Movie Review: “Avatar”(Dec 2009); Cast: Sam Worthington, Zo Saldana, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver; Director: James Cameron; Rating: **** -”Avatar” is a film that leaves you ‘nishabd’ (speechless).

James Cameron may have placed this story on a moon called Pandora with alien characters (known as Na’vi) that could have belonged to human race if not being double the size, a longer face, sharper features, blue body, white fluorescent marks on the face and tail at the back.

Still, emotions felt are just the same where Na’vis fight for their land, people, pride and right to live.

In a way, the story is no different from what locals may feel in any part of the world when outsiders make an attempt to make inroads into their land to gain hold of their resources. This is what happens to Na’vis as well when their peaceful existence is challenged with American troops entering their world to gain hold of precious minerals worth billions.

While they send one of their men (Sam Worthington) to Pandora by turning him into a Na’vi avatar so that he can understand the way of the natives and talk them into handing over their land, they also nurture a plan of their own.

With round of talks merely being a cover to understand how Na’vis feel and react, there is a deadly operation brewing in the background that would has a single point agenda of destroying and winning.

“Avatar” is an admirable effort because not even once viewers feel that it’s an ‘alien story’ (pun intended) being told. There is a love story brewing between Sam’s Na’vi avatar with the Pandora princess (Zo Saldana) and soon he discovers an altogether new world. Literally. He wages a battle of his own with support from a handful of friends from ’sky people’ along with tribe members and animals belonging to all shapes and sizes.

The story conveys that Cameron is a big fan of Bollywood films from the 60s and the 70s. Just like his last effort “Titanic” which was as Bollywood as it gets, even “Avatar” has quite a few Hindi film references if one starts plotting them on paper.

After watching “Avatar”, the question of paramount importance is – what does one pick and what is it that should be left behind the experience that goes by the name of “Avatar”?

Does one admire Cameron for the sheer vision that he has put to tremendous use in the making of “Avatar”? Does one pick up each and every frame in the film and start bisecting it for every pixel which has been designed to perfection? Or does one silently nod in approval for the familiar world of love, brotherhood, attachment, greed, misunderstandings and the ultimate reunion where spirit of togetherness is the ultimate winner?

In short, “Avatar” is not a film to be seen and then talked about. It’s one to be experienced.

Joginder Tuteja