Chris Kavan's Movie Review of Avatar

The Bar is Officially Raised
Chris Kavan - wrote on 12/20/09

It's official James Cameron is both officially a genius and insane. Even after conquering the world with Titanic, can you imagine the pitch for Avatar? If he hadn't released the world's most popular movie, this may have never come to fruition, but it's a good thing that it worked out this way.

This is a stunning film on many levels. The first is which, of course, the visuals. This is the first film I've watched in 3D and I can say I am impressed. This is truly the first mainly CGI film where I can honestly say the characters didn't feel CGI. Gollum from LOTR was a good first step, but the Na'vi are on a whole other level. Expressions, mannerisms, emotion - everything I hoped for and it still exceeded my expectations.

Then you have the planet itself - Pandora. The detail is amazing. From the creatures - small and large - to the terrain, it's a fully realized universe: ecology, religion even a fully formed language. Cameron obviously spent time and effort to make sure this was not only an original but a believable place.

However, all the marvelous visuals and society would mean nothing without a decent story to go along with it, and Cameron doesn't disappoint. I will admit, the story might be well tread - the greedy, militaristic "bad guys" vs. the primitive, in-touch-with nature and religion "good guys". But thanks to wonderful casting, including a slimy Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Land channeling R. Lee Ermey circa Full Metal Jacket and Sigourney Weaver as the sarcastic, chain-smoking scientist - it manages to make an old idea seem brand new.

Sure, the Na'Vi are based on existing cultures and religions, most noticeably Native Americans and the environmentalism is laid on pretty thick, but it never feels forced. Despite the nearly three hour running time, it never felt like it dragged. If anything could be cut down, it would be to trim down the opening introduction, but even that wasn't enough of a deterrent to matter enough to me.

This is the film that will serve as the basis for all other films to follow. I now know what CGI and a wild imagination can achieve. Will something come along that will bet better? Inevitably. But for now, Avatar is the king of the world.