James Cameron's latest science fiction epic introduced the world to how digital 3D movie making could be used to enhance the viewing experience, and broke box office records to become the highest grossing film of all time in both the US and UK. With success like this it is bound to get a sequel produced in the near future.
A land rich in rare resources is sought after by a technology advanced people who want to force out the native population so they can mine to their hearts content. The military are eager to move them by force, but there is some hope for diplomacy and so send one of their own in amongst the natives who capture him. The Chieftain's daughter is then made to teach this stranger their ways and in the process the two fall in love and fight back against the invading forces. Amazingly this plot outline could have described the Walt Disney version of the story of Pocahontas, the Native American princess, or James Cameron's Avatar.
I know a lot of people have referred to this story as "Dances With Smurfs" or have drawn similarities with Ferngully, but I think it's most obvious influence has to be that of Pocahontas. I don't think it's a bad thing it was used as inspiration, though for a sequel I would hope for a little more originality. I think when writing the story they must have seriously struggled during the creative process as the rare element they're after has the imaginative name of "Unobtainium". The Na'vi are a tribal species who seem very similar to Native Americans tribes who worshipped nature and even have similar dress sense, accents amongst other cultural similarities.
I think the Na'vi are a fairly cool species due to their agility and the way they interact with the other species and plants on Pandora. Their symbiotic relationship with their world is a popular theme in science fiction and in this case also leans towards the Gaia theory though surpasses it with the suggestion that the planet itself retains the knowledge of The People and has a collective will of it's own. What I found interesting was not just the references to the Gaia theory, but also it's namesake, the Greek Goddess Gaia. When an oath was sworn in the name of Gaia it was said to be the most binding, and that is kind of referenced in Avatar with how the mate they choose is for life, as is the joining with a Mountain Banshee (Ikran).
In my opinion it's harsh to say the film lacks story or originality, as you can say that about a great many good films. Take Star Wars Episode 4 for example, it is a film packed to the brim with references to old movies such as Dambusters but no one cares because it's the characters and the way the story was used that mattered. Having read a number of reviews before seeing the film, including from people whose opinion I value I went into the film expecting it to be a bit boring and lacking in story. I think what the problem people have with this story is that they've seen people comment on how bad the story is and feel they need to follow suit, but the story really isn't that bad. In using a story very similar to Pocahontas they're showing something which really does happen - history repeats itself. This is why so many stories often have similarities with other stories even if only seen at their basest level.
The story starts with use learning the principal character is in a job he wasn't intended or trained for - his twin brother died and because they're genetics are a close enough match it meant the expensive research project keyed to his brother's DNA would also work with Jake Sully's. They arrive at Pandora, a planet which takes 6 years to reach in suspended animation and are briefed on their mission and made aware of the hostile natives. Jake is part of a research project where Na'vi bodies are grown from a combination of Na'vi and human cells (presumably the human cells are there to make them more compatible with human brain waves) and then the user's concious is transferred into this body. The transference of human concious is another common theme in science fiction and is the main plot point of films such as The Matrix where the protagonist uploads his entire conciousness into a computer. Even looking to other sources there are examples such as the villainous Cybermen in Doctor Who whom were once human until their minds were transferred into robotic bodies. Poul Anderson's "Call Me Joe" is a more specific example of where this concept has been used previously though in the case of this novella it also centres around a paraplegic and allies with the native population.
As the story progresses we learn more about the culturally rich Na'vi and their interactions with the world around them and it's something which Jake Sully also starts to be drawn into. When we first saw him you could tell that he didn't really care what he was doing, it was the chance to walk again which drove the character on until he starts to find a purpose and sees what evil his own people are committing. He's not the only human to side with the Na'vi either - the other scientists and at least one of the soldiers join with him.
So with a story which has both good points and bad points and leaves many people divided over it's purported lack of originality it's principal reason for critical success has been from it's visually astounding eye candy. I'm not sure how this film will look when watching it on DVD or Blu-ray, but when watching it at the cinema the best choice really is to see it in 3D - the movie is visually awesome and has an amazing level of detail. One thing I did find with watching it in 3D is that if you're sitting off-centre then the best option is to try and stay focused on the centre of the screen. What's amazing about this film is the amount of change this film is inspiring in the way films are made because of the quality of the effects and the way in which 3D has been used. So whether people enjoyed the story or not it's evident that the technology behind this movie will leave a lasting legacy which is likely to shape cinema for the next few years.
I am pleased I chose to watch this film in the end and I'm fairly certain I will get it on either DVD or Blu-ray and will watch a sequel if/when it is made.
