AVATAR

Before I begin, I should note that I created the above image in Adobe Photoshop CS3. For a tutorial on how to create this logo, visit http://www.mramp-comics.com/AMP/Tutorials/Sectors/Adobe%20Photoshop%20Tutorials/Avatar.html.

During my Christmas vacation from college, I decided to attend James Cameron’s Avatar on January 13, 2010. I must say this about the film: out of all the movies I’ve seen, Avatar must be one of the greatest films that I’ve attended in theaters. I’m normally not a fan of the sci-fi genres, but the intricate themes coupled with character development and design sparked my interest.

Now to break this analysis down into several sections…

PLOT

Traveling light years away from Planet Earth, Jake Sully, a former Marine confined to a wheelchair, arrives on Pandora in the year 2154. The RDA, the corporation mining the valuable mineral unobtanium on Pandora, recruited Sully to “pilot” his brother’s Avatar, a genetically engineered hybrid of both human and Na’vi DNA. This provides him with the opportunity to walk again. The indigenous race on Pandora consisting of blue-skinned sapient humanoids with feline characteristics, the Na’vi stand in the way of the RDA’s mining exploration. During an exploration with a group of scientists, the unique wildlife causes Sully to separate from the group, stranding himself in the luscious forest at night. Fortunately, a beautiful Na’vi female, Neytiri, saves his life. After several challenges and adventures, Sully will face his greatest test, an epic battle between the two races for the fate of the entire planet.

THEMES

Adventure…self-discovery…understanding came to mind when viewing Avatar. With time to reflect on the topic, the love story between Jake Sully and Neytiri resembles the star-crossed love themes found in Titanic. And now that I’ve seen it again, several themes from Dances With Wolves are also present in Avatar. Originally, rumors of anti-American messages in the movie were spread across the media channels; however, these rumors were eventually dismissed.

OBSERVATION

Discussing this movie with several of my friends revealed different perceptions of the movie…inspirations if you will. For instance, the Historian noted several similarities between the Na’vi and the ancient tribes of Africa. The Economists stated that the environment reminded him of the Asian environment. As for me, I noticed several similarities with the Native American Tribes here in the United States.

CONCLUSION

I would definitely recommend and encourage all movie goers, all sci-fi fans, and everyone else to go out and see Avatar. If the story doesn’t captivate your interest, the amazing 3D effects and technology will.