There's a very fine line between a great movie and a fantastic one. It's about the width of difference between a Grade 1 and a Distinction in CXC. Of course, a great movie and a fantastic movie can both walk away with 5 out of 5 stars.

However, while a great movie has you seeing and hearing characters that you'd like to get to know, a fantastic movie shows you people that you've grown to know, grown to love, and want to know so much better.

Avatar is the story of a crippled marine veteran, Corporal Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) who has been offered a tour to an Earth-like planet, Pandora.

His twin brother, a scientist who was trained to pilot user-specific humanoid bodies called 'Avatars', died and Jake Sully  is brought on as a replacement pilot.The scientists need him to continue their Avatar project and get closer to a nearby clan of the native race of Pandora, the Na'vi.

What comes next is Jake's story of discovery, both of the world around him and of himself, which makes him into a warrior, a lover, and a leader.

As soon as we are introduced to the world of Pandora, we see the great detail placed on creating the world. Immense thought was put into everything from the flora and fauna to even the air, and the way both the humans and the Na'vi interact with it all.

The world is exciting, eye-catching and jaw-dropping in every aspect and for every second.  Everything that's there is closely based on what we know. It seems familiar, but is different enough to inspire intrigue from the audience.

Along with the world itself are its inhabitants, the Na'vi. From their language to their rituals to their very anatomy, they help to make the immersive world of Pandora grip us even tighter.

The bond with nature that we remember from Pocahontas is even stronger here, because the Na'vi are capable of actually interacting with the world around them in a way that is as interesting as it is unique.

The 3-D option attached to the film makes the planet that already envelops our mind to grab our eyes as well. While most 3-D films just emphasize the action scenes, Avatar sprinkles a generous amount on the entire film, showing off both the action and the beautiful backgound.

This movie was actually first set for release in 1999, but writer and director James Cameron (Director of The Terminator, Titanic) thought that the technology couldn't keep up with his vision. So after Titanic he took a break from feature films until he could develop the filming technology himself.

And that's exactly what he managed to do. His very own Reality Camera system, combined with virtual camera filming and an expanded motion capture stage, allows for what would've just been the same old computer graphics to seem just like life, but larger than. So much so that the human experience feels dull and bland to the vivid and gripping one of the Na'vi.

The film's emphasis on a well-developed universe does not sacrifice its acting, however. Sigourney Weaver plays Dr. Grace Augustine, one of the few humans who understand the world of the Na'vi and its importance to them.

Her distaste of the humans' attempts to run the Na'vi out of their home is decently portrayed as she supports Worthington in the movie.

Credit must go to the female lead character of the film, Zoe Saldaña (Drumline, Star Trek), who plays Na'vi princess Neytiri. She feels sincere and credible as part of the tribe. Her every hiss and cry feels authentic and well-placed, and it is her intense emotions that, at points, pull the movie together.

Honorable mention must also be given to the spiritual mother of the clan, Mo'at (C. C. H. Pounder), who is not underplayed as a minor character. In many ways, her presence is strongly felt on-screen, and contributes to the emotions of the scenes she appears in.

However, with the emphasis on Pandora, many supporting characters, such as Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and Trudy Chacon (Michelle Rodriguez) do not feel whole considering their short play in the film and their existence used solely to either support or antagonize.

Altogether, this film is solid movie gold. What was destined to be a fantastic film with an effective cast and touching script placed in a well-developed universe went up a couple dozen notches with the introduction of a unique 3-D filming system. Not to mention the directing of the amazing James Cameron, who evidently still has the touch from a 12-year hiatus from feature films.

We get a chance to get surrounded by a whole world, the people of which we would love to get to know. And we will when Cameron presents us with his two sequels. Sounds like a distinction to me.

Avatar

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver

Running Time:  161 minutes [2hrs, 41mins]

5/5 stars

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