Rated PG13
Directed by James Cameron
Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Zaldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez
Heidi’s Illustrious Rating: Graphics 4.5/5, Storyline 2.5/5
Word of Warning: At nearly 3 hours, it’s a good idea to visit the restroom before settling in for a viewing of “Avatar.”
My husband has been excitedly awaiting this film, so we tried to see it during opening week, but the theater was too packed. We finally saw it last week, but what can I write about “Avatar” that hasn’t already been written?
After standing in a 30-minute line, we donned our sexy 3D glasses, only to discover they were filthy. These new, technologically advanced 3D shades are reused by the theater and are suppose to be washed between shows. We tried wiping our glasses clean on our shirts and then settled in for the ride.
And “Avatar” is a ride. The audience is transported to a world 150 years in the future. Having all the destroyed their own planet, mankind is in deep space looking for resources; resources they will do anything to obtain. Anything.
The humans have discovered the planet Pandora. While I thought the world resembled an LSD trip, my husband compared it to a Vegas show. The world is home to a species that has a special connection with their planet. In fact they can literally hook into the world around them by using a special organ inside their hair. I know this sounds weird, and it is. These people, called the Na’vi, culturally resemble Native Americans and look like the cast of Cats.
Because Pandora is toxic to human beings, the humans have created avatars that look like Na’vi. The avatars are consciously connected to their human “drivers.” Allowing the humans to infiltrate the Na’vi tribe.
Of course, Pandora, complete with fierce creatures and glowing plants, has a valuable resource the humans want and need. To keep things simple let’s call this resource “oil.” The “oil” just so happens to be located directly under one of the Na’vi’s largest and most holy of settlements. Once the humans realize they will be unable to convince the Na’vi to move their settlement, the humans go to Plan B.
We get it Hollywood – we humans are bad – really, really bad. This theme is continually shoved down the viewer’s throat throughout this movie. If you can get past the blatant bashing of human being as a species, the special effects in “Avatar” are worth the extra money to see it.
While the storyline is uninspired and predictable, the graphics are super duper cool. Years from now, we will look back at “Avatar” the way we look back at the original “Star Wars.” It will look dated and we will laugh. But today the world sits in awe of what computer geeks are now able to produce and bring to life on a theater screen. Now if only Hollywood could have hired some good writers to work on “Avatar.” I guess it’s too much to ask for, this time around.
Note: I was worried about motion sickness, a side effect I’ve experience in both “Beowulf” and “Caroline” in 3D, but thankfully, I didn’t experience any at this movie. I think the more advanced wrap-around 3D glasses helped with this problem.
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Omg, I loved this movie, and I loved the story. Has this story been told before? Sure, but there are really only four stories ever told and every story is just a retelling and re-imagining of those core stories. And I’ll give you that maybe it’s a little message heavy; however, many of the characters find their uniqueness within their stereotypes and so make the story credible. There’s the female airline pilot who is a bad ass and yet won’t destroy the tree. The military and corporate leaders are a little too one dimensional, and make it so easy to focus on humans as the bad guys. However, as all good science fiction does, it’s allegorical of our current culture. And in our human pursuit of all of our cultural and individual unobtainiums, we’ve lost our connection to the world. And it takes one of our own to fight for that. I think I could submit this response for a high school English report 😉
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I agree with your comments Heidi- LOVED the graphics and immersive feeling as you watched (thank goodness we had no line and CLEAN glasses or I would have been grossed out the whole time). As a big immersive environment proponent -using Second Life and Reaction Grid for corporate and business learning events, I loved the connection that the humans had with their avatars. It is very similar with a virtual world avatar- it doesn’t take long before you have a strong sense of presence with your avie. You get creeped out if a stranger gets too close to your avatar and you speak in terms of really being “in world.” Perhaps I should have eaten more popcorn and just enjoyed the movie for a movies sake! 🙂
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I agree this movie is a TAD heavyhanded when it comes to the environmental issues, but I have to be honest – I thought it worked. I think most people think we are “fine” when it comes to our environment and this is just the vehicle to tell them “no, we’re NOT fine!” The CGI was fantastic, the story was fantastic and the actors were wonderful. I saw this with my hubby the first time, then promptly took my kiddos the next day. My 17 year old son said this might be the best movie he has ever seen. That surprised me! The length didn’t bother us – nothing about this movie bothered us. I’m looking forward to seeing Sam Worthington in other movies – he’s good. Thanks.
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i am SO sick and tired of hearing how lame and predictable the storyline of Avatar is.
for the record — i found it redemptive. Yes, REDEMPTIVE.
and yes, i cried a couple of different times as i watched it.
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Avatar was easily the best movie since Star Wars.
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Loved the FX. The story was literally – Dances With Wolves … in Space. Beyond predictable. I was entertained… but maily because I didn’t have to focus on the story so much and was left to be able to eyeball the FX.