Now and Then.

Who the...?

Harendra Kapur.
Kyra Mathews.
Tejas Menon.



Ello All,


This post is a bit overdue but after watching it for a second time today, I realised James Cameron's Avatar did not deserve to go un-reviewed any longer.


For months now Tejas has been banging on about the movie and it's revolutionary technology and how it had the potential to change the landscape of film making. Personally, I was sceptical. Mostly because watching films like Ninja Assassin made me think that there was little left to revolutionise in modern cinematography and motion capturing. Specially not something worth a 12 year wait.


And then I saw it.


We don't usually swear on this blog but $#%&.


You know how Roald Dahl can take the simplest of stories and enchant them with wit and irony? Well, James Cameron's done the same damn thing only he's used unbelievable CGI and an overwhelming attention to detail.


The story line is simple and some could even say cliche. But no film, that has ever used any of the plot elements here before, be it aliens, romance, action, nature or the future, has ever told a story as beautifully as Cameron's team has done here.


The twin analogies of 'making' war for profit and the destruction of our ecosystem are put across in, till now, the most effective way I've ever seen. The idea behind "Tsahelu" a physical bond through energy (in the film through fat nerves coming out of your pony tail) to the planet and world that one lives in is possibly my favorite idea for the next few years.


But it's the attention to detail that makes this movie so immense. The tools and materials used by the "Na'vi" tribe, the language they came up with, the almost infinite inhabitants and elements in that incredible forest (The glowing had me gaping...) the little things about the aliens, such as the fact that all their animals have six legs (I suspect that has something to do with lower gravity...) and the fact that the real aliens have three fingers while the Avatars have four, all come together and make this film so incredibly HUGE I don't feel even slightly bad saying it's one of the defining movies of this decade.


In terms of acting I must say Sam Worthington doesn't make me cringe anymore. In fact he was quite freaking awesome in his 'Avatar'. The stand out performance for me though was that of Zoe Saldana who has quite swiftly become one of my favorite actresses. I suggest we all look out for her. From the looks of it she's one of the few raw, ballsy actors out there.


For now, go and have yourself a thorougly fulfilling 3-D experience. And a Happy New Year!


Ps. Long time no post. Apologies but you know how it is- you're trying to get into a big new course so you start arbitrarily checking people for hypertension and revolutionise Indian Radio. Good times.


3 responses to "Avatar: A Review"

  1. i agree! awesome movie
    a cliched story but amazing colours, loved the glittery thing and also the detailing.. there are scenes when you can see the stomach of the tribes moving when they breath and i also enjoyed the whole "spirituality" thingy in it .. lol.. had to say it harry.


    PS:i know how it is- you're trying to get into a big new course so you start arbitrarily checking people for hypertension. lol..

    Isha

  2. Ah the fundamentalist within will always prevail. No but the detailing was ridiculous. I found the dilating pupils and fruit designs particularly awesome.

    Ps. Ahaha you actually do know better than most!

    Harry

  3. Touche. And what a friggin music score! That alone, for me, was worth it. I know everyone's past the stage of ooh-aahing about the movie, but I just watched it!

    Mehvash

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