Avatar

At first, one would surmise that the film is quite creative. Filled with amazing stunts, visual splurges, and all within a long though captivating storyline. Many left the movie theaters, eyes wide and hands flying as they discussed their favored moments. Even I did so, gathering with my friends and joined in the conversation without any hesitance.
Despite the slow beginning, everything picked up and just took off once Jake Sully (Worthington) begins to throws himself into that which he had been sent to do. The apathetic and complex role of the lead was well portrayed, though a bit awkward at times. The attraction Jake feels for the Navis in a way many find ridiculous. The balance Neytiri (Saldana) teaches to Jake becomes the catalyst to who he becomes, which guide his actions as the story continues. With a low key cast and several enticing visual components, Cameron blows away all expectations and thrills movie-watchers to the core.

In a filmmaker's point of view, one would allow the film to be expressed as quite seductive. The futuristic components mixed with the "reality" of war creates a mood that is different to that which has been set in prior movies such as, "The Lord Of The Rings" and "Star Wars".

The movie begins with very still shots, careful angles, and steady pans which allows the viewer to take in as much as possible before the action ensues. One of my favorite parts is seeing from Jake's point of view. The blurred vision helps connect the viewers to his 'experience'. The jump cuts, cut aways, and hand-held effects help create the playful and intense feelings.

There are times, during the fighting, when I'm not sure which side I'm on, but the camera always re-establishes the point of view and allows the audience to adjust with longer shots and gentler angles. One key example is when Neytiri watches the war happen around her after falling to the ground. With the eyes of a native, having been brought into their culture as Jake had been, the fire and guns seem barbaric and unjust. Again, the emotions in this movie are very strong, and the angles and shots help portray it all.

From a writer's standpoint, the film was fantastical. To be able to describe a world with Pandora's beauty, creatures, and natives is something many have successfully done in the past, but to have created it 12 years ago is just brilliance in waiting.

The scenery, down to the last flower petal and seeds from Eywa; everything is so beautiful. Unlike the world we live in today, Pandora is a land of jungles, clear waters, blue skies, and adventure waiting around every corner. Every writer has a fantastical scenery in their mind, and this one is only one of thousands like it. From first glance to last, the jungle was a terrifying beauty, and a protector of the Navis.

The romance added in was to be expected, but there were so many different levels to it due to the fact that Jake is still a human and learning about the Navi through an avatar. First was the romance between Dr. Grace Augustine (Weaver) and Norm Spellman (Moore) with the jungles they were exploring and the work they were doing. And then there were the loves each of the characters had for their jobs and what they saw as right. All of those distractions aside, there was the main romance, of Jake and Neytiri; the human in an avatar and the clan's princess who would, one day, become the spiritual leader of her people.

This film was filled with many parallels on each side. One of the strongest was Tsu'tey (Alonso) and General Miles Quaritch (Lang). Both were the leaders of the fighting arena in their organizations and disagreed with Jake's involvement with the Navi. When Quaritch hoped to gain more intel and encouraged Jake's involvement with the Navi, Tsu'tey tried to shoo him away, angry that he wasn't killed in all his time with the Navi. Another, though a bit harder to realize, was between Grace and Moat (Pounder) who both wanting for the best of their races, not wanting war and hoping for the best. It was as though both were very connected to Eywa, which empowered their existence amongst the people.

This film, also, was a very 'green' film. Pushing from the idea of "schooling" the natives so as to be able to control them, as the Europeans did the Native Americans so long ago, the Navi presented an fantastical alternative solution to what might have happened if the Native Americans banned together against the oppressing Europeans.

In every historical fiction writer's mind, the idea had always been presented once or twice, but never acted upon. But with this film, the results were against the greedy humans seeking the priceless rock with guns and machines in their power. Everything was in favor of Eywa and the Navis who believed in keeping the balance of the world they lived in. They saw killing as excessive and wrong, and only to tame or use as much as they needed. They were a people who knew how to coexist with nature.

All in all, I would rate a gleaming 4.5 out of 5 stars to 'Avatar'. The direction as wonderfully executed, the written was a bit lame and cliche, but the language of the Navis, unlike the Elven tongues of past movies, was enjoyable and used many of the accents humans use in speech, which made it enjoyable. The editing deserves an academy award, and the viewers ought to understand just how high this film sets the bar for those to come.

In my effort not to add spoilers, I was unable to put in a great many thoughts and comments. So please, if you have any comments or want to discuss the movie and its attributes, please leave your email address and I'll respond most readily for anything you wish to throw at me.