Cameron's latest is unbelievable

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2009)

Some directors go 'further'; some push the boundaries of controversial subject matter, some strive for a new means of expression, some are desperate to make ground-breaking content and others will do anything to be original and unique. Whatever these directors try for, they all dip their toes in the deep end of the unknown pool, and James Cameron is no stranger to these foreign waters.
Cameron's filmography is far from a sad story; he is responsible for some of the most technologically advanced and brilliantly original cinema Hollywood has ever seen. From 'The Terminator' (1984) to 'Aliens' (1986), from 'The Abyss' (1989) to 'Titanic' (1997), he has always strived for more than the average Hollywood mega-director, and his latest picture, 'Avatar', looks set to follow in that same path. The film has already been said to be the most expensive film ever made, costing a whopping $237 million, it boasts the latest gadgets and technology, using High Definition cameras and ultra-sleek CGI, and it's been labelled by many as "the future of cinema". So, bearing all of these points in mind, Cameron has got a lot to deliver to a very hungry holiday audience, much like he did with 'Titanic'. He succeeded in '97, but will he strike gold again in '09?
The film follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington); a paraplegic ex-marine who's been asked to take over the role of his late brother in an 'avatar' experiment. This means that his DNA is genetically developed with another being, to form a second life. He's sent undercover to Pandora; a beautiful moon soaked with luscious foliage and filled with mesmerising creatures. His boss, Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) has set him a mission; he must bond with the natives of the planet; the Na'vi. Once he has bonded with them and gained their trust, Sully must obtain a mineral that lives on their planet. This mineral sells for millions of dollars in the United States. But when Sully meets Neytiri (Zoe Saldana); a native of the planet that blossoms with beauty, courage and ruthlessness, he becomes attached to her and the Na'vi people. Now Jake is torn between his mission and his orders, and the planet and people that he learns to love.
So, $237 million and 162 minutes later, what are we left with? We are left with one of the most beautiful, captivating and emotional roller-coaster experiences that 2009 has offered us. It totally blew me away, more so than I ever thought it could. Not a one moment are you taken out of the film; the audience is locked in for the film's mega duration, which passes by so quickly. Packed with dazzling CGI and mouth-watering cinematography, 'Avatar' most certainly is the future of American cinema. But it gets better; rather than all the throw-away blockbusters Hollywood has offered us this year, the film's life is in the narrative and character development, rather than the green-screen technology and gizmos. It's not just an attraction on the eyes; you are actually involved with the characters and the overall picture.
The planet of Pandora is quite possibly the most stunningly gorgeous thing to grace the silver screen in years. It's plastered with radiant colours, wild flowers, twisted trees, crushing waterfalls and jaw-dropping mountains. I would have happily watched the film even if it just toured around this new world.
The film is completely action-packed too; sporting some of the most mesmerising and memorable battle sequences. The fights between the Na'vi and the RDA (Resources Development Administration) are champion.
The film also features stellar performances; Saldana is fabulous as Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver is excellent as always in her role as Dr. Grace Augustine, and Lang steals the show as the relentlessly evil Colonel.
'Avatar' is an ultra-brilliant package of proper film-making, and Hollywood glitz. Cameron has had this film is pre-production since the mid '90s, and it's so obvious how much he cares for this picture. Everything is perfectly placed and works accordingly.
I'm hard pressed to find any problems with the film; the only thing I would have liked is if it was released in the summer, at least that way there would have been one summer Hollywood hit that was worth watching. But, nevertheless, this film should and will do tremendously at the box-office over the Christmas period and rightly so. Cameron deserves his praise for this picture, because 'Avatar' is so much more than a film, it's a cinematic experience.
If you see any films this holiday, make sure this is one of them.
'Avatar' is a modern masterpiece. See it.