New Review: "Avatar"

For those of you who don't know James Cameron, he's probably one of the most successful directors in Hollywood. His previous films include "Aliens", "Terminator 1 & 2", and "Titanic". So, when it was announced two years ago that he would be directing a sci-fi epic with breakthrough technology... movie goers were psyched. I'm happy to announce that the long awaited "Avatar" most definitely lives up to that hype.

There are three main reasons why I consider this movie to be one of the best cinematic experiences of my life: 1) the amazing graphics, 2) the 3D depth of field and, 3) the world of Pandora.

After being introduced to the fictional world of Pandora, I noticed that I was buying into all of the scenery and wildlife. At no point did I notice that something looked "fake", or criticize the CGI. Everything looks real. It's amazing that a whole film could be shot on green screen and look as genuine as "Avatar" does. The movements of the trees and animals are almost perfect. It's not even possible to process all of the information on screen... it's just so detailed.

And, of course, the 3D is amazing as well. When you think of 3D movies, you picture things popping out at you, right? But what you don't think about is the depth of field going in the other direction... INTO the screen. That's demonstrated in this film... and ultimately, it makes you feel like you're IN the movie; a part of the movie. There are even small things that stand out... such as the air particles that float around in front of your face. I found myself so memorized by this movie that my eyes were literally glued to the screen; I didn't look away once.

Lastly, and probably what appeals to most people, is the world of Pandora. Created completely from James Cameron's imagination, Pandora is probably the greatest fictional universe to be created since George Lucas created the Star Wars universe. It's full of bizarre creatures and plants, and the culture and lifestyle of the Navi' (the blue aliens you see in the trailer) is explored in detail. In the end, the world of Pandora is something that everyone will be glad that they got to visit. I seriously want to go back there.

The score by James Horner is also the greatest since Howard Shore's score for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. It's full of ongoing themes and melodies that help you feel even more connected to the characters and story.

This is a film that can't be missed. It's easily the best film to come out this year, and one of the best of the decade. While some of the storytelling aspects and character's are a little cliche'... every other aspect of the film is so phenominal that it doesn' ruin the film at all. Plus, to be honest, I'm a sucker for romances, so the cheesey romantic dialogue was fine by me. To get the full effect, make sure you see it in IMAX 3D. If not, then real3D is fine too. Either way, it's a movie that will stay with you long after you see it. Plus, afterwards, you can say that you saw the film that changed the way that movies were made.

My Rating: 9 out of 10