James Cameron has risen from the ashes victoriously!

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2009)

After going off the face of the earth for over twelve years, James Cameron, one of the great directors of our time, has risen from the ashes victoriously.
The CGI is magnificent, and is no doubt the best I've ever seen since Peter Jackson blew the world's mind with his "Lord of the Rings Trilogy". The motion capture on the actors' bodies looks so real, that it took me to another dimension, almost another world. This grandeur was not only captured through the character animation, but also with the different CGI location shots of the different creatures, the forest, the trees, and the whole world he has created. This world reminded me very much of the 1992 release of "Ferngully", but in 3-D. Now regarding the plot, it is James Cameron simplicity-a paraplegic soldier (Sam Worthington) is given the opportunity to take in part of a mission on the planet Pandora. There, he learns that a greedy corporation intends to drive out the planet's inhabitants, the Na'vi, so to retrieve millions of dollars worth of minerals. In exchange for a spinal surgery that'll fix his legs, he gathers information for a military unit, led by a bloodthirsty Colonel (Stephen Lang) while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na'vi people with the use of an "avatar" identity. As time passes and tension increases between the Na'vi and the humans, he is drawn between his orders and what he desires.
The plot sounds simple enough, yet I can't help but notice all of the undertones that James Cameron throws into his film. Without giving too much more of the story away, it made me think of how the U.S. government bullies people into what they want, particularly with the Iraq War, which is a fight over oil, at the cost of innocent Iraqi lives. I don't know if this was Cameron's intent, but this movie gives a pale reflection of our modern government and big corporations.
It also reflects on our issue with planet life. Cameron paints the marines as bloodthirsty villains who lust for destruction, but the Na'vi on the other hand, are deep lovers of nature and peace. This reminds me very much of the cowboy and Indian scenario depicted graphically in films such as "Little Big Man" and "Dances with Wolves", the white man's inability to make peace with both nature and different races. The Na'vi themselves remind me much of the Native Americans, despite the fact they're blue with pointy ears, and with golden eyes.
Overall, there is much to look forward to in "Avatar", and not just in the visual effects department. The actors all did a great job but I don't expect any of them to be nominated for an Oscar. On a personal note though, Stephen Lang as the gung-ho Colonel and Sigourney Weaver as the peace loving Scientist gave the best performances, and not because both are at the opposite ends of the spectrum, but with the fact they immersed themselves deeply into their characters so magically.
And for a 162-minute film, it flies by. There's no way you can be bored with this movie. James Cameron has once again made another excellent film that I'll declare as 2009's best film, and I'm considering in adding "Avatar" on my personal favorite list of movies. This movie has everything, effects (both visually and emotionally), believable characters, an interesting plot, and a fast pace. And trust me, at the end of the movie, you'll be cheering for the Na'vi.