Review: ‘Avatar’ amazing visuals, decent story
December 18th, 2009 at 6:25 pm by Laff at the Movies under Entertainment
Let’s be honest … some people like sci-fi and others don’t: that’s why I’m saying both SEE IT and WAIT TO RENT on this one.
I don’t fall in either of those categories, because I LOVE sci-fi… most of my favorite movies are sci-fi… and if you’re in that category too, you should see this movie and SEE IT IN 3D !!! You’ll marvel in the epic visuals and become immersed in the amazing visual splendor that director James Cameron has created in “Avatar” … while the story is good enough to carry the visuals, while its not the most completely airtight plotline or best acting of 2009, it certainly is the biggest escape of the year.
Believe it or not, this could actually be a “Date Movie” … guys will like the action and women will like the love story… its okay guys… its not “Titanic” on a alien planet…. but its just enough to interest the ladies.
(My spoiler-free review)
In “Avatar”, Cameron wastes little time transporting us (literally) into a strange new amazing world…. much like he’s done with his sci-fi hits before – “Terminator” (1984), “Aliens” (1986), “The Abyss” (1989), and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991) – he expertly establishes this new world the audience will be apart of for the next 2-3 hours.
Cameron does this with things that are totally different and things that are totally relatable that the audience can grab and understand while trying to understand the new surroundings… in “Avatar” he does all that with amazing visuals plus some explanation from different characters to set the story and explain the main plotlines.
The strength of this movie is the amazing visuals - especially in 3D… and to set your mind at ease: this is not that gimmicky reach into the camera, 3D for the sake of doing 3D… this is 3D that gives you depth of field, so you’re seeing and becoming immersed in the foreground, middleground and background of a scene. There’s so much too look at, its easy to get lost in the wonder of Pandora – the fictional planet the movie is set on…. more than 100 years in the future when the people of Earth are looking for new energy resources.
On Pandora the military-style security base has cool futuristic technology and the visuals of the exotic world are vibrant and amazing!! The computer enhanced native Na’vi and their blue skin look good, but there are some scenes where I feel like I’m looking at a computer more than a person acting out scenes… which does create some disconnect.
Sam Worthington is good as Jake, the conflicted main character… Zoe Saldana (“Star Trek” - 2009) is good as the native he meets and learns from… Sigourney Weaver is gritty and tough, but a compassionate nature loving scientist… Stephen Lang (“Men Who Stare at Goats”) is ruthless as the leader of security, Michelle Rodriguez is good as the one-liner rogue pilot, Giovanni Ribisi is a bit over-the-top as the young cocky leader of the project, and Joel Moore adds some geeky depth as a fellow scientist and ‘Avatar’ driver.
The special effects, sound, and score are worthy of award praise and the cinematography and art direction make it seem like they are actually on another world.
THE BOTTOM LINE: (more…)
