Avatar

Avatar

In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.

  • Released: 2009-12-10
  • Runtime: 162 minutes
  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
  • Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi, Laz Alonso, Dileep Rao, Matt Gerald, Sean Anthony Moran, Jason Whyte, Scott Lawrence, Kelly Kilgour, James Patrick Pitt, Sean Patrick Murphy, Peter Dillon, Kevin Dorman, Kelson Henderson, David Van Horn, Jacob Tomuri, Michael Blain-Rozgay, Jon Curry, Julene Renee, Luke Hawker, Woody Schultz, Peter Mensah, Sonia Yee, Jahnel Curfman, Ilram Choi, Kyla Warren, Alicia Vela-Bailey, Kyle Dryberg, Larry Rew, Dina Morrone
  • Director: James Cameron
 Comments
  • hidhircloud - 13 January 2023
    James Cameron's direction is nothing short of masterful
    The film's plot centers around a paraplegic Marine (Worthington) who is dispatched to Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home. The film's themes of environmentalism, imperialism, and the ethics of war are expertly woven into the story. The acting is strong across the board, with particularly noteworthy performances from Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana.

    James Cameron's direction is nothing short of masterful, creating a sense of wonder and awe throughout the film. The film's score, by James Horner, adds to the film's atmosphere and keeps the audience fully immersed in the world of Pandora. The film's cinematography, production design, and special effects are all groundbreaking, setting a new standard for the industry.

    The film's pace is brisk and the editing is tight, keeping the story moving forward and preventing it from dragging. The dialog is well-written and adds depth and complexity to the characters and the story.

    In conclusion, "Avatar" is a true cinematic masterpiece that will leave you in awe. The film's stunning visuals and groundbreaking special effects are matched by its thought-provoking themes and strong performances. James Cameron's direction is masterful, immersing the audience fully in the world of Pandora. The film's themes of environmentalism, imperialism, and the ethics of war make it a thought-provoking and engaging viewing experience. It left me feeling like I was part of the journey and it will definitely stay in my mind for a long time.
  • dannylee-78082 - 5 January 2023
    Toruk Makto
    I finally rewatched Avatar 1 after watching it in the theaters 14 years ago to prepare myself for Avatar 2.

    I usually am not fond of visually spectacular movies that lack substance, which is how I felt about Dune (may rewatch before part 2). From that sense, my expectations of this movie was not far off. The writing often felt clunky and awkward with missing details in the moments. It fails to be sensitive when it needs to be sensitive like when the invasion occurs. There is little buildup in the escalation and that whole part of destroying the Hometree felt rather comical. How the few scientists and allies that go against the businessmen and the military came together felt a little sudden and childish. Perhaps it was because most of the characters were very cliche at best and even the only substantial character of Jake Sully feels flat. There is very little progression in his character building as he starts of as a wounded veteran to the most legendary warrior in the Navis. Somehow he conquers one of the most feared creatures in Navi, which is something that hasn't been done for hundreds of years. The audience is just forced to swallow this at face value for the sake of an arbitrary battle. "What makes Jake Sully so special?" is a question that can only provide vague answers. With these weak characters, the thematic approach becomes quite basic and entirely predictable. It does have an interesting theme of colonialism and relations to nature but one can't help but see Jake Sully's decision to join the Navis.

    However, all these flaws would have normally made me want to slash a film to its guts but Avatar was different. There is nothing to criticize about the visuals and the world-building. I tend to rate original movies higher than adapted movies and the creativity displayed in this movie is astonishing. Pandora is one of the most dynamic and beautiful foreign planets that's ever been shown to the audience. The missing details in the writing was made up for intricate design of the exotic planet. It's still hard to believe that this level of detail was achieved 14 years ago and it makes sense why it was one of the highest grossing films of all time. The pandorans also possessed an enticing quality of their beautifully lean bodies, men and women alike. Their ability to connect with nature and others on a spiritual level makes one envious as brings so much freedom and liberation. These are things that perhaps the audience may desire but very difficult to achieve on this planet Earth we reside on. Considering that, Avatar is a great film to start pondering about our relationship to nature and extortion because they still consistently happen around us.