Avatar

Avatar 2009
Director: James Cameron
Writer: James Cameron
Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi, CCH Pounder and Dileep Rao
A lot of hype was surrounding this film and when that happens I am always wary of seeing a film, fearing that it will not live up to all the hype. I am pleased to see that it fulfilled the promise of the hype and then some. This film is just a beautiful thing to experience. I do not think there has been such a groundbreaking film in the science fiction genre like this since The Matrix in 1999. This film really immerses you into its world and you forget about everything but what your eyes are revealing to you. It is beautifully shot and expertly acted. This was a film that is well worth paying the ticket price for. The action sequences are phenomenal; a perfect example of this is the mech battle at the climax of the film. The action keeps you riveted till the very end. The film takes it time setting the world up, but it is well worth it if you have the patience for it. It really transports you to another world, cinematically.
The plot basics are this, it is the future and paraplegic Jake Sully (Worthington) decides to take his deceased brother’s place in a special mission for the Marines on the distant world of Pandora. He learns that he will infiltrate in a cloned body of the alien race the Na’vi, that lives on the planet, the tribe and try to get them to move so the Marines can excavate for a precious mineral they need. He will do this and in favor Colonel Quaritch (Lang) will give him new legs. He goes about his mission but soon begins to feel for the Na’vi and falls in love with one of the women (Saldana). This causes Jake to take stand with the Na’vi and leads to an epic battle with the Colonel and his battalion. Jake must unite the Na’vi together with him if he has any chance of defeating them.
This is an exceptionally well done film. The way it is shot is utterly mesmerizing and the CGI he uses makes it feel totally real. The way the forest world of Pandora looks makes it looks like you could actually step into it. It was that real. His filming of the action sequences are amazing too, like Jake’s first night in the forest and the big mech battle at the end. The script is very well written. All the characters are fully fleshed out and realized. Even minor characters like the lab assistants on the avatar bodies have a real story arc to them. The cast does an excellent job. Worthington is a great lead and he brings areal pathos to the character. Saldana is quite good too, especially at playing a total CGI made character, somehow you still feel as if she is real. Weaver is superb and still carries a role with magnificent presence. Lang also makes a great heavy and you really understand his motivations for doing what he does. The SFX and CGI are phenomenally done and never seem arbitrary or put upon. That is a real achievement for a film like this. You actually believe that the Na’vi are a living and breathing life form. The score is another great example of what works in the film too. The score by James Horner is epic and operatic in its scope and that fits the film really well. This is one of the best SF films in the last 20 years and well worth seeing.
This one gets 5 out of 5