Review of Avatar (2011) by Gregory G — 07 Jun 2014

"Avatar" is another gigantic, expensive James Cameron blockbuster that attempts to reinvent moviemaking. A futuristic sci-fi adventure, "Avatar" is set in the year 2154 on a planet called Pandora, where a race of twelve foot tall blue creatures with tails, called Na'vi, are the inhabitants.

Humans make contact using genetically engineered human-Na'vi bodies that the humans inhabit. A paraplegic war veteran, Jake (Sam Worthington), is recruited by the humans to interact with the Na'vi, so the colonists from Earth can mine reserves of mineral.

Cameron explores his usual theme of the arrogance of technology and how the world must be saved from the apocalypse. The Na'vi are clearly intended to represent the plight of Native Americans, who are destroyed along with their land by the colonists.

The first half of the movie has a sense of awe and wonder but in the second half we are bombarded with routine action sequences and our interest begins to falter. Cameron is a genius at technological advancements in effects but continues his cliche approach to dialogue and characterizations, told in a conventional story.

The military colonel (Stephen Lang), who wants to wipe out the Na'vi using military force, is another one-dimensional villain. "Avatar" has parallels to "Dances with Wolves" as an anti-imperialist and pro-nature fantasy with a simpleminded view of native culture.

Cameron has created an entire world with motion capture and 3-D visual effects that is revolutionary in the way "Star Wars" or "The Matrix" were. We scan the depth of the imagery that is more photorealistic that any CGI movie ever made before.

Worthington is mostly bland in the lead. Zoe Saldana is sexy and touching but overdoes some of the big dramatic scenes. Despite these flaws, this is a grand cinematic entertainment made by a visionary filmmaker that passed Cameron's previous film, "Titanic," as the top box office hit of all time.

Sigourney Weaver brings much needed energy but has little to do. Also with Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodgriguez, Joel Moore, CCH Pounder. Won Oscars for Best Cinematography, Art Direction, Visual Effects.