Take on an Avatar, if you must…

As Avatar wrapped up with its final credits rolling on the big screen, I wiped the tears in my eyes quickly before my movie partner could notice I was tearing. I could not explain the reason for the tears in my eyes to her, I doubt she would understand. In fact I doubt anyone would understand the impact Avatar had on me. Is it possible that 3 hours can change your life?

Before going for the movie, I heard mixed reviews from people around me. Some said it is possibly the best movie of 2009, some told me to be ready for a Tamil movie storyline. Hey, but I like Tamil movies so I took the risk, and came out wondering if there can ever be another movie like it.

Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, a paraplegic ex-Marine who is sent to the planet Pandora, replacing his dead twin brother, to take on an avatar. The avatars come in the form of the native people of Pandora, called the Na’vi. The purpose of the avatars: to make the Na’vi relocate from their habitat, which is teeming with a metal so precious it costs $20mil per kilo.

I am guessing you can roughly estimate where the story goes next. Alright, I admit the characters’ depth and the plot was not thorough and at times predictable, but I assure you these are only minor setbacks and in the end, you might just end up rooting for the protagonist and the Na’vi.

Sometime during the movie I wondered why they made the human Jake a paraplegic, and then I realised it is those without feet who do not take it for granted, who would give their life just to feel the soft grass and grainy sands beneath their feet. It is them who would be able to truly appreciate the beauty and vastness of Mother Nature.

James Cameron created a Pandora so visually astounding and surreal, you would feel like it almost exists somewhere in universe, surrounded by its own peace and beauty. Everything in Pandora is connected, from the people to the plants to the animals, a biological connection so minute yet so deep, we humans will never be able to understand it.

The human race is good at one thing for sure: creating damage and destroying worlds, like Jake Sully says: “They have already killed their Mother on Earth, and now they are here to kill yours.” Avatar shows us that greed and power may take us to places we cannot imagine, but it is love and unity that will keep us at our rightful places.

The tears from my eyes that fell for the sheer beauty of Pandora and the Na’vi made me wonder if Earth once looked like that before we raped it with our selfish intentions and need for power. I can tell you one thing, if they ever offer Na’vi language lesson on Earth, I will be the first to enroll for the class.