Avatar (James Cameron, 2009)

The lead up to the release of this film was insane. I tried to keep a small distance from the hype, as I have been previously let down by hype.
I saw Avatar in IMAX 3D, having already experienced IMAX I knew I was in for a high quality experience. However, nothing could have prepared me for how overwhelmingly accomplished this film is.
To make a titanic statement (excuse the pun): 3D was created for this film. 3D was made to bring this film to life. It was invented to make this film possible. James Cameron has pioneered the future of 3D and I will forever be grateful of that from this moment on.
I still cannot believe that every living creature on Pandora was computer generated. The images were so complete, meticulously detailed. I’ll forever be impressed by their mouths.
The narrative is basic and therefore easy to follow. A more intricate storyline would have been too demanding given the visual banquet laid out on screen. Boy meets girl, learns girl’s way of life, boy and girl fall in love, a misunderstanding pulls them apart, boy is redeemed, world is (somewhat) saved, victory for the underdogs. It is a narrative that has been repeated throughout cinema history, so it is easy to follow and relate to. That narrative schema is switched on from the beginning. Yet again, the story needs to be something familiar, because the world of Pandora is so new and unfamiliar. The Na’vi (the indigenous people of Pandora), although yes, they are blue, still have familiar features, which are easily relatable to a member of the human race. It is not difficult to suture yourself into the narrative and emotionally move along with it and its characters’ plight.
Sam Worthington was exceptional as Jake Sully. As a relatively unknown (besides his starring role in Terminator Salvation) Avatar is going to propel him to super-stardom, much like Titanic did to DiCaprio. I will be incredibly surprised if it doesn’t. Along with his co-star Zoe Saldana – who is entirely computer generated throughout. Other stars, such as, Sigourney Weaver (as Dr. Grace Augustine), Giovanni Ribisi (as Parker Selfridge) and Stephen Lang (as Colonel Miles Quaritch), are on top form, playing distinguishable stereotypes, the passionate, fiery scientist, the ruthless business man and the hard-nosed, archetypal Marine. More complex personality traits to categorise the human cast may have taken too much concentration to understand them as well as having to become familiar with a whole another world of people, who do not share our basic needs or way of life.
With a duration time of almost three hours long, I thought the film would be drawn out and I would be wishing for it to end. I was not, and I could have continued to watch Avatar for hours and hours on end.

Someone described their experience of seeing Avatar as equivalent to those of the older generation who remembers seeing Star Wars for the very first time on the big screen. I have to agree. This film will change cinema visually from now on, I hope. 3D abuse will – HOPEFULLY – be left in the past. And I also hope that other filmmakers realise the extent to which 3D can be used to enhance the diegetic world and not used to the discomfort the audience. Space and depth perception makes the screen come alive. I have experienced this with other recent 3D films (Coraline, for example), but not to the same degree as with Avatar.
I haven’t yet seen Avatar in 2D, but I will, after another 3D experience. I do already have my next cinema trip lined-up!