From the Sea to the Skies: Cameron’s Cosmic ‘Avatar ‘leap

Avatar has hit the screens with a mega bang, almost bursting the seams of anxious sci-fi fans all over the world and Namma Bengaluru is not far behind. Multiplex rushes and more-than-willing wallets that are ready to shell out more than 1000 bucks for 3 hours stand as staunch witnesses for Bengaluru’s share in the game and why not? Avatar comes with a larger-than-ever package; be it the whooping multi-million budget or enhanced techno-graphics hyped as the best in the day or James Cameron (Director) himself who struck boulder-size fame with Titanic’s billion dollar box office haul and 11 Oscars.

What’s Avatar’s USP Avatar rests solely on fine cinematography and superb simulation effects- truly the ‘master of all 3D flicks’ (from a techno-perspective of course). Winning for its animatronics, Avatar skillfully intertwines real into surreal graphics with amazing ease. Pandora, Cameron’s dream-land, the distant planet which occupies a hunky chunk of Avatar’s reel, is created fusing technology and animation and is undeniably breathtaking. It’s not just the sumptuousness Pandora that amazes; but the eye for precision- if you’ve never noticed the underside gills of mushrooms or appreciated delicate tendrils of dispersing seeds; you’ll see it in all grandeur here.

What’s impressive? Futuristic technology, touch-screen holograms, trans-genic deportation naming a few, Avatar brims with the works that screams out to ‘Matrix’ effects. The next best is breathing life into the ‘na’vis’; giving caricatures flesh and emotions again so carefully captured by the lens. The blue-skinned, lithesome, hissing-talking tailed humanoids of planet Pandora grow on you, especially Neytiri- the leading lady-na’vi.

What’s not so impressive? Na’vis on their native soil do remind you a bit of stories from the Amazon tribes (Of course they did not ride pterodactyls like the Na’vis). You probably will have to shake off the Jurassic feel, seeing the blend of pre-historic animals living in unison with human(oids).

What’s depressing? Cut the story away from the techno-histrionics and it lands flat. Boy under circumstances meets girl (navi). It’s the love-hate road that ultimately leads them to fall in love. So strong is his love, that he takes armor (in this case its arrows) and sets out to war to save her and her people from the baddies (in this case it’s the human militia race). Human race poised to mine Unobtainium (a source of energy) from another planet, or transposes DNA into another body- avatar and yet when a boy meets girl (Oops navi-girl) it’s an old story!

Cast: Sam Worthington who plays Jake Sully is an ex-marine who is paralyzed waist down. Thrust into the Pandora mission, Jake impresses better in his walkable avatar. Sigourney Weaver has strong screen presence as Dr. Grace Augustine, the bossy chief who cannot resist sampling Pandorian elements even in her dying moments. Zoe Saldana of the Star Trek fame is the tribal Na’vi femme-Neytiri, whose large brooding eyes with forever-dilated pupils and an uncomplicated straight smile grows on you. Stephen Lang is the baddie- Colonel Miles Quaritch who does not twitch an eyelid while emptying scores of ammunition onto helpless arrow-welding tribals.

Crew: Cameron shoulders direction, screenplay and script. While the screenplay is slick and plays saviour to the entire 3 hours of Avatar; the dialogues are spoilsport. Even a wee bit of humor and spunk would have added the much required punch. Well then, Cameron has been thoughtful; unlike Chota Chetan (our very own desi 3D) where most of the 3D effects were confined to arrows and fire darts hurled in your face, Avatar does not overwork your reflexes to make its 3D presence felt.

We say: Avatar is a techno-delight. Go for it if you love animation, gee-whizzy gadgets, special effects, techno-wonders….. Stay away, if you delve into stories. Post techno-amazement and well before the first 45 minutes; the pop corn becomes interesting!

-Article by Suchitra Preetham