Review: 'Avatar' has flying blue monkeys in space

Avatar    PG  13        

            James Cameron's extravagant special effects space opera at last premiered on film. Avatar is every bit as spectacular as it implies from previews, with stunning near perfect blending of CGI and go motion and human interlaced green screen acting. Set in late 2154 after a super corporation is funding the relocation of native alien life from a pristine jungle moon the size of Earth, a planet called Pandora, in orbit about a beautiful blue gas giant, because the dying human race needs 'unobtanium', a power source of incredible potential. Cast into the story are Weaver's ethical scientists, Lang's evil marine forces, and evil company guys, and a paralyzed marine, Worthington's character, who is jacked into a futuristic Matrix type of computer to run a perfect genetic replica of an alien and interact with the natives to get the energy source and try and convince the alien Na'vi to relocate peacefully. 'Dances with Wolves' or "Pocahontas' in space basically, which like other 'evil' settler goes native to try and save the Indians. At times a bit too long and heavy  handed, and sometimes like a video game turned film, but it doesn't slow down. Cameron has a completely opposite ethic to Michael Bay who loves 'butt kicking military groups and authority types', as clearly he hates them. (In Terminator 2 the T800 basically beats up all the authorities. In Aliens the space marines get knocked off one by one). Much more emotional resonance for a cartoon with pretty CGI enhanced people than Christmas Carol (one moment or two) or Beowulf, (one moment), or Polar Express (which was just creepy). Dreamworks could take a hint from Pixar and from these guys, Weta and ILM mainly, who had so many credits at the end it was insane. Jarring with the skips from inside the crampt avatar bases to the lush alien world, but that was the idea, and the idea of them not breathing our air was awesome. That would be the case in a completely alien biosphere. (Aliens also dealt with this). Although if they have littler free oxygen (and even less nitrogen) how do they burn a tree or shoot down a bird thing with a flame thrower? Oh well, they can't go for accuracy in a fantasy scifi epic. One of the year's best movies, but not quite on my top 10. Maybe I could revise the list to make it just about be 12 or 13.   
Review by Adam Browne