Avatar - Something Missing

(2009) ★★★☆☆

Avatar is nothing special to be honest. The story's old fashioned. The creatures are familiar (why do they always have to have a head and limbs, or be dinosaur-like or human-like or stuff?). Things on Pandora are just like those in the primitive age on Earth. Oh, I forgot it's indeed the young James's sweet dream, coz you know he's been wanting to make such a thing since he was 14.

You get in the cinema, put on the glasses (if you go for the 3D version), and before you realize what's going on, you're in Pandora, where the air is toxic, and the habitants, the Navi are twice bigger than us humans. So humans create avatars (the human-Navi hybrids) with a view to socializing (I don't know if it's the correct word here) with the Navi and gaining their trust, for we humans, after depleting the resources on Earth, hanker after a Pandoran mineral called unobtainium. The Navi after all don't want to compromise, and move away from the Sacred Tree (I don't know how the Navi call it), under which a myriad of unobtainium is discovered. Okay, there goes the war naturally.

In the end, the Navi led by Jake Sully's (Sam Worthington) avatar win the battle over humans led by Colonel Mils Quaritch, so humans, with no choice, must get out of Pandora in shame. Last but not least, through a Navi's ritual, Jake transfers his ghost in the human shell to his own avatar (meaning there'd be a sequel or a prequel coming). Then Leona Lewis starts singing 'I See You'... what a turnoff (I miss you, Celine)!

Avatar's nothing more than a CG animated film to me. It'd be totally suitable for kids without the audacious scene in the middle and those vicious guns and machines, animals and humans. Sorry, kids, Pandora is just too harsh and dangerous for you though it ain't supposed to be as a matter of fact.

Avatar's undoubtedly the best CG film to date, but something seems to be missing. Something that would remind me it's a James Cameron's film-a good story told with impressive characters, and breathtaking, purposeful actions. Now I'm afraid, that 3D might kill cinema if someday people become too sick of it or CG effects, or say, they no longer care about cinematic storytelling.

The Academy may give Avatar a few awards for its technical achievements, but as for the Best Director or Best Picture bits? Quite a long shot I guess. Jim... I know you're a tree-hugger and an eco-warrior, but I'm sure you could've done better than this. So please put your feet back on the ground next time, and show us again, you're the 'King Of The World'.