Avatar Rules!

Just two days after Christmas, my brother and I were able to watch Avatar at Imax SM North. At first I was reluctant because 1.) I am not a big fan of sci-fi and 2.) I’d rather spend my P400 shopping. But after more than 2 hours of watching Avatar, I was enamored and more than impressed by the movie, especially the visual effects. Indeed, James Cameron has taken American film making to a higher notch.

Watching the film was like being in a trance, being in an exclusive world so pristine and magical that you would never want to go back into reality again (The last movie which had that effect on me was LOTR-The Fellowship of the Ring). Pandora(a lush, tropical earth-sized moon) was sooooo beautiful that I would like to go there and be an Avatar myself (I thought it was more beautiful than Rivendell, for the LOTR fans). Also, James Cameron did a good job in making the Avatars more human than the real actors (IMHO). So for some who haven’t watched the film yet, here are some pointers (not spoilers ha):

1. The plot is like Pocahontas + a little like Lord of the Rings + Warcraft rolled into one (don’t worry, I won’t tell how the story progressed hehe).

2. On a more serious note, the film reminds me of US colonization, how American imperialism resulted more to long term damage than progress to its colonies, not only to native culture but also to the environment.

3. Likewise, the film also reminds me of the capital lessons we learned in our Law and Environment class: a.) Everything is interconnected , b.) Everything has to go somewhere, c.) Everything has a price and lastly, d.) Nature has the last say

4. For the girls: the lead male character Jake Sully, portrayed by Sam Worthington is really hot (think Ben Affleck + Orlando Bloom).

5. For the guys: well, it’s sort of like warcraft (hehe). Seriously, it’s sci-fi + action at its finest :)

I just love how the marriage of technology and entertainment would result in movie magic. No wonder it garnered $278 million in weekend box office revenue during its release. I wish Philippine cinema will also reach this level of film sophistication. Ang galing! I want to watch it all over again :)

(Sixth entry)