First : The praises
Brilliant! Breakthrough in digital film making! Many thanks for funding and experimenting with the technology used in this film, now we can finally get rid of all our egoistic actors. “Epic”, says a friend of mine, sure it is for those who can appreciate the technology behind it.
Second : The Critic (with a grin on my face)
I like to talk about the films that I watch. Some films are not even worth getting a mention. A critic’s mind is built upon life experiences and film knowledge that he / her possesses. For example, when I claim that Avatar’s recurring theme music is the same one that James Horner played in Enemy at the Gates (ref. The Tractor Factory, at 0:18), you’ll know I know what I am talking about.
I was in awe when another friend of mine pointed out to me that Avatar’s Pandora is a future version of Disney’s Atlantis. He was smart to point out how in the later, mercenaries go to grab the Heart from the people of Atlantis.
While watching Avatar, there are so many moments when you feel like, “Haven’t I seen the same in some other film?” It’s just the visual effects that make the movie, enjoyable. Even though the Na’vi language’s vocabulary, Pandora’s layout map, its variety of species/flora/fauna, and magnificence are in no way close to Lord of the Rings, I have to make special mention of the amount of creative input that must have gone into the making of this film!
Third : Why do most people claim this film to be an EPIC?
These are people who are intensely targeted by smart brained marketers and advertisers. Those of you who know the Bollywood industry would know better. The trick to box office success is to sell the idea that the movie is an awesome piece of art, even before the film is done with shooting. That’s how studios get funding!
Even before you realise it, you are sipping out of Avatar labelled soft drink cans, watching the new sneak peeks and trailers over and over again, going through all visual effects magazines and blogs to find more about the technology they have used, and through all these clever strategies that the studio executives have injected into your social life, you have sold the film’s success onto yourself. All that’s needed is for the film to be mediocre enough to make you paint that last star on your review.
Fourth : Casting and Characters
James Cameron has always given life to the lesser known actors by pitting them in powerful roles that are supported by some time tested veterans. Titanic saw the rise to fame of Leonardo and Kate Winslet, while the likes of Kathy Bates, Bill Paxton, and Bernard Hill supported to maintain the balance of the cast. Sadly, the only saving grace for Avatar comes in the form of Dr. Grace (aptly named) played by Sigourney Weaver.
Epic movies require a cast that the audience can relate with, whereas the viewers of Avatar were left to the mercy of one-dimensional characters in a three-dimensional movie! If you are expecting a Jack being supported by Molly Brown or Jack saving Rose moment, there is nothing of that sort that Avatar would offer.
Finale!
Though the review sounds like I hated the movie Avatar, the truth is, I liked it. I just liked it and didn’t love it. Movies like Gladiator, LOTR, and Saving Private Ryan can be certified as Epics. They shake-up the audience while the credits roll up. Avatar, fails at it.
Image from Avatar’s Flickr stream
