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Before I start with my review of the film I wanted to say that I have read nine other reviews of the film both positive and a few negative and I wanted to tell my readers right from the start that this film is similar in many ways to Dances with Wolves, The Last Samurai with some elements of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within mixed in there.
There is no IMAX or 3D theater within fifty miles of my house so I saw the movie the traditional way in theater without 3D glasses or IMAX screen. I heard from some that the 3D experience is mind blowing and others that the 3D glasses can hurt your eyes and cause serious strain and headaches for wearing them for such a long film.
After seeing Avatar last night in theaters with my wife and six year old I can honestly tell my readers that this movie is now among my top five of all time. If you let it, the the movie will completely immerses you in the world of Pandora and you will learn and witness a culture and people that though inspired by Native Americans and other Earth civilizations is entirely different and more in tune with the environment and nature around them than anything possible here on Earth.
James Cameron had hired a linguist to develop a completely new language for the Na’Vi and you as an audience feel as if you are watching a real culture and people rather than the stunning CGI effects of these giant feline like humanoids. From the earliest scenes where the marines, ships and equipment are very reminiscent of James Cameron’s Aliens which also starred Sigourney Weaver you learn why humans have travelled and keep transporting back and forth between Earth and the moon known as Pandora. The world in which Pandora rotates could very well have been Neptune as it is a blue gas giant that is always in the sky above the jungle planet.
I wont’ go into the details of what the film is about as you can read that from IMDB.com, but instead focus on what I liked about the film, and I can honestly tell you that there was nothing I didn’t like about the film. The world of Pandora is beautiful and mysterious but extremely deadly, not only to human beings who can’t breath the toxic air, but the animals and creatures inhabiting the world are a danger to the Na’Vi themselves.
I loved how the Na’Vi people had a symbiotic relationship with the world around them, and by having a kind of neurological link system at the extension of their hair they were able to physically link to creatures and plant life around them and be able to communicate telepathically with those objects they “linked” to. This was something I had not witnessed in the film before and was truly creative and inspiring.
The film goes one step further to express that all living things are connected and that the souls of the dead still live on in the life around us. They live and pay homage to the tree of ancestors which literally contains the souls and spirits of the people who have lived before. Jake Sully the marine paraplegic who connects with the Avatar originally created for his twin brother connects with it and can hear the voices of the past people at one point in the film.
I fell in love with the Na’Vi as a people and literally was captured by the romance that slowly bloomed between Jake Sully and Neytiri as she was tasked with showing him the ways of the people. It was very much like The Last Samurai except rather than being peaceful, Neytiri is savage, powerful and rash.
Much like Dances with Wolves, Jake Sully falls in love with the people and becomes a part of them willing to side with them against his own people (A truly difficult task since he is only there by connection of technology and when the plug is pulled his Avatar body falls to the ground lifeless, while his weaker human body is helpless to assist the Na’Vi).
Unlike those other films I compare it to where Technology and advanced civilization reign supreme, the world of Pandora herself will not let that same fate happen to her. The film has a climactic and triumphant ending that ironically leaves an audience of humans cheering that the humans were defeated by an alien race.
Avatar is a movie for anyone who loves Fantasy movies, Science Fiction Movies, Cultural Drama’s and more, at two hours and forty minutes I was standing with the audience applauding at the end and wished the film had been longer. Dragon Blogger rates this film 5 out of 5 stars and is among one of the best films ever made as both a Sci-Fi film and the story of a culture being attacked and overrun by an advanced society not taking the time to understand and learn about them. This film had some scary moments and bad language scattered throughout, but my six year old was able to watch the film unscathed and if you let your kids watch Iron Man then they should be fine watching this film.
-Dragon Blogger
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Tags: Avatar, avatar a great movie, avatar aliens, avatar is a good movie, avatar monsters, avatar movie, avatar pandora, avatar people, Avatar Review, Avatar the best film, creatures in avatar, feline na'vi, is avatar a good movie, jake sully, James Cameron Avatar, movie avatar, na'vi, neytiri, pandora in avatar, Review of Avatar
December 19th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Waiting this movie arrive on my country bro. Check this one out. Its about benefits for commenting activities.
http://www.famousbloggers.net/comments-benefits.html
Latief@AnotherBlogger´s last blog ..Famous Bloggers Contest Effects
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December 19th, 2009 at 8:27 am
I was happy to see that you reviewed Avatar! I just saw an advertisement the other day and I’ve been wanting to see it ever since. FABULOUS review. Yours always take things to the next level. I too particularly enjoy the spirituality in some movies and like to take a bit more away than simple entertainment from time to time. I can’t wait to see Avatar!
Heather Kephart´s last blog ..Places not to put your Diet Coke
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December 19th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Now I really want to see AVATAR, it’s on in 3D by us so I’m going to try and get to see it next week, just before my Christmas Holiday break away
Karen @ Blazing Minds´s last blog ..It’s Rage Against The Machine vs The X Factor but how about Remergence!
