Avatar

India

(Excellent)

If we say James Cameron is a genius, then we are just reiterating a cliché! After films like Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens, Abyss and Titanic, he has proved that he’s indeed the King of the World. But Cameron had even bigger plans after Titanic. After 12 years of Titanic’s release, he’s back with another epic film, ‘Avatar ... Read more   If we say James Cameron is a genius, then we are just reiterating a cliché! After films like Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens, Abyss and Titanic, he has proved that he’s indeed the King of the World. But Cameron had even bigger plans after Titanic. After 12 years of Titanic’s release, he’s back with another epic film, ‘Avatar’ and this time he proves that he’s more than just the King of Cinema. He’s now the God of Cinema, a God who created a whole new planet inhabited by 10 feet tall giants, hanging mountains, dragon like birds among many other visually stunning flora and fauna.

What is it about : The story unfolds on a planet named ‘Pandora’ in the year 2154. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a former US marine is sent to Pandora on a special mission after his twin brother’s death. A military unit from Earth has set up a base in Pandora for the sole purpose of obtaining a rare mineral called ‘Unobtanium’, but there’s a catch. Pandora is inhabited by indigenous alien race called Na’vi and they don’t want to negotiate with these Sky People from Earth. In turn, the military creates ‘Avatars’ who are essentially Human-Na’vi hybrids to mingle with Na’vis. What happens when an ‘Avatar’ turns against the Humans forms the rest of this ‘Once in a life time experience’.

How Good is it :

32 years ago, George Lucas gave the world, ‘Star Wars’ which turned out to be a worldwide phenomenon and it took more than 20 years for someone who could deliver something equal to ‘Star Wars’ in terms of a visual experience. It was Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of The Rings’ which set a new standard in using visual effects in Cinema. However, James Cameron not only rises above the standards set by his predecessors but also leaves an indelible impression, far better than anyone ever could. This feat can only be surpassed by James Cameron himself or maybe his ‘Avatar’!

‘Avatar’ splendor lies in the fact that, despite all the Computer generated imagery, it looks so real that you begin to wonder if ‘Pandora’ really exists! Each frame of the film is so meticulously designed and brought to life that it’s impossible to point out even a single object and claim that it looks artificial. Off late, too many film makers have used visual effects and CGI to an extent that it’s almost suffocating. But Cameron and his team put in their heart and soul to change this trend and change it for good! Each blade of grass, every plant and animal in the forest is so splendidly designed that it leaves you breathless and dazed. No wonder the film took more than 4 years of production, more than $300 million budget and another $200 million for the advertising. If ‘Avatar’ is the kind of film, which is possible with a $500 million budget, then imagine what’s possible with a $1 billion budget with James Cameron at the helm of affairs? He might just put even God to shame, let alone all his contemporaries across the world.

The film also has a political undercurrent and it reminds you of the US invasion on Iraq, Afghanistan, ravaging the indigenous tribes and burning down of our rainforests. The theme of ‘Avatar’ has been used plenty of times before. It’s quintessentially an underdog story, almost a David vs Goliath adventure, where the underdog with a golden heart goes on to lead a group to trounce a stronger side. Even the dialogues in the film are simple. Probably it was a conscious decision of Cameron to narrate a theme like this. He does something better than that; sometimes the art of Cinema is more about expressing through moving images rather than dialogues. In that sense, ‘Avatar’ has just dethroned the likes of ‘Star Wars’, ‘Star Trek’, ‘LOTR’ ever made in the history of Cinema. ‘Avatar’ also scores remarkably well in depicting the aliens, the Na’vi. Their bare blue bodies, broad noses, wide eyes, long tails and a gigantic height make them quite unique. So unique that you begin to like them during the 2 hour 45 minute duration of the film and in the end cheer for them to win an epic battle.

