Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Directed by James Cameron
Produced by James Cameron
Written by James Cameron, Jon Landau
Based on Characters by James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez & Sigourney Weaver.
Cinematography: Mauro Fiore
Edited by Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron
Music by James Horner
Production companies: 20th Century Fox, Lightstorm Entertainment, Dune Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
The plot: Jake, who is paraplegic, replaces his twin on the Na’vi inhabited Pandora for a corporate mission. After the natives accept him as one of their own, he must decide where his loyalties lie.
The first Avator movie was very good.
Pros: It felt good to watch this film again in a long while. The film looked breathtaking. I like how they transported the human bodies into the Avatars. Jake Sully was very relatable to root for a character through his perspective. Every avatar looked amazing and well designed. Stephen Lang was an intimidating threat to go up against and afterwards I wanted to explore more of the world in the upcoming sequel.
Cons: I didn’t like the storyline involving the human soldiers & Giovanni Ribisi’s character. I wasn’t seeing Michelle Rodriguez’s character die on screen and I don’t get why this film is so overrated by many.
The Casts:
| Humans Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, a disabled former Marine who becomes part of the Avatar Program after his twin brother is killed. His military background helps the Na’vi warriors relate to him. Cameron cast the Australian actor after a worldwide search for promising young actors, preferring relative unknowns to keep the budget down. Worthington, who was living in his car at the time, auditioned twice early in development, and he has signed on for possible sequels.Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch, the head of the mining operation’s security detail. Fiercely consistent in his disregard for any life not recognized as human, he has a profound disregard for Pandora’s inhabitants that is evident in both his actions and his language. Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine, an exobiologist and head of the Avatar Program. She is also Sully’s mentor and an advocate of peaceful relations with the Na’vi, having set up a school to teach them English.Michelle Rodriguez as Trudy Chacón, a combat pilot assigned to support the Avatar Program who is sympathetic to the Na’vi. Cameron had wanted to work with Rodriguez since seeing her in Girlfight. Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge, the corporate administrator for the RDA mining operation. While he is at first willing to destroy the Na’vi civilization to preserve the company’s bottom line, he is reluctant to authorize the attacks on the Na’vi and taint his image, doing so only after Quaritch persuades him that it is necessary and that the attacks will be humane. When the attacks are broadcast to the base, Selfridge displays discomfort at the violence.Joel David Moore as Dr. Norm Spellman, a xenoanthropologist who studies plant and animal life as part of the Avatar Program. He arrives on Pandora at the same time as Jake and operates an avatar. Although he is expected to lead the diplomatic contact with the Na’vi, it turns out that Jake has the personality better suited to win the natives’ respect.Dileep Rao as Dr. Max Patel, a scientist who works in the Avatar Program and comes to support Jake’s rebellion against the RDA | Na’vi Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, the daughter of the leaders of the Omaticaya (the Na’vi clan central to the story). She is attracted to Jake because of his bravery, though frustrated with him for what she sees as his naiveté and stupidity. She serves as Jake’s love interest. The character, like all the Na’vi, was created using performance capture, and its visual aspect is entirely computer generated. Saldana has also signed on for potential sequels.CCH Pounder as Mo’at, the Omaticaya’s spiritual leader, Neytiri’s mother, and consort to clan leader Eytukan. Wes Studi as Eytukan, the Omaticaya’s clan leader, Neytiri’s father, and Mo’at’s mate.Laz Alonso as Tsu’tey, the finest warrior of the Omaticaya. He is heir to the chieftainship of the tribe. At the beginning of the film’s story, he is betrothed to Neytiri. |
I highly recommend watching this film again solely to get yourselves ready for the sequel this weekend.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident film reviewer,
Level Best Art Café.