Avatar
I begin this review with a confession. I saw Avatar several weeks ago. Almost opening weekend, to be quite honest with you all. At first, I just wanted to wait until I had time to mull the movie over a bit in my brain, but then it turned into something else. I didn’t want to review it until I saw it again. In 3-D. I don’t know what that means, but when I did see it, in a series of frustrating events, we all ended up in a 2-D screening, and I guess I just wanted to be well rounded. Anywho, it’s coming up on the end of January now, so I’ll just go ahead and tell you what I thought of my two dimensional experience. Maybe the rest can wait and there will just be an update or some such thing.
Several weeks later, I still want to gush. I just loved this movie. It’s a futuristic Dances with Wolves, so gorgeously rendered that I caught myself with my mouth hanging open multiple times and scanning the movie screen from corner to corner to see everything. It’s an action movie, sci-fi, message, romance that just took my breath away. So many times these high budget, over hyped films end up a giant flop, but I honestly can’t wait to see it again. In 3-D.
Ok, so the premise is that a corporation from Earth has traveled to another planet called Pandora where the Na’vi, a humanoid race, inhabit the planet. The very valuable substance that the humans (called Sky People and aliens by the Na’vi) want to strip mine happens to be located directly under the Na’vi’s home. Jake Sully is a former Marine who lost the use of his legs and is asked to take his brother’s place in a new program that will allow the corporation to infiltrate the Na’vi colony. He works with Dr. Grace Augustine, pioneer of the program, who joined with the corporation as a means to conduct her research. During the course of the film, Jake meets Neytiri, a Na’vi who teaches him about her culture, her language, and a few other things as well.
I can’t explain everything. The movie comes in at 2 hours and 40 minutes and a lot happens so I never felt bored. With this film being such a huge success, it has also become a huge target for criticism as well. I won’t answer all of it here because I feel that the film answers most of the claims against it without any help, if you just pay attention. Anyway, I want you all to go see it. And yes, I want you all to pay the extra few bucks to see it in 3-D. I think it will be worth every penny. Maybe I’ll be able to let you know for sure soon.
Rating: 
In 3-D: Totally amazing. I admit that the live action portions of the film seemed a bit fuzzy to me, maybe because I had glasses over glasses, creating an interesting effect, but the CGI portions of the film were breathtaking. On the aerial shots I would actually feel my stomach flip. Also, something small was the coolest part for me: when inside a room looking out, you as the viewer would be looking out through the window glass. Only 3-D could make that possible, and like I said, it sounds like a small thing, but it was by far the greatest example of how 3-D could enhance the viewing experience. You could even see the glare and dirt on the glass. Again, totally worth the money to see.
In 3-D:
Rating:
