I went to see Avatar tonight with Bruce. It is a visually stunning film, the first I have seen in 3D. It really wowed me, the alien landscape of the planet Pandora, the forests were incredible eery and simply stunning. Certainly Avatar brings CGI to a totally new level, in a way George Lucas tried [and failed] with the Star Wars prequels.
Unfortunately I found the plot somewhat formulaic, basically it seemed to me to be the last Samurai set in an alien landscape with added themes of love and the typical Hollywood ending. Why is it no matter what the weapons, or creatures every battle has to end mano-a-mano? As soon as I saw the Colonel I knew it had to end up in a showdown between them.
The movie opens at the funeral of the brother of the main protagonist who is recruited by a company to go in his brothers place. His brother was an Avatar pilot, basically he controls an alien creature in an effort to learn more about them. The aliens the Na'vi are humanoid, Aboriginals who have a symbiotic relationship with the forest they live in. Unfortunately the company has detected an ore steam underneath the Na'vi's home and well how are a bunch of blue aliens to stand in the ay of progress. The protagonist Jake is sent in Avatar form and manages to bond with the daughter of the clan leader before long though he starts to question his humanity and becomes more and more bonded with the Na'vi eventually united all the tribes and leading a revolt against the humans.
Overall I have seen these themes from Avatar so many times, and while the film is enjoyable and dazzles the sense it could have done so much more. That said James Cameron is certainly a slick and accomplished director its well directed if a bit long and it simply has to be watched for the amazing visuals and it has all the turn mind of feel good moments you could ever want from a Hollywood blockbuster.
