It's out of this world!

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2009)

James Cameron's sci-fi epic finally arrives having gestated in the filmmakers mind for longer than a decade. Is his vision of the future just as fresh in 2009 or is should this avatar be terminated? There's one thing you have to give Cameron, he is like the postman...he delivers; granted sometimes he may be a little late but if there 's one filmmaker you can always rely on its Cameron. I haven't disliked a Cameron movie to date, in fact I've loved, almost, everything he's done; with the exception of course being Piranha II but let's not get into that. Avatar is a razor-sharp reminder of how epic film-making is done. Not since Return of The King has epic been done on a scale this big.
A paraplegic ex-marine finds a new life on the distant planet of Pandora, only to find himself battling humankind alongside the planet's indigenous Na'vi race in this ambitious digital 3-D sci-fi epic from Academy Award-winning Titanic director James Cameron.
The story ticks all the right boxes, at least for a Cameron film. It's got good guys with guns, bad guys with even bigger guns and appalling guys with even bigger guns. It's far from original and won't come up at this week's book club. This said it's very engaging and the people, and aliens, involved are interesting. The film goes to great length in order to develop its characters so we feel the hardship and pain when they fall in battle. The film does an excellent job of keeping a good pace. Its near impossible to get bored whilst watching the film and this may have been the quietest i have ever seen an audience. It's an engaging trek through uncharted lands that, while feeling very familiar, is a brand new assault on the senses.
James Cameron has spent a long time in incubation, flitting around on submarines, but if "Avatar is a reminder of anything it's a reminder that he's the best the industries got. His harsh, no-nonsense approach to film-making has landed him with one of the most polished pieces of art of the century and for that I take my hat off to you. This may be the most polished movie of the decade, sweeping, epic and ... dare I say flawless? Not quite. As far as the direction goes however, it's close enough and ranks, for me, as Cameron's second best film to date, behind "Aliens". IN the hands of any other director this could have gone terribly wrong; anybody other than Cameron may have played it safe delivering a spectacle, but an underwhelming one. Cameron pushes so many boundaries with one single film that it's hard not to stand up and cheer once the final credits roll. This film has pushed the limitation of the cinema medium and emerged as one of the finest film of the decade. And dare I say a classic? The acting is exceptional. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing Weaver and Cameron united for the first time since she stood toe to toe with the alien queen. She is astounding and gives an electrifying performance as Dr. Grace Augustine a woman split between two worlds. What's funny is the fact that she is not the strongest actor in the film. If anybody deserves a standing ovation is has to be Zoe Saldana who completely transforms into this other worldly thing. If you had gone into the movie not knowing that that was her you would never had guessed she was even human. She is unrecognisable and exhilarating as Neytiri who is, without a doubt, the standout role of the film. Other congratulations must be given to Sam Worthington who shows us that Terminator Salvation was not just beginners luck. Michelle Rodriguez gives a stellar turn as Trudy Chacon and ends up the way Rodriguez usually ends up. That however would be too much information.
Now for the pièce de résistance the reason you've already booked your ticket, the reason you're so sceptical, the reason the hype for this film is so large. The presentation. To call it out of this world would be an understatement. It's stunning. Sun all those pre conceived judgement and see for yourself. The sheer scope of the film is impeccable. This film will have you clambering through the jungle on horseback, soaring on the back of a banshee and just when you've taken in the sights and sounds Pandora has to offer you've bee blinded be the beautiful destruction on the final act. Any filmmaker that can make such destruction rather beautiful is a mastermind in my opinion.
Verdict: Avatar is far more than a movie, it's a cinematic experience. This is a visually assault on the senses and something that is destined to change cinema forever. It's utterly gorgeous; all backed up with scene stealing acting, fantastic direction and, wait for it, the mother of all battle scenes. Believe the hype; Cameron has delivered one of the best films of the decade and something that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. I'll be waiting in anticipation for the sequel; just don't be too long will you?