Avatar

James Cameron has been away for a long time. And all the while he was waiting for technology to catch up to his extraordinary vision. And while this movie has been in the pipeline for a long time, its themes are universal which make them even more relevant today. Cameron set out to make a film to rival “Star Wars,” and while I don’t think he did that necessarily he definitely revolutionized the way films are made today. But production aside, the film itself is an incredible achievement. His latest film is “Avatar,” and it sure is something.

“Avatar,” is about a corporation that hires marines to send to a new planet to fight the native population so they can plunder its natural resources. One marine is given the task of infiltrating the natives through an avatar, a remotely controlled alien body. Slowly however he becomes inculcated and it is no longer clear which side he is fighting for. Let’s start with the special effects, they are really spectacular. At first the 3D can be a bit jarring and nauseating but soon enough you adjust and it really enhances the experience of the film. Every single detail of the look of this film is really excellent. James Cameron’s imagination is astounding. He has created an entire world from scratch, with its own flora and fauna that are vivid and beautifully rendered. The native people have their own language and culture that is really ingeniously devised. At times it’s obvious that what you are looking at is CGI, but other times it really isn’t clear. Some of the elements of the film look so real that truly we are living in an age where anything is possible on screen.

Now for the story which is incredibly rich. There is just so much to consider with this movie. Granted, Cameron may not be the best writer when it comes to dialogue, and some of the things in the film aren’t very subtle (the natural resource is called ‘Unobtainium’… seriously). But he more than makes up for it with the thoughtful precision with which he puts forth the themes of the story. This movie can be about so many things. The jungle warfare evokes the realities of Vietnam and in general our current wars. The fact that the war is being fought by a private company is reminiscent of contemporary profiteers like Blackwater and Halliburton. The film struggles with mans place in the natural world, and ideas of Diplomacy vs Total War. It is probably just a coincidence that a film about humans destroying the natural order of a planet comes out the same week as the Global Climate Change Summit, but it is also a testament to Cameron’s foresight. The most startling theme to me seems to be the responsibility of soldiers, that is to say is it ever really okay to kill? If a soldier follows orders even though he knows its wrong is he responsible for his own actions? These are things that Nazi soldiers struggled with, as well as American soldiers turned activists like Howard Zinn. I’m sure many of the soldiers fighting in the current wars struggle with the same issues and it’s probably why so many of them commit suicide. Is a mother whose child is killed by an American soldier in Iraq in any less pain than a mother who lost her child in the attacks on 9/11? Can that ever be justified? What is the virtue of war? These are incredibly complex issues that somehow Cameron has woven into a film with an incredibly large scope.

I don’t know if avatar really lives up to all the hype surrounding it. I personally don’t think it will ever make as much money as “Titanic,” but it certainly is a monumental filmmaking achievement. There is really nothing else to compare this movie to because it is unlike any film you have ever seen. It is really astonishing to watch. Go see the film and judge for yourself, because it will blow you away.