I went to see Avatar as a way of making my Sunday evening less boring- I can honestly say the £300 million budget was well spent! I take my hat off to James Cameron, in my opinion Avatar was one of the best films I've seen (it was a close second after the Lord of the Rings Trilogy). I saw it in 3D but felt that for that real "jump out of the screen" effect it really needs to be seen on the IMAX instead. I think that might actually be the only bad point I'd have to make because for nearly three hours I was completely engrossed in the story! Tell me if this is a bit sad, but I actually felt a bit miserable when the film ended and I was brought back to the real world with a bump. Actually, thats a sign of a story that completely draws the viewer or reader in, comparable to the likes of the Harry Potter series.
Avatar is based around the planet Pandora, which is beautiful but deadly as the poisonous gases in the air can kill a human in under five minutes. Pandora is inhabited by the native Na'vi, a race of blue humanoids whose deity is known as Eywa or the "Tree of Souls". There are also a diverse variety of animals (mostly dangerous!) and plants that look like all of the weirdest things you could find in the Amazon Rainforest all put together. I found myself wishing I was on Pandora, with its floating mountains held by vines, seeds that look like jellyfish and plants that illuminate by night.
The plot revolves around our greed for the precious minerals that can only be found on Pandora and the mysterious power that Eywa has throughout its forests. We first come across ex-marine Jake Sully as he arrives on Pandora to assist a team of scientists in infiltrating the Na'vi. Their home just happens to be on top of the biggest mine on Pandora. They're not too happy about moving just because a bunch of people from a different planet want to lay their hands on a mineral that is completely useless to them. The scenes where the army just bulldoze and blow up the Na'vi's home to get to the mine reminded me very forcibly of similarities in our own history.
As story unfolds, Jake visits the Na'vi through an avatar body linked to his mind, quickly becoming absorbed by their way of life. After falling in love with the beautiful Neytiri and spending time learning the traditions of the Na'vi, they accept Jake as one of their own. By this time Jake has completely forgone his mission to persuade the Na'vi to move. This incurrs the anger of Col.Miles Quaritch, who decides to blow up the Tree of Souls. Not one minute is wasted and the action is a thrill ride as the Na'vi get together an army to stop their deity being destroyed forever. The ending is truly spectacular as the whole of Pandora fights back, with some brilliant performances from well known actors. Personally, I most enjoyed the final scene where Jake is made into a true Na'vi, allowing him to be with Neytiri and stay on Pandora.
All in all, I'm sure people will pick holes in the plot and wave it off as nothing more than a love story, but it's been a long time since I've seen a film as entertaining and engrossing as Avatar. There's something for everyone in Avatar- sci-fi, romance, action and stunning special effects. Note to self: buy on DVD
