Avatar – Creative recycling
Earlier this year, Paranormal Activity became the most profitable film in history by making over $200 million on a budget of $15,000. Around the same time, a movie with a budget that actually eclipses Paranormal Activity’s total gross went on to become the highest grossing film of all time, raking in over $2 billion.
Whilst Paranormal Activity provides a potent reminder of how much a film can make with little or no financing, the enormous team behind James Cameron’s Avatar will have no concerns about being shown up thanks to a return on their movie that is enough to fund the purchase of an island.
Avatar is driven by a tried and tested story which has been unrelentingly rehashed beat-for-beat. However, it is likely that master storyteller Cameron has shamelessly and purposefully sought out a classically standard story framework, so as to avoid detracting from the main focal point - his groundbreaking visual extravaganza; an aesthetic masterpiece that he has been planning since he sunk the Titanic.
Paraplegic ex-marine Jake Sully is given the opportunity to live vicariously through a bio-engineered alien body, whilst learning to live with a secretive forest-dwelling race known as the Na’vi. With a minimum amount of arm-twisting, he takes up the offer and works undercover, acting as a hired gun to protect the exploring scientists from the variety of colourful surprises offered up by planet Pandora’s lush eco-system. He is also acting as an informant for trigger-happy nutcase Colonel Quaritch, a soldier who wants to flatten the locals and their glorious surroundings.
Predictably, the alien embodiment of Jake meets an alien girl, learns the culture, and starts to question where his loyalties lie. The relationship between lead male and lead female has very blatant allusions to Jack and Rose of Titanic fame, which has a somewhat semi-tedious effect.
The real heart of the film is the 3D visuals, no matter how much Cameron claims it is a message about environmental awareness. We were genuinely in awe of the groundbreaking efforts on display.
The astounding breakthrough in visual innovation and design work is sheer genius; embers drift past your face, wild beasts leap from the screen, the landscapes dazzle with depth and detail. The sequences are genuinely breathtaking because the photorealism of the animation forces your mind to be utterly involved.
Sadly, the story is very dull; the running time of 2 hours and 40 minutes is therefore a bit of slog, but Cameron’s wonderfully crafted aesthetics will keep you going.
Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans) continues to take the world by storm with his turn as Jake Sully, although he is essentially a support to his Na’vi counterpart. The really impressive performance comes from Stephen Lang as Colonel Quaritch, a real lunatic with massive arms. Able additional support comes from Sigourney ‘Ripley’ Weaver and Giovanni Ribisi (Gone in 60 Seconds, Public Enemies).
The current DVD and Blu-ray release comes with a slight hitch; it is not 3D, and thus the really gripping aspect of the film is somewhat blunted. Nonetheless, the non-3D release has smashed sales records, and Avatar is certainly still well worth a watch. Cameron has suggested that a 3D release could happen by the end of the year, but no confirmation.
It is fitting that an eco-themed film has a recycled story, but that does not detract from yet another mega-achievement from James Cameron. He has made the two highest grossing films in history, he has broken new ground in terms of special effects on three separate occasions (T2, Abyss, Avatar) and he turned Arnie into a global icon. Suffice to say, he will be back.
Image: Filmofilia
