Avatar Review

Rating: 10/10 (1 October 2015)

James Cameron's movie Avatar, which took more than a decade to make, creates a movie that delivers such amazing CGI(Computer-Generated Imagery) and special effects like never seen before. The visual details are so well made that even just looking at the screen without knowing the plot, is a treat to the eyes.
The story is set in the year 2154 on a planet called Pandora that is rich with minerals and valuable elements. A private corporation is set to invade this world and try to conquer it, removing the Na'vis from their homeland. I found this to be a good representation of current day political issues, and I think that James Cameron had that in mind as well. The private corporation had big machinery and advanced weaponry, while the Na'vis had to undertake the challenge of fighting them with just bows and arrows. Pandora is home of the Na'vi, an 11 foot tall species with blue skin. The Na'vis have a special connection with their home, one that Grace(Sigourney Weaver)the head scientist, describes as a neurological one. The humans have created their own Na'vis to try and adapt with the culture and ultimately try to persuade them to move to another place without violence.
This is where Jake Sully(Sam Worthington) comes in. After his identical twin brother dies he gets recruited. Because they have identical genes he can connect to his brother's avatar without making a new one; which would be very expensive. This part especially is liberating to Jake since he is a paraplegic, and the avatar gives him the ability to walk.
Not only was the CGI and effects spectacular, the story plot was just as good. An example of that is how the characters progress emotionally. The first clip in the movie shows Jake Sully as a somewhat low life guy who picks fights in bars. Jake slowly starts changing his attitude as soon as he knows that his brother died and more importantly after he is introduced to the world of Pandora. We see that he has become more humane and emotionally connected, and less of a military type of rigid person. Of course, we don't see that immediately but rather throughout the movie.
Cameron did an awesome job making the avatars look like the actual actors, having I think, a very unique touch of details to them, and their own way of conveying emotions that I have never seen using CGI. James Cameron's Avatar changed the whole game of special effects and CGI and probably set a new precedent that other film makers are going to try and achieve.
My favorite scene in the movie is the final battle. I absolutely love that scene. The combination of dragon-like creatures and Direhorses with Na'vi's riding both while battling flying machinery and robots, all give it a sense of out-most epic-ness. James Cameron has definitely set the bar for fictional movies and without a doubt other filmmakers are going to follow his footsteps one way or another. So whether you are a Star Wars fan or a Lord of the Rings fan, or just somebody who appreciates a good solid story line with amazing CGI, this is the movie for you.