humans off-planet. But once there, Jake starts to see life from the perspective of the Na'Vi and begins to disagree with the humans' prerogative.
This isn't "just another movie," one that you should maybe catch on the odd day off. This is an event, one that needs to be experienced on the big screen, in 3D, the way it was meant to be. Just simply looking at what's on screen for the whole 161 minutes (a runtime which absolutely flies by) is jaw-dropping, from the look of the Na'Vi themselves (who, out of context, look strange, but are completely acceptable as characters within the movie) to the wildlife that makes up the planet.
Article comments
1 - Heloise
You don't want to hear what I think of Avatar. Excellent review however.
2 - Shane Domenic
Bravo James Cameron and Bravo to this reviewer who actually got it SPOT ON. Just saw Avatar in 3D in a superb cinema and it was an EVENT to say the very least. We're all still in shock - what a monumental achievement. Going to see it again soon. This is THE BIG ONE!!!!
3 - Brianna Hughes
I totally agree with Shane and the reviewer 100%. Awesome! I don't usually like sci-fi and went along reluctantly, but from the first minute I was utterly spellbound by what I saw - a beautiful masterpiece of film making and story telling without fault or peer. A wonderful and immersive 3D experience that no one in their right mind could find fault with in any way, without making complete and utter fools of themselves...
An "event" that must not be missed!!!!
4 - Christopher Rose
James Cameron has a great pedigree, the schlock that was Titanic excluded, and Avatar was a pretty decent return to form.
The 3D was handled really well and succeeded in making the visuals extend way beyond the confines of the screen.
Minor gripe with the story line which was very much guilt over the slaughter of Native Americans in the Cowboy era but apart from that, it is a really good movie.
5 - Jennifer Bogart
Thanks for the review Ross - I'm sorely tempted to take in the film on the big 3D screen - though I rarely hit the cinema.
Sounds intriguing.
6 - Clarence Yu
I just watched Avatar and felt that Cameron could have done much more with the plot. I do agree that it closely follows Dances With Wolves. All in all however it is an event worth watching!
7 - Sahar
Thanks for the review! I promised a friend to wait for her before seeing it, and have been filling up on reviews instead ;)
8 - Jonathan Sullivan
I agree with the fact everyone needs to see it. I watched it in 3D and was completely blown away by how realistic/expensive it looked! I just somehow doubt Avatar will play as well on a TV screen, no matter how high the quality.
9 - Christine
Well, thanks for the review, will have to see it then!
10 - Eliza
James Cameron movies are always fun and entertaining. Still haven't gotten a chance to see Avatar, but I can't wait. Thanks for the excellent review!
11 - DigIt
Nice movie watched it yesterday. I have a review bout it 2 it's on my bllog (;
12 - John Lake
"the camera swooping through the jungle, following floating white "insects," or..."
Bawled at the movie, loved the review, BUT:
The delightful floating things are not insects, but the seeds of the linking tree with the hanging, glowing white tendrils.
13 - Triniman
IMHO, this was an ordinary story but with extraordinary visuals. I enjoyed it, but had higher expectations for the story.
14 - John Lake
Triniman:
Then you failed to see the obvious similarity to recent efforts by some nations to declare other nations as enemies, then destroy them, impound their wealth?
Consider; " Our goal is to mingle with the indigionous, earn their trust, then if they don't cooperate, we blow then all to hell"
(mild paraphrase)
When this movie was being written, possibly the invasion of Irag was still in the planning stage. Viet Nam was over, and Afghanistan was as yet undreampt of.
15 - Dave Parker
The most spectacular thing about the film are the graphics, which are beyond anything I've seen so far. The story is a bit predictable, two lovers separated by some evil force but all with a happy end. Cameron pushed the boundaries with the graphics but played it safe with the story