My first review, and I’ll be covering the phenomenom that is Avatar.

I’ve heard a lot of comments about this film not living up to expectations because of the story, I’m hopefully going to show people why this film is still generally deserving of its huge gross.

While the story is fairly predictable, it is not what the film presents itself with. After watching the trailer, I remember thinking how visually stunning and innovative the film looked and I’m sure others can agree with me there. James Cameron did a fantastic job at almost perfectly blending 3D technology with a new and mind boggling world, and to anyone who hasn’t heard, will repeat in the next installment. I think it is better to judge the film on what it presents itself with, and thats the visual aspect.

The film wastes no time in engaging us in something alien. Starting somewhere different and using almost everything original was a good move because it allows no comparisons and we can be totally immersed in Pandora. The choice of environment and limited colour scheme really helps to show the monotony of their life, which is wonderfully contrasted later on.

The first moment I felt my mouth drop was surprisingly in the science lab, for me one of the best moments in the movie from a 3D perspective. From the rotating monitors to the giant map table, the 3D element is well used and looks realistic, dominating the cinematography.

But for me the best part of this film, and I have noticed this in some other films recently, such as District 9, is that you get a sense of this actually happening and it being treated as if it were everyday life. This mirrors in the audience and all plays a part in taking people along for the ride. I personally believe this is the crucial element in it being taken seriously and not far fetched.

 I have to say, one of my favourite aspects was the soundtrack. The mixture of choral and instrumental reinforced the events beautifully and at some points I felt myself welling up from the emotion it draws from you.

 And finally, the Na’vi. Unfortunately, I felt there was a little to be desired in terms of the imagination behind the characters. Although they are striking, the fact that they are primarily feline does give them a sense of not being truly alien (height and blueness aside here). Though it was a dedicated idea to create a new language we had not heard before and to incorporate it very well into the human storyline, it was probably one of the few things not totally unexpected. Though I’m probably being picky =P

Despite this, I still maintain that Avatar is a fantastic film and I would recommend watching it if you’re one of the very few who havent already. Visually stunning and emotionally gripping, this film is still monumental in film history and I do honestly believe it will be remembered for the right reasons. After all, it did shout “come watch me, I’m beautiful to look at.”