Very Entertaining- Well worth the money

Rating: 10/10 (24 December 2009)

Avatar is truly a one of a kind movie, one that everyone should see. If you have an IMAX 3D theater near you, see it in 3D. The effects are astounding. You are really able to enjoy James Cameron's vision. After the movie I almost felt like I had visited an alien planet and returned back from it. Incredible visuals. The Na'vi people are beautiful and fascinating. They have amazingly expressive faces and eyes.
I think that the best thing about this movie is that it forces us to look at ourselves as a race. What kinds of behaviors and personalities do we reward and condone. A lot of people are saying that the characters are very simple and archetypal. We have the hardened war colonel, the greedy corporate suit, the anti-military scientist, etc. In my opinion the characters are made this way for a reason. Every character is the prototype of what is expected of them. In the US and many other countries on Earth we consider the perfect military colonel as being loyal without limits, able to shut off their feeling and emotions and get the job done. Basically to have no real sense of morality besides that of getting their country what they need and want. Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is everything a person would be if he were able to fully become our societal archetype of a perfect military commander. Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) is everything that makes up the successful businessman prototype, greedy without thought to anything else. Totally goal oriented. These two have become exactly what their society wanted them to be, and when they did they became monsters.
One the other hand we have Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) and co. Scientists who sympathize with the Na'vi and are against use of military action on Pandora and towards the Na'vi. However they are unable to really do anything useful to help the natives, especially since their whole operation is funded by Selfridge and whatever corporation he works for. Their promises and actions ring hollow.
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is the blank slate of the movie, he is like a child. He gets to see the extremes that have become of the humans and offset that with the way the Na'vi are. Under the guidance of Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) he learns the ways of the native people of Pandora. The Na'vi kill and fight, yet they do so only for a purpose and usually with sadness. They have warriors and spiritual leaders and look at their environment and nature as their mother and constant companion. They are in touch with everything around them to an unthinkable degree. This movie is really all about him choosing which way of life he thinks is worth fighting for. And of course the fight that comes after that decision.
This is one of those movies that comes along once in while. It's unforgettable and though the dialog might need a little work, Avatar delivers solid entertainment. Well worth the money to see it in a theater.