Pandora.. Na'vis... Operation AVATAR!!!

The leaves sway back and forth, only that they are multiple times bigger than those on Earth. The creatures, mean and menacing, sprinkled with designs of sheer brilliance, mixed with a ton of fluorescence! The floating mountains with the flowing waterfalls, which end in a spray... The world of Pandora, could not get any better, Cameron has delivered!

The Avatar operation, deals with the year 2154, when the humans hunt their way into Pandora, another planet, where, they set out their quest to obtain a rock mineral, which sells for millions of dollars. But that again, is just a backdrop. The world of Pandora also houses its natives, the Na'vi race, which consists of humanoids , in shades of blue and almost 2 humans tall! They live in harmony with nature and respect every blade of grass and every shard of wood... Now, the AVATAR operation launches a few of its soldiers into the Omaticaya tribe of the Na'vi race, to learn their culture and earn their trust, so as to move them away from their residing spots, so as to facilitate the mining of the rock.

Jack Sully (Sam Worthington), a crippled marine, fills into his brother's shoes in the operation. The crew, though initially skeptical about his efficiency, soon realize that he holds the key to the entire operation. The AVATAR programme also involves the replication of the human into his AVATAR body. To make things simpler, let me put it this way... Its a lot similar to Johnny Quest and the Quest World. Only, that here, both the forms are for real, and injury to any form will cause pain to both forms of the person, which, means if either of the forms are killed, both die... Another catch is that, when the AVATAR sleeps, the human wakes up... Jack earns the trust of the Na'vi tribe and also the love of Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). But, things take a twist, as he connects himself to the entire world of Pandora and decides to stand back and protect his people (the Na'vis) from destruction. The rest of the story deals with how he faces his own fellowmen, in a fierce battle for survival of the Na'vis.

The CGI gfx is mindblowing and the 3D version of the film is simply outstanding, as you can see the difference from a normal movie experience! Shoveling in Rs.1500 crores, has been justified, I must say! The world of Pandora is not exactly paradise. In fact, one can say, its a mushy rain forest with a lot of fluorescence! But, as the story unfolds, you find yourself in love with the entire planet! The same applies to the reptile-like blue clad creatures... the Na'vis. To begin with, I really felt they were a letdown, as I was expecting something much more phenomenal. But Cameron justifies his character by their expressions and emotions. In the end, you are only left to believe they are for real and not a mere work of computer generated imagery/ work of animation!

I felt Cameron reaches out to tell us another story through Avatar! The story of reality. The story of the world currently! The truth... By showing the Na'vis protect their planet from destruction by uniting forces with the various tribes, Cameron has indeed touched upon the sensitive issue of Environmental degradation through his film. Yes, the Copenhagen talks do not look bright, and it looks like yet another conference, fruitless, but, I feel that this film's worldwide release, would help people realize this fact through the Na'vis, I really hope it does!

The background scores were somewhat similar to 'The Lord of the Rings' ,but as I had already mentioned in my previous blog post, it really doesn't matter, as long as you can provide majestic music sorta stuff, for breathtaking visuals! In short, Avatar is a must-watch. I wouldn't say this film will have the 'Titanic' impact (after all, its not 2 humans in love!), but it has definitely taken films to a higher rung in the ladder. I would definitely not say, 'Avatar has revolutionized and has taken Hollywood films to a next generation' , but it definitely has left an indelible mark in the history of films (at least in my books! screw the critics!). Watch it! You will love every minute!