20th Century Fox | USA | 162 min
It’s an emotional experience to talk about something you have put so much and energy and anticipation into. Will it live up to the hype? Was all this effort justified? With Avatar, director James Cameron doesn’t give you a second to think about it. The walls of the theater, the red exit sign, the faint glow of the lights lining the stairs, and now the 3D glasses resting on your head all seemingly evaporate after one is ripped out of the seat into a world of wonder and adventure. This goal of complete escapism is familiar to Cameron as we went back in history with Titanic, explored the extraterrestrial with Aliens, and got a glimpse of futuristic war with The Terminator. As we venture into the extraordinary world of Pandora, Cameron’s goal is realized to the fullest, setting a new benchmark for the epic blockbuster.
Sam Worthington is Jake Sully, a ex-marine with legs that don’t work. Through his twin brother’s death he is given the opportunity to take over and be transported to the world of Pandora via an avatar. The humans he is working for want a special deposit that only Pandora can produce, so Jake must infiltrate the indigenous species known as the Na’vi in order to convince them to relocate. As the story proceeds one slowly comes to the realization that no new narrative ground will be covered and while the rabid early Avatar detractors will hold on to this negative aspect until their dying breath, the rest of us will experience an adventure that until today, could only be found in our dreams.
And what a dream it is. From the scratches on Quaritch’s A.M.P. suit to the flowing waterfall in the far background of a frame, one can easily imagine Cameron’s vision throughout every fiber of the film. This vision is one that can not be created from meticulous location scouting or extravagant set pieces. It is a world that does not exist. This sole reason is what makes Avatar so impressive. Every piece of this film is made from complete scratch. As we explore the bioluminescent forest at night or the traverse the edge of a tall cliff it would take dozens of viewings to fully comprehend all the tiny details painted on the screen.This attention to the minuscule is why other blockbusters, like this year’s Transformers 2 and G.I. Joe will be forgotten before Avatar leaves the theater. Cameron has created a visceral, memorable experience that is unmatched and unlike any adventure we’ve previously encountered.
The familiar lies with the narrative. There is no real twist, no big reveal, no complex story structure. And it’s quite refreshing. The entire runtime is filled with spectacle after spectacle resulting in an insanely enjoyable ride. It’s a culmination of many of our favorite stories in a world that we wish the previous efforts comprised. There is no getting past the dodgy dialogue early on when Neytiri, played through motion capture by Zoe Saldana, encounters Jake for the first time. Thankfully this problem is short-lived and the Cameron dialogue is in full force by the conclusion, displayed with fervor by Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). The narrative progression can also get clunky at times when we rip through a montage that encompasses three months and later in the film when the humans come to send a message…then return again to take what they desire. It just seems a tad too choppy and could have been cleaned up to accompany the rest of the smooth ride.
Many will ponder if Avatar did indeed live up to the hype and for me it did not, initially. Then as the hours went by I found myself remembering special moments and little details that cause a smile or make my day a little brighter. I sit here a full 8 days after seeing the film and I’m longing to return to Pandora, a place with environments so momentous and iconic they are impossible to purge from one’s mind. I’m confident Avatar is a film that will reward repeatedly on further viewings as audiences are consumed with the rich escape coupled with technology that will be used to make many classics. Avatar isn’t one of them, but it’s a colossal leap forward.
9 out of 10