Avatar in Review

Written By: mike on August 26, 2010 No Comment

Who says nobody makes good original movies anymore? With this year’s selection of sequels, pre-quels and regurgitated action flicks, along comes James Cameron’s “Avatar”, a special effects epic that contains all the ingredients for this season’s blockbuster hit. Misunderstood hero – check. Terrifying villains in a futuristic setting – check. Ill-fated love affair and warring civilizations – check. There are even cute fuzzy creatures, pet dragons, and to top it off: it all takes place in a dream. Even though the film is somewhat predictable, Avatar succeeds in pushing our buttons and pulling our heartstrings — delivering action, suspense and tears, all wrapped up in a three-dimensional, computer generated manifesto. While the special effects dazzle us and dominate the film, Cameron has earned his right to show off. The scenes are just as visually miraculous as we’ve come to expect.

Our protagonist is paraplegic Jake, played competently by the Australian actor Sam Worthington. Jake is an embittered and wheelchair-bound veteran who is intent on exacting revenge for the death of his slain brother. The opening sequence finds him awakening in the future from what we presume to be a deep, long “sleep”. Finding himself face to face with a grizzly Marine colonel, played to exaggeration by the talented Stephen Lang, Jake is given his mission: via a teleporting, mind-driven “dream machine,” inhabit a magical, dream-world reality in order to convince the blue natives living there (the Na’vi) to surrender their mystical land. This will allow the bad guys access to a priceless gem hidden beneath the Na’vis revered “Tree of Life.” With a promise from the Colonel to give him prosthetic legs should he succeed, Jake enters the dream world full of purpose and with nothing to lose. He’s hell-bent to get that land. But once he lands in this Eden, Jake finds himself chased by snapping monsters, and he’s soon at the mercy of the beautiful headstrong Neytiri, played by Star Trek’s Zoe Zaldana. Just as expected, Jake and Neytiri fall in love. We are treated to a Disney-esque romantic montage, complete with swelling music and beautiful scenery as the two lovers ride off into the sunset on magic dragon creatures. And just as predictably, the love affair is challenged by the backdrop of war. While futuristic Hum-vees bulldoze through the magical utopia, the Tree of Life is dismembered, and all the creatures begin to wither and die correspondingly, their life force extinguished. Even Neytiri temporarily dies. The action scenes are familiar, and at once the film becomes “Braveheart” meets “Terminator” meets “E.T”. We guess the ending, yes, and even predict the obstacles along the way, but the wild ride is fun enough to overlook these plot mechanics. Sigourney Weaver is at her best as the scientific mastermind behind it all. And if scenes of floating pod people in spaceships seem ridiculous, we accept it anyway. With all its sci-fi gadgetry, car chases and requisite explosions, “Avatar” entertains and humors us, delivering a good three hours worth of old-fashioned, predictable fun.