The Seventies generation had “Star Wars”. Or “Star Trek”, depending on which camp you hailed from. The Nineties children had “The Matrix.” Kids growing up around the world today will have “Avatar”.
Forget the literature-inspired “The Lord of the Rings”, the Harry Potter saga and creatures from Narnia that appealed to a cult of loyal followers. “Avatar” seems poised for greater glory and mass hysteria, if early reviews are to be believed. James Cameron's much-awaited 3D-epic lives up to all the promise, going by the buzz generated at the early preview for the media last morning at Sathyam Cinemas, the first screening in the country. The morning showers didn't deter the chosen few who got to the hall by nine to watch the film, dubbed in Tamil. In spite of funny-sounding lines such as ‘Nee Yenga Tamil Pesa Kathukita? Augustian School Liya,' the film struck a chord with the audience that rose to applaud the film when the credits rolled at the end. With visual effects never seen before in the history of cinema, “Avatar” wowed movie-buffs and had them craving for a 3D IMAX screen in Chennai, just so that they can get to enter the mesmerising world of Pandora inhabited by the Na'vi, a peace-loving tribe that believes in being one with Nature. “Avatar” is the story of Jake Sully, a paraplegic ex-marine who is sent by humans to the Na'vi in a 3-D Avatar (while his physical self is plugged in, pretty much like Bruce Willis in “Surrogates”) to infiltrate the tribe and get them to vacate the land since it's rich in unobtainium, something the corrupt military has its eyes set on. After spending time with the Na'vi and falling in love with princess Neytiri, Jake becomes one of them and finds his loyalties changing. But can he and a bunch of people with bows and arrows stop an army of invaders with daisy cutters? Think Iraq, Afghanistan... And suddenly, Pandora doesn't seem too distant for a sci-fiction adventure film that has its heart in its right place.
The film, starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Giovanni Ribisi will premiere for a select audience at Sathyam tonight. “Avatar” releases on Friday. Might just be a good idea to book a ticket.
