Its been almost a year since my last post and I figured I'd get going with '09 under my belt. A lot has happened in the world this year. We have a new President, a spiraling economy, the death of Michael Jackson, more athletes going down the toilet, and the release of one of the most technologically innovative and highest grossing films since Lord of the Rings the Return of the King. It's safe to say that the mammoth that is Avatar has overwhelming exceeded all expectations. If there was one person who could surpass such pressure it is the self-proclaimed "King of the World," James Cameron. In April, when Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh said Avatar is “going to change the way you consume entertainment" he wasn't lying. His words and rumblings across all mediums only fueled what became behemoth expectations on this picture. It's almost impossible to describe the baggage following Cameron's first film since Titanic, which happens to be the highest grossing movie in history. Now, Avatar has been lighting up movie screens since December 18th of last year. That's twenty days. In only twenty days, it has managed to become the second-highest grossing film of all time.
The question one could ask: is Avatar's success pure hype? Or is Avatar just that good. The answer is both. I've seen the film twice now. Once in regular format and once in 3D. I won't get into the conversation on the future of 3D because frankly I could care less. I've never understood the fascination with the format and even though I was impressed with my viewing of Avatar I was completely satisfied with 2D. But no matter which format you watch this in, it truly is like nothing you've ever seen. You are seeing a completely new world. Like the film's lead character, you are being introduced to incredible sights: floating mountains, interactive plant-like organisms, ferocious and enchanting creatures, and most of all an unheard of race of people called the Na'Vi. The Na'Vi are brilliantly crafted by Cameron and he makes it a point to engage you with their culture. First-hand you see their language, religion, and way of life. These are no Star Wars Gungans. Because of characters like Jar-Jar Binks, the Gungans were such a joke that the audience could care less about their demise. But by the end of Avatar the Na'Vi aren't a strange, indigenous tribe, but a race of people you completely sympathize with. And when you do sympathize for them and you will, remember your feelings are for an entirely computer-generated civilization. That is the power of this film. The technology and effects aren't a distraction like in most films, but a driving force. If we didn't believe in the world of Pandora, Avatar would have tanked. Pandora is the story.
The themes of Avatar aren't brand new. We've seen it not only in cinema, but in American history to say the least. It's cowboys and Indians. It's the United States' invasion of Iraq. It's man's greed and desire for expansion without looking back. In cinema, we've watched it in Dancing with Wolves or The Last Samurai. What gives Avatar its cinematic originality is the film's circumstances. Can you imagine a future with economic resources so bad that we're stealing them from a planet light-years away? This is a future where a corporation is using soldiers as mercenaries against an innocent race of people. But with the grim circumstances, incredible developments in science comes with it. Science has given a paraplegic marine named Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) an opportunity to transform into a completely new body as a Na'Vi. The concept is fascinating. The fact that he can walk again through another shell is a dream I'm sure many have. It's also interesting to observe the psychological effect of this transformation. Jake is forced to wake up every night to his wheelchair with the realization that this program won't last forever. He also has to face the consequences of his relationship with the Na'Vi and a possible love interest, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). In end, you know where the film is heading, but it doesn't damper the experience. It's the journey there that makes it so outstanding. James Cameron has given us the most breathtaking visuals cinema has ever seen. The camera was not afraid to be right in the Na'Vi's face, because every line and every pore is realistic. Each creature looks remarkable and the lush jungle setting is perfect for its story. When you put that backdrop next to the humans, it's obvious how out of place they are. It's elements like that which make Avatar what it is. The film is not actor driven (even though everyone holds their own). It is not the screenplay that is winning over critics and audiences' alike. What is drawing people out in herds is the two hours and forty minutes of escape Avatar offers. For that duration of time, you are drawn into something I guarantee you have never seen.
What Cameron has created is revolutionary and beautiful. He has proven again that he is fearless in stretching the boundaries of cinema and dead set on making the unimaginable, believable. Because of his daringness, he now owns two of the most successful films in history and word is he wants to make two more. He has set quite the bar but if anybody could surpass it, it could only be him. Avatar is a cinematic experience that if you skip, your kids will never let you hear the end of it. We will be hearing about this one for awhile. That is the result when hype meets success.
