Marine veteran Jake Sully serves as a blank-slate audience surrogate attempting to learn the ways of the Na’vi, the native population of Pandora, and navigate their conflict with the humans that have taken up residence on the planet.įor what it is, the story mostly works. On paper, “Avatar” is a pretty simple film. The trouble is, it also has to have a narrative. In spectacle alone, “Avatar” is a monumental achievement. There’s never a dull moment, as even the slower sections have something to look at, building to a third-act action scene that is suitably propulsive and exhilarating. The film balances this all with expert pacing. One thing it never does is get in the way. Its usage varies throughout the film, sometimes adding depth to the sprawling skyscape, sometimes bringing the swarming bugs and glowing particles to the forefront. Then there’s the 3D effect, which in many films feels like a tacked-on gimmick, but in “Avatar” accentuates everything nicely. One of the most fully-realized worlds ever put to film, the planet is teeming with alien life of all varieties spread across a landscape of incredible vistas, from dense forests to rushing rivers to breathtaking floating mountains. “Avatar’s” greatest strength is, as it has always been, Pandora. In hindsight, this feels like the only way to watch it. With the first of its long-gestating sequels set to hit theaters this December, it makes sense that Disney-owned 20th Century Studios would decide to re-release the film now, sporting a slew of technical enhancements presented in 3D and on the biggest screens available. Now, in 2022, it seems much harder to find a common consensus on “Avatar.” People still remember the film, but it’s not uncommon to see it referred to as overrated or waved off as being pretty to look at but empty inside. It became, and remains, the highest-grossing film of all time not with a roster of pre-existing characters or an oversaturated brand name, but by daring to be different, pushing the boundaries of what special effects and worldbuilding in film could look and feel like.Īt least, that was the sentiment in 2009. Considering the time gap, it’s easy to forget the significant cultural imprint “Avatar’s” release made.
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