Avatar is James Cameron’s latest over-budget, sure-to-bomb movie has made over $1 billion in the 3 weeks since it’s been released.It’s a special-effects breakthrough in technology, not just in the 3-D and computer generated people, but the world building on a scale that’s never been done before.
The basic plot is handicapped soldier gets brought to wild frontier planet to replace his scientific brother (who was killed in a random violence plot point). He has no scientific training, no background in the biology of the planet or training on what he is expected to do. So, of course he is thrown in because the Avatar (a human-alien hybrid clone of his brother who can be controlled by him due to the genetic similarity) is expense to create and transport across the galaxy. So, to get their money’s worth, Jake Sulley is thrown in with Ripley Grace’s scientific group to explore Pandora and the native intelligent species: the Na’vi. Colonel Quaritch, the HMFIC of security for the Earth base, sees a soldier who can be his mole into the Na’vi.
The rest of the movie plays out pretty much the way you expect, but no one is going to see this movie for the amazing plot. Having said that there are a couple things I want to touch on. First, Colonel Quaritch is arguably one of the least competent military leaders in recent movies. At no point during any of the battles does he attempt any strategy. Every attack is straight forward with no subtlety, no plans, no attempt to regroup and change tactics when the enemy comes up with unexpected defenses. His entire role in the movie is to get the helicopters in the right place for the dinosaur vs helicopter fight scene.
Second, why do the humans want the unobtainium from this location only. It appears to be free flowing with the hanging cliffs. And can’t they slant drill/mine? Go under and around the Na’vi tree to get the minerals they need? Have they tried negotiating with the Na’vi? I’m sure there is probably something they had the Na’vi wanted that would allow them limited access to a small area where they can mine the unobtanium to their heart’s delight. But that would have reduced the need for the battle scenes and that’s what the movie is focused on.
Having said all that. The plot was stupid and plain, but not ridiculous. There were no glaring holes making you wonder what was going on. There was no time during the movie that you didn’t know what the characters were doing. The dialogue was serviceable and helped move the plot along. Cameron will never win an Oscar for his writing, but it was strong enough to not confuse people.
What the movie is focused on is the scenery of Pandora and the dinosaurs vs technology fight scene. The visuals are amazing (especially in 3-D) and you can easily see where all the money was spent on this movie. And the money was well spent. This is a full-realized planet with it’s own wildlife, plantlife and geology. The visuals are amazing and I doubt I can do justice to them here. It is something that you do have to see for yourself.
Go see it for the amazing visuals (the technology of the visuals will surely find it’s way into other movies in the near future) and make sure you see it in 3-D.