JEPSTER TOGLE

There are those times when you thought you’ve seen the best movies of the year and then a film comes along and throws them all out of the competition. One of those times came when I saw Avatar. I have never seen a film that exceeded all my expectations. Welcome back James Cameron, where the hell have you been during these sad days of Michael Bay and Rob Cohen?

Avatar is what going to the movies is all about. Cinema was created to entertain audiences, express one’s self, and escape from reality. Avatar does all three in just 163 minutes. As most Science Fiction films try so hard to be grounded in reality, Cameron lifts you up in the air and glides you through an unbelievable yet beautiful world of Pandora. Describing Pandora is like describing the Garden of Eden to a blind man. You’d have to see the film to truly appreciate its beauty. James Cameron wasn’t lying or exaggerating when he said “you’ve never seen anything like this before”. Pandora’s world isn’t only just full of color and pretty creatures, it’s full of life, soul and in some way love. There’s something about Pandora that feels so unifying that if you yourself were there, you’d never want to leave.

The best part about Cameron’s world of Pandora is not only the visual spectacle that everyone is talking about. Cameron created a world in so much detail that not only do you “see” it, but you actually “feel” it. A world filled with personality, the film also introduces us to a lot of culture. Cameron introduces us to a new form of culture not seen in humans but in a new species of beings called the Na’vi. The Na’vi aren’t just a species in the film, they’re a unified entity that makes the film such a joy to watch. Avatar introduces us to a new world, makes us fall in love with it to the point that we want to fight for it and let no evil dare abuse it in any way.  Cameron shows us his world not through a series of narration but through the eyes of the main characters but most especially in the eyes of the main character, Jake Sully.

Now, everyone’s waiting for opinions on Avatar’s visual effects. It may sound like I’m exaggerating but to be honest, this is the most realistic use of visual effects I have ever seen. Mixing live-action with CGI has never been so perfect. The visuals of an entirely CGI planet has never looked so real in my entire life. The only effects that I can think of that could come close to the visual effects in Avatar is the third Lord of the Rings film, Return of the King. Yes, Avatar beats LOTR:ROK in terms of visual effects. James Cameron’s perfectionism shows in Avatar because as of now, I couldn’t find a flaw with the visual effects of the film.

As for the storyline, there’s nothing shocking or spectacular about it but it doesn’t matter. Avatar will make you fall in love. The story isn’t about shocking you or making you feel excited for a battle. It’s a story of a stranger falling in love with a world that is new to him in every way but makes him feel at home. Instead of just telling a “boy meets girl” story, we get a “Boy meets World” story which makes it more interesting because his lover is part of the world making the planet, Pandora, his true love.

Performances from the actors aren’t spectacular but mostly necessary at best. Some actors go beyond what’s needed just to get that Academy Award Nomination but in Avatar, it’s not entirely necessary. The script isn’t deep nor is it anything worth noting but like I said, it’s not necessary. Avatar is a visual story. Even watching it without dialogue would still make it an amazing experience. The world of Pandora is already a story. The gestures of the computer generated creatures already tell a story. The actors themselves merely seem to be there for the human essence of the story. Not that I’m saying they’re not needed, all I’m saying is that the humans in the film were mostly necessary rather than being the main focus of the film. That means the actors did their job well but won’t be getting any nominations soon.

Avatar is one of those films that truly remind us why we watch cinema. It’s one of those films that truly brings us to new heights and new sensations. With 3D Technology, Avatar ups the ante in Hollywood. Avatar is the type of film that doesn’t rely on gimmicks but uses new technology to tell a wonderful story. Unlike most films that rely on CGI or the latest technology in film making just to shock or play around with the audience’s senses, James Cameron uses technology to express himself through telling a story that brings us to a new world that we have never seen before. Avatar isn’t just a film, it’s an experience. An experience that only a fool would miss on the big screen.

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