Review: Avatar 3D

After a twelve year absence following 1997's "Titanic", director James Cameron makes a return to the big screen with this overblown but largely enjoyable fable. The action takes place in the future on a planet called Pandora, which contains a rich source of a rare mineral called "unobtainium" (one of the cringier moments of the script.) However the the inhabitants of the planet, the Na'vi, are unwilling to let humans take this mineral and a war is raging. Sam Worthington plays Jake, a paraplegic army man called up to replace his recently deceased brother in a project on the planet called "Avatar." The project allows humans to take control of a Na'vi body, hoping to blend in and learn more about their culture. As the story progresses Jake must decide if he's on the side of the humans or the Na'vi.

The story is mainly an excuse for a seemingly endless parade of special effects which do look rather impressive on the big screen. Pandora is a fantastic looking planet, especially during the night time scenes, where it takes on a strange ultraviolet look which looks great. The Na'vi race are also an amazing special effects achievement, with a depth and characterization rarely seen in CGI creations (apart from in Pixar films.) There really is no faulting the special effects and production design which is superb throughout. As for the human actors, who include Sigourney Weaver as the leader of the Avatar project, there's not much to say other than they get the job done. They definitely take a back seat to the effects. Sam Worthington is a likeable enough hero but there's nothing special about his performance.

Unfortunately the script and story don't nearly reach the same heights as the eye popping effects. The story is a predictable, pedestrian affair, with few surprises. The story has similar themes to Cameron's previous efforts "Aliens" and "The Abyss" but doesn't share the formers excitement or the latter's mystique. The script is also a bit of a dud, with little charm or wit. Its primary concern is to move the story from one elaborate special effect sequence to the next. Although the script and story are not very interesting, the spectacle on screen managed to keep my attention for most of the time. There are moments, especially just before the enjoyable finale, where the film threatens to sag under its own weight, but it manages to keep the entertainment going.

The 3D presentation makes the special effects look even more impressive, and adds a greater sense of realism. Unfortunately the tinted 3D glasses do dull the colours on the screen, but it doesn't impact the film too much. Overall I recommend giving Avatar a watch, although it is definitely a film to catch in the cinema, and in 3D format if possible. On DVD the special effects will lose some of their sparkle and the flaws in the script and story will be more noticeable.