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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/moviereview/5348868.cms
Film: Avatar
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver
Genre: Action
Direction: James Cameron
Duration: 2 hours 43 minutes
Critic Rating:
| Readers’ rating : |
Story: Circa 2154. The US army lands up in Pandora, an earth-sized moon in outer space. Their objective: to extract the much-needed minerals from Pandora’s soil. But before they can do that, they must fight the peace-loving indigenous inhabitants of the alien world, relocate or destroy them with their spies and bombs.
Movie Review : And we thought sinking the Titanic was a titan task! Well, this time round, James Cameron chooses to play god and creates a whole new world with such exquisite finesse, aesthete and eye for detail, he almost takes your breath away. In terms of sheer technology, Avatar marks the coming of age of both CGI and 3-D cinema with its art house special effects and its shock and awe treatment.
On the one hand, it’s the sheer iridescence of the canvas and the never-before contours of the creatures, the flora, the fauna flying across the screen that makes you marvel at how computers can augment creativity; on the other, it is the umpteen times you jump back to avoid the arrows, the guns or slide away from the floating dandelions and fierce raptors that leaves you completely mesmerised with this brand new cinematic experience. Truly, Cameron’s vision of Pandora is pure art, with its tall, wide-eyed, slender, blue Na’vi people, it’s post-modern creatures and its verdant greens.
But more than all this, it is Cameron’s cry against war and violence that makes Avatar an eloquent testimonial to the present. Mercifully, the film isn’t visual extravaganza alone; it has a meaningful story too that could end up making this magnum opus a modern-day parable for pacifists, climatologists, humanists, globalists…. For the filmmaker openly indicts America for its post 9/11 expansionist policies and clearly states: “when people are sitting on shit that you want, you make them your enemies. That is the only way you justify taking the stuff away from them!” Stuff? Minerals, here. Oil, in the real world.
It’s a simple story, told straight. In this futuristic world, the US Armed Forces discover a source of priceless minerals in Pandora, a distant moon orbiting a star. They want to send in their troops to tame the indigenous Na’vi people, before extracting the minerals. But before they send their daisy-cutters and rocket launchers, they send in humans who have been transformed into Na’vi look-a-likes (they call them avatars) to infiltrate the peace-loving race and learn about their weaknesses and strengths. Enter, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a paraplegic marine, who is promised a pair of legs for betraying the pacifists of Pandora. It doesn’t take long before Jake falls in love with the beautiful Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), the daughter of the Na’vi chief, and turns rogue on his own people. Can’t blame him really, specially since his boss, Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is a mean, macabre, war-mongerer who treats every non-American as “a fly-bitten savage, living on trees.”
Avatar is indeed a complete cinematic experience, with cinematographer Mauro Fiore, music director James Horner and special effects maestro Joe Letteri joining hands with director/screenwriter James Cameron to create a strong and visually-stirring plea to save the world, before it is too late. And the only way the human species can do it is by abdicating its destructive tendencies. For Indophiles and Indian philosophy enthusiasts, Avatar is a whole treatise on Indianism, from the very word `Avatar’ itself. Add to this the blue-skinned, monkey-tailed, god-like Na’vi race and the linkages could be endless….
A word about:
Performances: Surprisingly, there are no big names in Cameron’s cast, but the characters are all credible and attention-grabbing. Both Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana sculpt a warm love story as the blue-skinned human avtar and Na’vi woman. The film also marks the return of Sigourney Weaver in another tryst with aliens.
Music: James Horner composes a fine music score that has a fusion blend of both Oriental and the Occidental notes.
Cinematography: Pandora is a visual paradise, with each fern, each dandelion etched out in detail. Kudos to Mauro Fiore for this spledid tribute to Mother Nature.
Story: Cameron’s story is both timely and topical with a strong anti-war statement finely blended with the evergreen romance between a human and an alien.
Dialogue: Simple, straight, yet hard-hitting, some of the lines are laced with humour too.
Special Effects: Absolutely first rate…Avatar justifies its bloated budget of being billed as the most expensive Hollywood film at approximately $500 million.
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This is a three months old news...The previous news said 35 cr for 3 years now its saying for two ...
I liked the tunes and Akshay's expressions in the song. Housefull looks to be coming true to its name. 
Saundarya Bhagyalakshmi Venkateshwari Basapparao???!!??
YAWN!!!
Sajid, its about time you learn some new gags to make ppl laugh!! 
"next is what??"
My name is Karan Johar and I am not gay.... 
Thank You God :-) I was having a miserable day up until now. :-)
and Thank You Tiger. 
Aamir came too late! He should have come twenty years ago.His attempts to recover lost ground and match the others ...
Source- fake news times !
LOL!!!
Bura Na mano Holi Hai !!! 
I think the 35 crores deal is very, very high. Yes, it is 17.5 crores for one year. And I ...
Now 35 Crore for two years contract means 17.5 Cr per year.
This is still a very very big amount , ...
