Review: Avatar

Like so many people, I went to see Avatar over the Christmas break. The plot was (overly?) simple, but it was a very pretty movie and kept me entertained for 3 hours. It could have done with being maybe 2 hours, but I guess that since James Cameron had worked so hard to make it look good, he didn’t want to miss any opportunity to show us the world he’d created!

In case you haven’t already heard, the idea is that humans have found a planet rich in a useful resource, and have sent the military to get it. Scientists have also come along to study the biology of the new planet. However, where the military uses mechanical ‘bodies’ to stomp around and shoot things in the unbreathable-by-humans atmosphere, the scientists have worked out how to transfer the mind of a human over to a body made from DNA belonging to the original inhabitants of the planet, the Na’Vi. This allows them to have an up-close-and-personal experience of the planet.

Naturally, there is conflict between what the scientists and the military want, and no-one seems to ask the Na’Vi what they want. At the centre of all this is Jake Scully, an arrogant and ignorant military guy sidelined by an injury in a previous war. He gets put on science duty in one of the ‘avatar’ bodies, heads out to learn what he can about the Na’Vi, and to see if he can find a resolution to the conflict.

The planet and it’s wildlife and it’s people are beautiful, well worth the price of admission alone if you like fantasy art. On the other hand, the plot and characterisation are a bit dumb. However, the very simple environmental message in the middle section of the movie really grabbed me. In one part, the main Na’Vi character explains “All energy is borrowed, and some day it must be returned”. The Na’Vi do not control their environment, they are part of it, acknowledging their place within the eco-system instead of trying to dominate it.

Experienced greenies will find that the message is a bit simple, and there’s room for more nuance that’s given over to big battle scenes instead. But it’s a big blockbuster movie with explosions, and so I’m happy it’s got any eco-message at all. And really, we’ve been lucky over the last few years to have so many movies touching on the subject. I think it shows that environmental concerns have gone mainstream when so many artists and creators are paying attention to the topic.

Recommended?
If you haven’t seen it already, and you like beautiful movies enough to deal with a very basic plot and script, then definitely go see it on the biggest screen you can with the 3D glasses, or IMAX. It’s not too scary for most kids who are old enough to sit through such a long movie. If plot holes bug you during the movie (instead of waiting until afterwards to go “hang on a minute… why did he…?”), and you’re not a visual person, then maybe wait until it’s on DVD or skip it.