Wild blue wonder

I just got back from seeing Avatar in 3D and figured I would immediately do a review with the film still fresh in my head.

Before I get into any other aspect of the film, I cannot stress enough that if you see this movie, you must see it in 3D, if not IMAX. This is a visual masterpiece that needs to be seen in these advanced forms. Unlike so many films before it, this movie does not use the 3D technology as some sort of gimmick. It's not just a bunch of random objects being shoved in your face. All of the technology is natural to the story and really enhances the movie-going experience. Director James Cameron has done a remarkable job of finding a way of immersing you into this strange new world.

That world is Pandora, a distant planet that Earthlings have travelled to in search of 'unobtainium', a rare mineral that is highly valuable. The problem being is that the planet is inhabited by the Na'vi, who have no intention of moving to allows humans to destroy it for mining purposes. At this point, it should be apparent that Cameron has created a story that has some not so subtle parallels to the Iraq War. This is where the film falters a bit. It's disappointing to see this type of movie be bogged down with liberal preachiness. The film is the equivalent to one of those time share weekends. They lure you in with some wonderful vacation, or in this case the visual effects, only to ruin it with their pitch/message.

I fully recognize though that the film needed a central conflict and for that reason, I'll give the film some slack for its overt liberal agenda. After all, the battle scenes provide just as much visual 'wow' as the scenes where we're introduced to the creatures and wildlife of Pandora. Everything about this movie just pops off the screen. As you watch the events unfold, you begin to forget about the conventionalities of the story and just keep realizing that you're watching an epic moment in filmmaking. I've heard others say that watching this film is akin to those who saw Star Wars for the film time. I now see how that is true. Watching this film you realize you're seeing something special.

In terms of fleshing out the story, Cameron does his best to create an epic within one film. Having said that, I thought there were a lot of aspects of the story that were not fully explored. In particular, I think it would have been interesting to know more about the mythology of the Na'vi people, as well as more about the Avatar technology that allowed Jake (Sam Worthington) to integrate himself into the Na'vi culture.

I haven't really talked about the acting yet, mainly because the acting isn't an essential aspect of this story. With so many of the characters being computer generated, it is difficult to truly critique the performance. However, I will make a point of saying how nice it is to see Sigourney Weaver in a major picture like this. Back with her familiar director, she does a nice job as the scientist who is interested in studying the Na'vi culture.

I'll close this review going back to my original point regarding 3D. This was my first experience seeing a film in theaters with 3D. I'm not sure I would want to watch movies like that on a regular basis. But with what Cameron was able to do here, it was worth spending the extra money. You will be in awe with how much you will feel like you are right there amongst the characters. For so many films, it's easy for me to simply suggest you wait and watch it at home when it comes out on DVD. This is not one of those times. Whatever shortcomings the film may have with regard to its story, this film deserves to be see in the theaters. It is a truly magical experience that will engage everyone, even if on paper the story wouldn't interest you. After all these years, James Cameron has once again proven he is king of the (filmmaking) world. Grade: B+