If you're going to watch the film, watch it on IMAX 3D

Rating: 8/10 (24 July 2010)

By mindself
Last night was my first time.
I sat in row K and seat 33. The screen's about 5 times larger than the average movie theater and by the look of the the sound system, the quality will be clear. You can feel the anticipation as people waited patiently for the movie to start. The 3D glasses I wore fitted perfectly and didn't feel uncomfortable at all, it's like the glasses were never on. I looked below me to see the crowd gathering and the seats filling up. This was the first time I watched a film in IMAX, and in 3D for that matter. The tickets were a tad expensive, but I wasn't worried about that. I was worried whether or not the film will fulfill my expectations and hopefully not be a dud, but we are talking about James Cameron here.
As I sat in my seat, I was thinking that I haven't seen one film in the theaters that James Cameron has made. I was far too young for The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens, or True Lies and I didn't get to experience the Titanic hysteria, because at the time I wasn't interested. Nonetheless, I did watch all his films on VHS and on DVD.
I remember earlier this year people of the entertainment community were claiming that Avatar was going to be the "game changer" in film technology, especially the science fiction genre. Whether that's motion capture, CGI, or how we view and listen to the film, everyone in Hollywood was buzzing about the next epic film by James Cameron.
I must say, this is a game changer.
James Cameron's keen eye is very refreshing and honest. His ability to tell a story that's very familiarize and not quite original is overlooked by how each shot is full of detail and full of labor. A labor of love. Like Speed Racer, the film's heavily relied on technique and the use of movie magic. The 3D isn't gimmicky but another depth in the film. It's as if the people or the environment are right in front of you. Especially when you're in the jungle of Pandora and when the plants and trees illuminate, it looks real.
The story itself is generic. It's how James Cameron execute the film that makes it unique. The story's similar to Dances with Wolves, The Last Samurai, or even FernGully: The Last Rainforest. It's ultimately about how a person's perspective change over time about the indigenous beings and their environment. To learn about them, they must be them. Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, is a Marine who is paralyze from the waste down and is brought to the Avatar Program because his twin brother, Thomas, died. They needed a genetic match for his brother's avatar so they asked Jake to take his brother's place and continue their research. The avatars look like the indigenous beings, who are called Na'vi. In time, Jake will befriend the Na'vi, respect their beliefs and learn from their life style. The antagonist are the human beings. The very reason why humans invaded Pandora because of a precious mineral called unobtainium. Unobtainium is the "McGuffin" in the film, meaning it has no purpose in the plot and it's just a decoy. Once you know that, you really don't care of it's use. Surprisingly though, the story has depth and a few spiritual themes about how we are one with nature and how we must respect our environment. Don't want to give too much away, but let's just say there's an epic battle between the Na'vis and humans at the end of the film.
As for the acting. It's top notch. James Cameron cast a familiar face and a couple of new ones. Sigourney Weaver, who was in Cameron's earlier films, was excellent and brought her A game. Zoë Saldaña's great as a Na'vi, even if you didn't see her as herself, she gave an impressive performance. Sam Worthington also gave an impressive performance as a human and Na'vi. Everything I've seen with him so far has been great. The minor characters played by Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, and Joel David Moore, were also good in their roles. I thought the most outstanding performance in Avatar is by the main antagonist, Colonel Miles Quaritch played by Stephen Lang. Although we needed to hate him, he was too badass to hate.
The music's O.K. it's not inspiring, but it does move the film swiftly. I'll say there were 2-3 scenes where the music was benefiting . Other than that, it's forgettable.
Don't have to mention the CGI because it's absolutely remarkable. You can't distinguish what's real and what's CGI in majority of the film. Especially the scenes when the humans interact with the Na'vis.
Overall, If you're going to watch the film, watch it on IMAX 3D. Unless you can't afford to, watch it on 3D. The visuals are stunning, the acting is fantastic, the story is predictable but it's also fun. Watch the film solely for the experience. It has everything that anyone can enjoy. James Cameron is one of the few film makers who takes his time to develop a thoughtful and one of a kind film. Like I said, last night was my first time but I hope it's not my last. Here's hoping that film makers can learn a few things from Cameron.