“Avatar” Film Review

            Most fantasy films appear to follow similar plots in which the main protagonist who is usually an unexpected hero goes on an adventure of epic proportions in order to stop an evil force and save the world from plunging into darkness or learn a life changing lesson, however the overall story of these films tend to vary from film to film. For example, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, the legendary film that takes you on an adventure across Middle Earth can easily be compared to the film Avatar, a film of just as much epic proportions but instead takes you to the planet Pandora that is home to the tall and majestic race known as the Na’Vi. Similarly to the first Lord of the Rings film Avatar is a story that is filled with intertextuality and is centered around individuals that at first is viewed to be oddball due to their stature; but after gaining the trust of the people that would soon to become their allies they are able to overcome many large obstacles. The film Avatar is an interlaced/progressive film for the vast majority of the film was created using CGI so that the actors likeness can be transferred to their Na’Vi counterparts; thus the majority of the film was recorded in a studio unlike its counter parts in the Lord of the Rings trilogy which had multiple filming locations in the majestic outdoors. Although, even if the lens isn’t focused on real life action role-players with lots of makeup in breathtaking mountain scenery, the film has its own magical touch to it for through the use of CGI you are transported to another world where you begin to sympathize and feel for its native inhabitants while they have fend off the human invaders that wish to destroy their world so that they can make a profit on their own. The Na’Vi which are beautifully created like the Hobits appear to show more femininity at first glance due to their tall and skinny stature, but the blue race is filled with masculinity for the majority of the tribes are known as warriors and are extremely territorial towards the human invaders and their machines. The director James Cameron has definitely created a visual masterpiece as his space odyssey involving James Sully is told using almost lifelike CGI lighting and engaging long takes that just put you on an emotional roller coaster. As David Edelstein a film critic for the New York Magazine/Vulture had described it in his review “The narrative would be ho-hum without the spectacle. But what spectacle! Avatar is dizzying, enveloping, vertiginous ... I ran out of adjectives an hour into its 161 minutes” and this is only because it seems like the film can keep going on eternity due to its long run time and the amount of effort put into the production to not only entertain but also make you believe that you too are a part of the epic. If you haven’t seen this film already and have nothing to do I recommend it.