AVATAR

Nancy’s Movie Ratings:
•    Absolutely must see in the theater
•    Must see on Demand
•    Will see on an airplane if too tired to work
•    Might see on Demand if nothing else and really too tired to read
•    Might see if hospitalized for long recovery and have seen everything else
•    Will definitely see if in prison and the only film playing

I wanted to see Avatar only because James Cameron is a genius and I didn’t think he would make a dud. I had serious reservations though because I hated George Lucas’s “Star Wars,” and I did not see Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings,” nor did I have a modicum of interest in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books or films. I just do not gravitate toward fantasy.

The most compelling reason for me to see “Avatar” in a theater was the fact that it was 3-D. I also am a fan of Sigourney Weaver and was looking forward to seeing her again. She never disappoints.

“Avatar” is the story of Jake Sully a paraplegic ex-Marine who takes his dead brother’s place on a mission on an alien planet of Pandora, 4.3 million light years from Earth, that is being mined by corporate interests (something about a mineral rock that is worth zillions of dollars per ounce, or some such). The obstacle to obtaining the rock is the Na’vi people, giant blue skinned, human-looking creatures with cat noses, tails, and ears that twitch and move. Divided into clans across the planet, they are determined to fight the “sky people” (humans).

Jake and his boss, the scientist Dr. Grace Augustine (Weaver) are cross bred into genetically created hybrids of human-Na’vi’s who look exactly like Na’vi’s but can breathe on Pandora. They are bred so that they can be sent on regular missions to infiltrate the Na’vi people and obtain their trust. Dr. Augustine has her own agenda, as she would like to preserve the Na’vi culture and save their planet from being destroyed by corporate interests.

Jake and Dr. Augustine are “linked” to their Na’vi bodies by going into a chamber somewhat like a tanning bed. They are then able to activate the Na’vi bodies and live through them. And so they venture from base into the jungle planet of Pandora.

In case someone reading this has not seen “Avatar” I won’t go into any more details. It’s a spectacularly fun movie to watch because of the mind-blowing 3-D effects and the fresh and stunning art direction (namely the jungle foliage and creatures). “Avatar” delivers significant messages (somewhat clumsily, although this can be forgiven) about how badly we screwed up our own planet, in particular the sacrilegious way we have decimated our precious rain forests, and our sins against humanity, namely Native Americans.

Nancy’s Movie Rating:
 Absolutely must see in the theater.