Film Review – Avatar

I saw this film before Christmas but I’ve been so busy - apologies that the review is so late!

So if you haven’t been to see James Cameron’s imaginative masterpiece already then you simply have to go – it’s one of the best films I have seen in ages. And try to see the 3D version – or preferably, go to the Imax at Waterloo and see it in 3D and BIG!

Lots of people have whinged about the plot line – but actually I quite liked it – basically, a disabled marine (Jake Sully) gets sent to planet Pandora to use his late brother’s avatar (a sort of clone using his bro’s DNA and that of the Na’vi alien species to overcome the toxic atmosphere) to persuade the natives to move so that the greedy miners can obtain the rich mineral that lies beneath their village – which is, in fact, a huge ancient tree. He is accepted by the Na’vi, gets training and inevitably goes native, falls in love with one of the alien girls (Neytiri – an excellent female role model, even if she is very tall and blue with a tail) and helps them fight the baddies.

I really appreciated seeing the mature Sigourney Weaver (I hope I look this good at 60!) playing an empathetic scientist who is an expert on the Na’vi but with warrior tendencies – a good reminder of the alien films (in fact, the horse-like creatures bore more than a passing resemblance). The arch-baddy was suitably square jawed, over-zealous and difficult to kill. And the idea of the Na’vi actually connecting with the creatures – through a thing in their hair - in order to work with them was a nice touch.

So it’s a sort of Matrix (technology and fighting) meets Ferngully (save the rainforest) with lots of nods towards Native American philosophy (which is part of my heritage so I was particularly appreciative of these elements). The moral, suitably green, is that countries/big corporations cannot simply take what they want without regard to the impact on indigenous people and environment – regardless of the importance of the quest.

But the wonderful thing about the film is the fantastic scenery, sheer creativity and special effects. They are awesome. Literally breath taking. The world of Pandora is phenomenal – weird creatures in the forest, stunning touch sensitive flora and fauna that illuminate at night, islands suspended in mid-air, fantastic dragon-like creatures that are flown by the natives and, of course, some impressive military hardware for the Star Wars like battle scenes. It’s a long film but you are so swept up in the story, the characters and the magical world that you hardly notice.

We left the cinema with a spring in our step, grins on our faces and our minds full of the incredible images we had just seen. It’s a rare film that pleases an adult, an 18 year old and a 12 year old!