Powerful on Many Levels

Rating: 10/10 (12 January 2010)

My expectations going to see "Avatar" were low. I anticipated a special effects-driven, predictable action movie with little or no story. The visual effects are unquestionably impressive. The art design is beautiful, and the artistic concept for the terrain, flora and fauna of Pandora is consistent and appealing. The story is indeed predictable, at least superficially, sort of an extraterrestrial "Dances With Wolves" that may also serve as an allegory for the present-day US military and, especially, mercenary presence in the Middle East. But these things alone didn't make "Avatar" a box-office smash.
Director James Cameron utilizes long-time collaborator Sigourney Weaver to give the cast a credible, old-school science fiction foundation. As ever, Weaver delivers a solid and believable performance as Dr. Grace Augustine, the hardened and pragmatic chain-smoking scientist in charge of the Avatar project. The counterpoint to Weaver's Grace is relative newcomer Sam Worthington's Jake Sully. Worthington is recognizable to science fiction fans as the protagonist of the most recent Terminator movie. Jake Sully is a marine, the antithesis of a scientist.
With a damaged spine, Jake is confined to a wheelchair and can not afford corrective surgery. He agreed to come to Pandora with his twin brother, who was to participate in the Avatar project -- have his mind linked by machinery to a Pandora-indigenous humanoid body grown in a test tube and matched to his DNA. Jake's brother is killed before the film begins, and Jake agrees to takes his place (as they have identical DNA). Jake has really given up hope before the film begins. He can no longer be the only thing he has ever known or wanted to be: a marine.
Jake has, however, taken a step outside his cynicism and ennui by making the decision to take his brother's place -- he has agreed to enter into the unknown. This is the first step in what is to become the journey that defines him and is the real story in the film.
Humans are on Pandora to mine Unobtanium, a mineral concentrated underneath the home of the indigenous people, the Na'vi. The Avatar project was developed to allow humans to establish relationships with the Na'vi, breathing Pandoran air and looking like the Na'vi. It is hoped that the Na'vi will eventually agree to relocate in order to allow mining to begin. The corporate head of the mining project, portrayed effectively by Giovani Ribisi, is reminiscent of Paul Reiser's Carter Burke in Cameron's 1986 "Aliens" -- a wimpy minor bureaucrat bent on personal gain. He is assisted by the unscrupulous ex-Marine mercenary Colonel Miles Quaritch, given life by Stephen Lang.
Jake becomes involved with Na'vi native Neytiri, wonderfully voiced by Zoe Saldana, whose work in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films and "Star Trek" (2009) have already made her a familiar and respected actor. Neytiri is charged with teaching Jake the ways of the Na'vi, and Jake inevitably becomes enthralled with both Neytiri and the ways of the Na'vi, as he begins to understand the spiritual connection the Na'vi have with Pandora. This leads to war between the humans and the Na'vi, with Jake caught in the middle, ultimately choosing the Na'vi side.
I had fully expected all of this going into the theater. What I had not expected was finding my heart in my throat more than once, and feeling exhilarated most of the film's very quick 162 minutes. I was more than entertained by "Avatar." I was moved.
Cameron masterfully uses stunning visual effects and incredible music as devices to achieve this effect on the viewer, but by themselves, these ingredients (although perhaps necessary) are not sufficient. What moved me was the transformation of Jake Sully.
Jake's decision to go Pandora is his first step toward becoming something more than he was (his openness to possibility is a step toward hope). He embraces the Na'vi training and is determined to prove himself -- another step (courage, determination, and willingness to become part of something larger than himself, which is a definition of spirituality). He admits his complicity in the plot against the Na'vi -- a third step (integrity). He realizes that he must do something extraordinary to win back the trust of the Na'vi -- riding the terrifying great dragon -- and this is a crucial step (not only bravery, but insight, which is translated into action, and faith). Ultimately, Jake is literally transformed, permanently departing his human body to become Na'vi. He becomes physically and spiritually integrated with the life force of Pandora.
Jake's transformation is assisted and encouraged by Neytiri. After Jake regains the trust of the Na'vi, Neytiri acknowledges this by saying "I see you." Significantly, she repeats this later in the film, looking into Jake's human eyes. For the Na'vi, "I see you" means "I acknowledge your existence." The real meaning for Jake is that Neytiri sees him for who he really is, and more importantly, who he can become. It is no coincidence that the song at the end of the film is called "I See You."
The transformation illustrated so literally in "Avatar" is what each of us seeks in life -- a hopeful journey forward, through which we become more than what we were. The journey can be exciting, terrifying, and at times, can challenge us to go beyond what we believed we were capable of doing. Cameron's real achievement in "Avatar" is communicating that message without letting the audience know that he is doing it.
Especially at this time in history, with the economy depressed, world politics ominous and uncertain, and opportunities for the young seemingly absent, "Avatar" delivers a message of encouragement and hope in a medium familiar and acceptable to young adults. For this, Cameron deserves more than an Academy Award. He deserves the Nobel Prize.