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December 19th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
[...] the original here: Dragon Blogger Review of Avatar on Dragon Blogger Related [...]
December 19th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Did the sound of the Na’Vi language seem artificial or awkward ?
pcd2k´s last blog ..Arc by Holon
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December 19th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Not at all it sounded fantastic and real and lifelike. The language was lovely to listen to, and my son couldn’t keep up with reading the subtitles but loved hearing the “alien words” and was able to know exactly what was going on by the expressions and mannerisms.
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December 20th, 2009 at 10:49 am
I really liked the movie. I saw the movie on Saturday. I wish I saw it in 3D. Greg Ellison
Greg Ellison´s last blog ..Went to See the Movie Avatar
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December 20th, 2009 at 10:51 am
I want to see it in 3D as well just to say I saw it both ways, I know I want to see it a 2nd time, the movie is still fresh in my mind.
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December 20th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Quite hated the film. All it had was creatures(so called people) of an immaterial world with fake Hollywood cliches.
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December 20th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I did read your review and commented, I think your review and article was very well written from an article point of view, but completely shows that you don’t “lose” yourself in the story of a film, but instead always stand on the outside looking at it from an outsider judging what the director should have and shouldn’t have done, without being a part of the story. Enjoyed reading your article and it only made me appreciate the film more, rather than make me find faults in it.
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December 22nd, 2009 at 7:40 pm
great review man, yea i loved literally every aspect of the film, and i’d drive the 50 miled for the 3d version..hahaha..it’s worth it. i saw it in 2d first and then in 3d the next day and i missed soo much in the 2d version i was astonished, it was like a completely different movie.
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December 23rd, 2009 at 8:16 am
I know, my 6 year old and I want to see it again in 3D before it leaves theaters. We may have to do that next week.
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December 28th, 2009 at 8:43 am
It’s an awesome movie, and I really think it’s worth the effort to see in 3D. Simply amazing.
I wonder about kids though. My six yo is begging us to let him watch it, but I just think the 3D may be too overwhelmingly realistic for him to digest. These kids are 3D savvy (so many animated movies for children were released in 3D lately), but still…
Anne @ b6s.net´s last blog ..How Will the Movie Avatar Effect the Internet
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December 28th, 2009 at 9:10 am
My six year old saw it in 2D and I am taking him to see it in 3D on Wednesday this week. He was able to handle the film, and was mature enough. That is not saying all 6 year olds are though.
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December 29th, 2009 at 6:41 am
As I figured, most of the plot was revealed in the 3 and a half minute trailer. There aren’t really many surprises that await you. Of the few surprises that do exist, one scene – a mating scene – was quite unexpected yet skillfully done so as not to seem awkward. The script is the film’s biggest downfall, however. The script was rushed at the beginning, when it should have taken its time to unfold the story, and it slows down during the middle of the film when it really should have been picking up the pace.
Watch Movies Online´s last blog ..Watch Yes Man Online
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January 6th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
You forgot the Matrix. Dances with wolves, Last Samurai and The Matrix.
I myself didn’t like this movie. Although the graphics were incredible, I thought it had little substance.
read Kaja@Insanity Rocks´s article about Boskops | A Hominoid That Was Smarter Than Humans?
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January 6th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
I didn’t see that much similarity to the Matrix, other than people “connecting” in and controlling an Avatar, the similarities ended there.
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January 9th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Great review. I’m glad there are people who recognize this film for the wonder that it is.
truth
Avatar=AWESOME
/truth
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January 14th, 2010 at 2:26 am
I finally got to see AVATAR last night and it was awesome, the 3D was spectacular, the film was just amazing, I agree with you and would also rate it 5 out of 5
read Karen @ Blazing Minds´s article about Blazing Minds Interviews Blogger, Benjamin Lang
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January 14th, 2010 at 6:57 am
Really glad you saw it, I still need to see it in 3D
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January 14th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Agreed, its an awesome movie! Also definitely go see it in 3D, cannot express just how good it is…
In a non-obvious ‘OMG there’s something coming out of the screen!’ way too. Its subtle, but definitely adds something to the film.
Definitely a 5/5 and my current favourite film
read Heather´s article about Falling Feathers Part One: Hair and Fur Effect
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January 14th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Cool, yeah. I read it is the #2 worldwide grossing movie of all time right now behind Titanic.
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January 29th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Avatar was great, but I’m still a fan of all the classic SciFi’s ): Star Trek! Star Wars! I just added them to my rental queue..BTW, I found this promo code for two weeks of free DVD deliveries at Blockbuster…check it out: http://www-freeoffer.net/Blockbuster
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April 22nd, 2010 at 9:50 am
I like the Avatar 3D movie, especially the story line, not only it brings a totally new sensation but inspiring thoughts of humanity. I heard the New Avatar 2 is comming soon, can’t wait to watch it again…!
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April 22nd, 2010 at 10:34 am
I like the Avatar 3D movie, especially the story line, not only it brings a very new feelings but inspiring ideas of humanity. I heard the New Avatar 2 is comming soon, cannot wait to watch it again…!
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