Sunday 24 January 2010
Review: Avatar
It's officially the top grossing film of all time and it is the 40th best film ever on the imdb but is Avatar any good? Well it's not a bad film but overrated may be a better term for it. Aestetichally the film can do no wrong whether watching in 2 dimensions or 3 it is a visually pleasing experience. You are totally lost in the planet of Pandora and are able to follow Jake Sully's journey from unwilling recruit to one of the Na'vi. Although ocassionally there are moments of overkill and scenes, such as those involving flying or leaping over treetops, which are just there for the 3D aspect to be utilised to its full extent.
The story itself is pretty basic and the message is simple - don't try and invade a country before getting to know the inhabitants and how they react. And seeing as this is a 3-dimensional experience most of the characters seem very one-dimensional. For example Sam Worthington's Jake is a sceptical gun-slinger who inevitably will turn against the other gun-slingers and side with the opposition. It's a shame that Sam Worthington has been lumbered with such a silly character for his first lead in a big movie. Having been a fan of his Australian films, notably Dirty Deeds and Gettin' Square, I was disappointed that he had almost dumbed down to play the role. Bit-part player and Robert Patrick impersonator Steven Lang plays the generic single-minded soldier who spends most of the time drilling and blowing things up and when he gets onto the screen the film laps into action movie cliches. Michelle Rodriguez has a thankless role as she is basically there to act as a plot device for the film's final third. Only Giovanni Ribisi's single-minded mission leader and Sigourney Weaver's sarcastic scientist have any merit but maybe that's just a testament to the actors.
Cameron also seems to have borrowed heavily from some of is earlier films most notably the crew's floating base is reminicent of Aliens. At two and a half hours the film is seriously overlong and could do to lose a good 45 minutes as the mind starts to wander during the long segments with Jake's journeys in Pandora. And the fact the whole thing is ended with a soppy Leona Lewis ballard doesn't help matters.
But don't get me wrong I thoroughly enjoyed the experience this is like a bad action movie made good by some generally good writing and stunning visuals. This is a definitely a film that should be seen by everyone as like it or not it will herald in a new era of film-making.
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