It really is a shame that James Cameron made "Titanic". That 1997 epic---a solid, intermittently entertaining film that is among the most painfully overrated films of all-time---won eleven Oscars and brought Cameron instant fame. After "Titanic", James Cameron had already achieved rock star status, and he would never again catch the movie world by surprise. Too bad, because if he made "Avatar" as a novel director, we would be hailing him as a breakthrough talent, a true visionary with a bright future. Here is a film that is far more visually enchanting and emotionally satisfying than "Titanic", a movie that holds you in its grip with its visceral wonder.
I will waste very little time describing the plot, which shares several similarities to "Star Wars". Like George Lucas' classic, "Avatar" is an old-fashioned morality tale set on a land far far away, told through the use of first-rate technology. I am generally weary of films that make heavy use of CGI, but it is impossible to not be blown away by Cameron's technical wizardry. Cameron creates a stunningly beautiful world, a world filled with spectacular, colorful images.
The amazing special effects are not this film's only redeeming quality. "Avatar" is also aided by the strength of the two leads. Sam Worthington has an engaging screen personality, an actor who easily conveys emotion whether through live-action scenes or motion capture. The same can be said for Zoe Saldana, whose performance exists solely in the motion capture realm. Being confined to motion capture can be a constraining thing for an actor, but Saldana gives a moving, complex performance.
'Avatar" is not without its flaws. The screenplay by Cameron occasionally sinks to the level of sappy cliche, and with a bloated running time that approaches three hours, "Avatar" is about 30 minutes too long. Still, this movie is well-worth seeing, a splendid blockbuster that also serves as a gorgeous painting.
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