Bottom Line : It’s difficult to judge how good a film ‘Avatar’ is because it’s the first of its kind. To call it a masterpiece is blasphemy, there has to be a far better word to describe the ‘Avatar’ experience. It’s the kind of film which makes you wonder how far human imagination can reach. ‘Avatar’, irrespective of the language you watch the film in, reinforces the fact that great cinema transcends all boundaries of geography, language, culture. It wouldn’t be too long for you to find out that every coffee table discussion revolves around ‘Avatar’. James Cameron has not only delivered what he promised but also ensures that your jaw drops by the end of the film. It’s overwhelming, splendid, stunning, beautiful and a once in a life time experience all at the same time. ‘Avatar’ is where virtual reality and pure magic collude to open the gates of Paradise. This time, Paradise has a name – Pandora. And it’s ruled by a God named James Cameron and he commands an army of wizards who redefine ‘awesomeness’! Watch the 3D version in the best theatre near your town/city and if you get a chance to watch the IMAX 3D version of ‘Avatar’ then it’s almost equal to paying for a ticket to visit the actual Garden of Eden. This ‘Pandorian’ experience will probably be the best journey you have ever taken.

P.S : ‘Avatar’ could have been a perfect film, if only the story was more imaginative instead of this highly predictable version.

India

(Good)

Early on in Avatar, the hero Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, flies into the floating mountains on the moon Pandora. These are gigantic mountains that hover in a fog. Jake's eyes and mouth open wide in amazement and the plane's pilot says, "You should all see your faces".

As you experience James Cameron's photo-realistic, 3D eco-fable Avat ... Read more   Early on in Avatar, the hero Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, flies into the floating mountains on the moon Pandora. These are gigantic mountains that hover in a fog. Jake's eyes and mouth open wide in amazement and the plane's pilot says, "You should all see your faces".

As you experience James Cameron's photo-realistic, 3D eco-fable Avatar, your expression is likely to be the same.

Avatar, a film almost entirely created with special effects, is visually overwhelming. Cameron has created a new world with natives, animals, plant life and even a new language. Pandora and its people - the Na'vi - are perfectly rendered in minute detail. I only wish the story had as much texture.

Avatar is set in 2154. Humans have plundered the earth and are now trying to get a mineral called Unobtanium from Pandora. Pandora is inhabited by 12-foot tall, golden-eyed, gazelle-like blue people who live in perfect harmony with nature.

They understand that all living things constitute a cosmic balance that must not be disturbed. The Navi sleep in cocoons in a giant tree and even when they kill, they thank the animal for what it has given them.

Humans cannot breathe on Pandora and instead use avatars, which are Na'avi look-alikes that are controlled by humans from the space craft. Some humans such as Dr Grace, played by Sigourney Weaver, advocate diplomacy and understanding. But the more brutal factions of this quasi military operation have the upper hand.

So eventually, the head of security, Colonel Miles Quaritch, played by Stephen Lang, and his minions, come in with guns, explosives and assorted weapons of mass destruction to wipe out the natives.

But Sulley, a crippled ex-marine, who has signed on the program only because his avatar allows him to walk again, goes rogue. He falls in love with the brave princess Neytiri, played by Zoe Saldana, and helps the Na'vi win a devastating battle against the avaricious humans.

Cameron's ambition, imagination and drive have created a jaw-dropping visual spectacle. There are moments of exquisite beauty in the film - at one point, these luminous, floating jelly fish like creatures, which symbolize good, descend on Sully's body.

The climactic battle between humans in spacecraft and the Na'vi riding dragon-like creatures is exhilarating. And the bombing of the Na'vi hometree has immense power.

The shock and awe of these visuals however, can't compensate for the hackneyed and predictable story. Allusions to the American invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan are fairly obvious here but the political sub-text does little to shore up the limp script.

I've read that every single frame of effects took thirty hours to compute but obviously the writing didn't get the same love and attention.

In terms of plot, there are few surprises here. It's your standard issue love story set against war. The characters have little depth. In fact, the Colonel is so comic-book that he seems to have been patched in from the GI Joe movie.

Avatar is a triumph of technology but it doesn't transport you or engage you emotionally. It is an event movie that fails to sear your soul.

Still I recommend that you see Avatar. It is a testament to one man's courage and vision. Just don't - please forgive the bad pun - have titanic expectations.