Film Review : Avatar

To describe this movie as long awaited would be rather understating the point. James Cameron's first movie since the award sweeping Titanic is keenly anticipated on two levels. Firstly, it's twelve years since Titanic broke box-office records so this counts as a follow up. Secondly, we've been promised a ground-breaking experience with the technological advances that Cameron has been championing suggesting that this movie is ready to push the boundaries of movie making so much that things will never be the same again.

As for the latter claim, I'm not sure that's necessarily going to be the case but it is undoubtedly a marvellous experience and one that should be enjoyed in 3D. Cameron has undoubtedly managed to create a world which is entirely believable and where the boundaries between reality and computer generated animation are just about entirely removed.

This is not to say that the CGI creatures are what you would describe as "photo-realistic" (which always appears to be the aim of those working in this medium) - they're not really. But they do appear to be alive, and you have no difficulty in accepting this from very early in the movie.

What probably shows the technological advances is the depth and realism of the jungle surroundings of much of the film, including some stunning deep shots (e.g. looking over the edge of a mountain). Some of this has been done in other films but not with the sheer amount of details that you see on Avatar.

So the technology is a resounding success - what about the story? The tale is a fairly typical sci-fi tale of the human race looking to colonise for their own ends without consideration for those who have lived for years on the planet, or the traditions that they have lived under for centuries. Sam Worthington plays the role of the spy who turns, and eventually defends what he was sent to undermine.

All in all, the tale is well told but does suffer from too clearly obvious and perhaps cliched characters where it's pretty clear who's on what side of the baddy/goody line. In other words, pretty much like most James Cameron movies!

Notwithstanding that it does make for a thoroughly entertaining and engrossing movie, with the spectacle leading the way over the script. Indeed, I'm not sure if you would enjoy the movie in 2D format as much as would undoubtedly be the case for its' 3D compatriot.