Cameon's truly phenomenal ground-breaking, visually stunning sci-fi parable; one of the year's VERY best!

Rating: 10/10 (22 February 2010)

AVATAR (2009) **** Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel David Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi, CCH Pounder, Dileep Rao. Filmmaker James Cameron's truly phenomenal – ten years in the making – digital effects sci-fi extravaganza is one of the most tremendous feats in groundbreaking visuals and an instant sci-fi classic: set several hundred years in the future the Earth is relying on distant planet Pandora for a natural resource to provide energy and the only thing getting in the way is its populace – the Na'Vis – ten-foot tall, blue-skinned natives with feline features and a not-so-subtle mirror reflection to the Native Americans' plights : endangered species. While Cameron's script is a bit tin-eared for dialogue (and the parallels of "Dances With Wolves")he makes up for in oodles of marvelous, awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping scenes on the big screen with a virtual world on-to-itself and gung-ho paralyzed Marine Jake Scully (Worthington) sent in to infiltrate and assume the identity – hence the title- to learn more about its people (and more importantly gain their trust for the good ol' USA). The use of state-of-the-art motion capture suits worn by the actors allows the CGI to practically absorb their acting DNA onto their counterparts with amazing élan (Saldana truly is the stand-out with her emotional wrought turn as the Na'Vi princess/love interest Neytiri). Best to view in IMAX 3-D with eye-popping wonderment; the #1 box office champ of all time and guaranteed to take home an armful of f/x Oscars. One of the year's very best.