ăbzee 17 December 2009
09:21:38 pm
On the one hand, it’s the sheer iridescence of the canvas and the never-before contours of the creatures, the flora, the fauna flying across the screen that makes you marvel at how computers can augment creativity; on the other, it is the umpteen times you jump back to avoid the arrows, the guns or slide away from the floating dandelions and fierce raptors that leaves you completely mesmerised with this brand new cinematic experience.
That one time early on in the film when a gun is pointed straight at the camera, everyone jumped out of their seats at my screening! And the grass that keeps sliding across the edges of the screen is pure magic.
Angels and Belds 17 December 2009
09:39:11 pm
wheres ur review dude? going next week for this. trying my best to dent 3I’s business
NyKavi 18 December 2009
12:37:01 am
Just got back FDFS in 3D.
Beta.. this is a phaaaaaaaaadooooooooooo movie!!! Totally out of this world, unbelievable. just cant describe the exhilirating experience of this movie. It has to be seen in 3D, not sure it can work that well in 1D.
The story is heavily inspired from Dances with the Wolves and real life events like Iraq/Vietnam etc. So no great shakes in the story, but its the awesome experience of it which takes the breath away. Everything described above in the review and by Abzee, the effect is mesmerizing. The theatre I went to was housefull, and folks gave an ovation in the end. This movie is going to be a huge hit globally.
3Idiots ka to toast ho jayega, if desi audiences connect with it. Only impediment is that the heroine (the blue Navi princess Nyetri) is naked throughout, which may not sit well with family audiences in India. But other than that, this movie can suck the life out of any bwood starrer out there. VVC/Ak better be prepared for this onslaught!
Akshay 18 December 2009
01:09:27 am
This would have zero impact on 3I business within India, on the contrary Avtar’s prospect would be restricted because of release of 3I.
Beld – You do whatever best you can do to hurt 3I’s prospect. I kinda had a clue and have booked around 100 tickets for 26th afternoon show. My contribution to VVC fund
ăbzee 18 December 2009
01:19:35 am
Well, I don’t know if Avatar will affect 3I’s business or not. I just have one concern though. Avatar is on its way to have almost housefull shows right until next Sunday. And at most places the tickets are priced heavily, i.e. between Rs 200 and Rs 350. At IMAX where it has around 7 shows a day, the tickets are a whopping Rs 500! And yet, it’s all housefull. Now, I know families and friends who set aside a particular sum for the cinemas every month. If a family of 4 chooses to go see Avatar at IMAX, that means Rs 2000. I doubt if that family will go see another movie at the theatres within a week’s time. So while I’m not sure how much impact Avatar might have on 3I, I am concerned that a reasonable amount of people might bring it down to a choice- not see Avatar now and wait for 3I, or see Avatar (especially more because it’s a 3D film and the experience won’t be the same on home video, unlike 3I which might give you the same experience at home…all the more since Hirani has never been a ‘visual’ filmmaker, so its not like 3I will have any earth-shattering visuals) and wait for 3I to come on DVD or see it in the 2nd week. Just speculative!
ăbzee 18 December 2009
01:21:16 am
it has to be seen in 3D, not sure it can work that well in 1D.
I think you meant 2D, not 1D!
I(d)I(o)T 18 December 2009
02:33:59 am
BTW 3 Idiots booking has started. On Bookmyshow – Mumbai Fun Cinemas. Expecting it to open everywhere in sometime or till tomm.
Angels and Belds 18 December 2009
02:41:54 am
lol akshay – can i buy a couple tickets from you
nyk – u have me all excited on this
.
>>the blue Navi princess Nyetri
any relation to our own prince Nykavi…?
I(d)I(o)T 18 December 2009
04:03:41 am
Yes Avatar has huge advance bookings. 3I Bangalore friday for rex cinemas sold out.
No I am not going to give a running commentary
cticize 18 December 2009
06:22:41 am
Well i doubt AVATAR going any further than 2012, the movie is kinda slow in between with the best action kept for the finale. However its a spectacle and can only be enjoyed in 3D, that limits the potential of the movie coz i can clearly see its just another film in a non 3D screen.
3I is well prepared for any onslaught
.
NyKavi 18 December 2009
07:03:20 am
Yes Abzee, I meant 2D. Btw, is there a 1D?
I think lack of 3D screens in India may be a saving factor for 3I. For sure, live animation and the real would be much better blended in the 3D view. A 2D movie would become just another movie that could be seen on a big screen HDTV as well.
Akshay 18 December 2009
08:56:10 am
Beld – by the way this is my reason for buying 100 tickets
http://www.vinfotech.com/Idiots
A Little crazy idea !!
ali 18 December 2009
09:42:53 am
wow Akshay what an idea.
More Power to u.
Hats off.
Angels and Belds 18 December 2009
08:28:40 pm
brilliant idea akshay (or should i say gimmick
)
what all one has to do to get and retain talent in India! some day I will tell u my experiences!