Avatar - The Movie

I have been waiting to see Avatar since I saw the first preview MONTHS ago. Although not as obsessive as my Father, I have been following the movie.

Avatar has been breaking so very interesting records. With an original budget of $230 million, some sources are saying that it has cost closer to ½ a billion dollars to make and promote the movie worldwide. This would make Avatar one of the most expensive movies ever made…if not the most. So now it is a rush to make the money back and to do this Avatar has to bring in Titanic numbers. Titanic is currently the top grossing movie in history, released in 1997, Titanic, brought in over $1.8 billion (The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King in second at just $1.1 billion). With James Cameron having directed both, it would not unbelievable to see Avatar overtake Titanic. Avatar was released on Dec 18th and brought in $212 million in just the first weekend. As of today it is estimated that Avatar has brought in an astounding $352 million.

Side note: to view this movie in 3D there is an additional $3.50 fee (maybe more or less in some places) for each ticket, which is definitely playing a huge role in the earning that Avatar is seeing.

Avatar has actually been in development since 1994 and was originally supposed to be released soon after Titanic in 1999, but according to James Cameron, the technology needed to catch-up and boy was he right! The Script, Na’vi language and the entire culture of the Na’vi people and the moon Pandora was created by Cameron.

The Avatar story is set in 2154 on the moon Pandora. Humans have come to Pandora to mine a rare and precious mineral, however there is already a indigenous race on Pandora known as the Na’vi, and the Na’vi’s main home (known as Hometree) is located over the largest deposit of the precious mineral that the Humans are there to mine. And like we, the humans, have always done, we threaten the Na’vi to get them to move so we can get what we want.

The story is told to us through the eyes of Jake Sully (played by Same Worthington), who is a former Marine who is stuck in a wheelchair. Jake gets the opportunity to travel 6 years to the human outpost on Pandora because his twin brother (Tom Sully, a famous Ph.D scientist) was killed just days before he was suppose to go. The investors chose Jake because his DNA is similar to his brothers and will thus allow him to be the human driver to the Avatar. The Avatars were genetically engineered by combining human and Na’vi DNA. The Avatars look very similar to the Na’vi, except for a few minor differences (including having 5 toes and fingers instead of 4). The goal of the Avatars is to live among the Na’vi and gain their trust so that they can negotiate the relocation of the entire population so that the Humans can mine for the area for the rare mineral. Jake works alongside Dr. Grace Augustine (played by Sigourney Weaver) and Norm Spellman (played by Joel Moore). Dr. Augustine is the founder of the Avatar program and both she and Norm spend years preparing for the opportunity to link with their Avatar. Neither of them are originally pleased to have Jake instead of his brother, Tom.

Once linked to his Avatar, Jake can once again walk, something that he has missed for years. Since Jake is a former Marine, he is given the mission from Colonel Miles Quaritch (played by Stephen Lang) to infiltrate the Na’vi and learn how to take them down from the inside. At first Jake is fine with this mission, but while linked to his Avatar he falls in love with a beautiful Na’vi woman known as Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana). Naytiri, under the orders of her mother (the clan physic) and father (the leader of the clan) takes Jake under her wings and teaches Jake the way of the Na’vi. He has to past many test to become accepted by the Na’vi and a warrior among them. Jake is not accepted by everyone, mostly Tsu’tey (played by Laz Alonso) who is to become the next clan leader and is to wed Neytiri.

As Jake learns more about the Na’vi and their respect for Eyra and all creatures (trees and animals) he begins to question his original mission. He begins to lose himself and would rather be in his Avatar instead of as himself, stuck in the wheelchair and away for Neytiri. Jake passes his final test by bonding with a Banshee and Neytiri takes to the tree of souls (a scared place to the Na’vi) where they join as man and woman.

The next morning the battle begins as the Humans bulldoze over the tree of souls.

I will leave the story there and leave you wandering what happens to Jake Sully and the Na’vi people.

Some people claim that this movie has a confusing story, or not a good plot, I personally think those people are just being negative and trying to find something wrong with this movie. The story is easy to follow as long as you are over the age of 15.

Side note: This movie does contain a number of cuss words and may not be suitable for those under the age of 13/14. My sister in 14 and she didn’t completely follow the story, but she got the main plot. Plus it may not be worth paying $13+ for kids who are not going to follow the story and not sit quietly for almost 3 hrs. Yes it is a beautiful movie worth everyone seeing, but it’s not worth spending that kind of money for kids to be completely lost and just enjoy the “cool” imaginary. Go take them to see Alvin and the Chipmunks, it is cheaper and they would probably prefer to see that one instead...and it wouldn't cost you $13+ a head.

I think this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I did go see Sherlock Holmes a few days earlier and although that was a good movie, there is no question which is better and if you have to pick one to see. GO SEE AVATAR!

James Cameron has stated that if Avatar is successful; two sequels to the film are planned.