Avatar Movie Analysis (Paul Hernandez)

                                                        Avatar (Paul Hernandez)

            Avatar is another film by James Cameron that has had huge amounts of success in the film industry. Avatar was released in 2009.and was the highest grossing movie of all time. It happened to also be the first movie to make 2 billion dollars at the box office. The film was mainly CGI but had a huge impact with the 3d platform of the film. The use of CGI is a large factor to the success of the film along with James Cameron use of various techniques to achieve his goal when making Avatar. Cameron also uses various techniques that help set up scenes in his film especially in action packed scenes. Another factor is Cameron’s style of directing he adds his very own trademarks in his films.  

            Avatar’s theme is a typical clashing between two different cultures. The film story displays conflict with an indigenous tribe of Pandora and the invading humans. Avatar is very hegemonic; the military forces try to force their culture to get a rare mineral which ends up being the Na vi’s sacred deity. Once the military realizes that the Na vi have refused, they force war on the tribe. Avatar also expresses differences in cultures when it comes to nature. I think the fact that the film storyline as being a science fiction film allows CGI to take advantage and create this new world for viewers. Cameron tends to have a re occurring theme in his films. The films usually deal with the focus or idea of war and machines. In Avatar the entire movie is filled mechanical machines from weapons to spacecrafts as well as in his previous films such as Aliens and Terminator. Cameron’s films mention or use machinery whether it is   against aliens or machines. 

The use of CGI brings people to this new world called Pandora, allowing digital creators to make Pandora appear how ever they want. The use of CGI brings the audience into a different mindset and scenery all around. The CGI involved allows for viewers to be stunned, a lot of work was put into the details in the film. The film uses CGI to help with every aspect of the animated film such as characters, creatures, weapons, and elements of nature. For example everything in Avatar is huge, the mountains, the trees, the animals and various other elements in the movie. The use of CGI allows a feeling that anything can happen or something new is always ready to be seen. The use of CGI really makes the film standout from characters, to color, to action packed scenes along with a few film techniques along the way.

A trademark that James Cameron seems to use in his films is the strong use of  a female characters. Majority of Cameron’s films have a clear focus on strong women having a role in the story. His past films featured strong independent women such as Linda Hamilton who played Sarah Connor in Terminator and Terminator 2. Hamilton’s character as Sarah Connor displays her role as being a rebel fighter. Connor is a woman who is very protective of her child and very courageous at the same time. Cameron has also used Sigourney Weaver to play a powerful woman role in his films as well. Sigourney Weaver had a strong part in the film Aliens where she is at constant struggle for survival and fights aliens to continue living while on the spacecraft.  Weaver’s role in Avatar is also a strong independent woman who has authority and is not afraid to show it. Her professional status as being a Professor on the Na vi culture makes her a women of authority, a person that people look up to as well as a person that people look for answers.

            James Cameron also incorporates a strong physicality to his performers in the film. By reinforcing his characters with training exercises this allows the film to be more real and natural when watching the film.  The military and the native tribe both underwent specific training exercises that help prepare the characters physically and mentally for their roles in the film. Exercises such as particular fighting styles, running and riding horses are just a few examples of the necessary performances that were need to acquire the look and feel of Avatar. Cameron has several techniques that he uses when filming that help make a scene more dynamic. Scenes that involve physicality allow Cameron to utilize certain techniques and make the scene pop out.  For example Cameron likes to use slow motion shots in various scenes slow motion shots add dynamism to scenes. I think scenes with slow motion had to be a factor because it made objects pop out when the film was released in theatres in 3d making the most out of the 3d experience.. There are numerous of scenes in the film such as the character Jake. Jake is running away from the creature in the jungle and as he jumps of the cliff in to a waterfall the slow motion scene occurs.  The moment between predator and prey is displayed the moment Jake jumps into the air, time is slowed down to show the audience how close Jake was to getting attacked. Another scene that utilizes slow motion is the big climatic battle at the end of the film. As the war between the Native tribes of Pandora fight the invading military forces slow motion scenes occur as people, creatures and ships are blowing up and dying. The slow motion techniques add yet more dynamic feel allowing the viewer to see the movie in hindsight.

Overall Avatar is a great film that has broadened the idea of 3 d projection as well as technological advances in visual effects that can make films more visually stunning as well as stretch the conventions of film in numerous ways. The use of CGI allows for ones imagination to become reality and allows future directors a chance to present new material in a new a creative way. Cameron’s style of directing is also noticed by many with the uses of stunning visuals and Cameron’s directing style only makes him one of the most sought after directors in the film industry.