James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi film Avatar had redefined the syntax of filmmaking. Cameron had conceived Avatar way back in 1995 but did not have the technology to bring the magical land of Pandora to life.
Thirteen years after Avatar released in an immersive 3D experience, Cameron is returning with the sequel to this Academy award-winning visual extravaganza. Avatar: The Way of Water is due for release this December but before that — as if to rejig our memory and relive the look and feel of the first film — Cameron has re-released Avatar in a remastered version.
As I re-watched Avatar in 4K technology in the multiplex, I was transported back in time while going through the same roller-coaster of sadness, anger, joy and hope. Here are four reasons why Avatar remains an entertainer and why we can’t wait to see what happens next in The Way of Water.
The backstory
Avatar is set in 2154 AD in Pandora, a moon of Polyphemus, one of the three gas giants that orbit Alpha Centauri A, located 4.3 light years from Earth. Humans are colonising Pandora, which is home to the Na’vi, an indigenous humanoid race. Pandora has vast reserves of unobtainium, a valuable mineral that is essential for solving an energy crisis on Earth. The tree, Omaticaya, which is the home of the Na’vi, is the main source of this mineral. The Pandorian atmosphere is unbreathable for humans. Scientists have created genetically engineered human-Na’vi hybrids called Avatars, which they use to interact with Na’vis and gain their trust.
The story unfolds when Jake Sully, an ex-US marine, who has been paralysed waist down after sustaining injuries on a mission, arrives in Pandora. His twin brother was part of the Avatar programme, but was killed. Jake must take his place. As Jake takes control of his Avatar body, he is enticed by his ability to walk again. One day while scouting the forest, he gets separated from his peers. There he meets Neytiri, a young Na’vi princess. Neytiri introduces Jake to his clan, who then assimilates himself among the natives. Jake must choose between his love — for Neytiri and the Na’vi people, and his duty — and that forms the rest of the story.
The world building
When Avatar released in immersive 3D technology in 2009, it was something novel. It sparked off a craze among filmmakers to release their films in 3D technology, though most of it ended up being a marketing gimmick.
In Avatar, 3D was used for the world building that was derived from the story and, in the remastered 4K High Dynamic Range format, the immersive experience gets even better. The life forms in Pandora seem more marvellous — from the six-legged, wolf-like creature to the banshees, the glowing wasps to the skimwings – which are reminiscent of life on Earth and yet are so different. The ambient sound of Pandora also feels close to Earth, as if one is in the Amazon forest or in Africa.
Cameron even created a completely new Na’vi language for the tribe.
The background score
Cameron teamed up with James Horner again after Titanic for the score of Avatar. Horner used many offbeat instruments, apart from keyboards and percussions, to create a unique sound. This elevated the visual experience to a whole new level.
The inherent message
Though it looks like a technological marvel, at its heart Avatar is a social commentary on how human greed is destroying our natural habitat and heritage. Thirteen years since the film’s release, the message is more relevant with the disastrous consequences of climate becoming more apparent. Film critics also read the film as Cameron’s protest against the American invasion of Iraq.
