From the beginning, James Cameron’s Avatar immerses you into a world of inexpressible splendor and untamed adventure. First, we meet the protagonist, ex-marine Jake Sully, who refuses to be encumbered by his paralysis and accepts type of “spy mission” to the planet Pandora. What he does not realize is that this mission will alter life as he knows it.


On Earth, all nations are experiencing the most severe economic depression in history, driving leaders to find some sort of outlet for relief and, possibly, the beginnings of prosperity. The discovery of Pandora and its abundant supply of the rarest, most expensive mineral in the universe, plutonium, was the answer to the prayers of humankind. However, the strange, foreign land and its seemingly bellicose natives make obtaining the mineral much for difficult than expected.

But a potential solution arrives with recent scientific innovations, which resulted in the ability of a person to both have a clone and shift his or her conscious mind to and from the clone if inside a special sleeping chamber, called a link (the intricacy and logic of the scientific knowledge, although fictional, is amazing!). In order to coerce the natives, the Na’vi, into allowing humans access to their plutonium, scientists developed clones (called Avatars) for the spies, like Jake, that look exactly like the Na’vi.

Once connected with his avatar, Jake sets out on a mission with other scientists in order to establish a relationship with the Na’vi. But in the dense, fantastical jungles of Pandora a fierce creature ambushes the group, scattering them. Jake is again attacked by monkey-like creatures drawn by his torch light, but a beautiful Na’vi female rescues him. Here, we receive our first glance into the innocence and harmony that marks the Na’vi way when the female, named Neytiri, apologizes to the souls of the creatures she killed to save Jake. At first she is infuriated with Jake for his foolishness and ignorance, but when floating creatures, sacred to their goddess, Eywa, show an affinity for Jake, Neytiri takes him to their village.

After being interrogated by the village’s chief, Neytiri’s father, Jake is allowed to learn the ways of the natives, keeping his true identity a secret. As he spends more time with them, Jake becomes completely won over by the gentle, adventurous Na’vi. The audience, too, undergoes a transformation from the perspective of human to Na’vi as Cameron’s Pandora reveals its breathtaking landscapes, fluorescent flora, and its complete harmony between nature and the natives. Jake even falls in love with Neytiri and they become mated for life in the sacred garden of Eywa.

However, Jake’s eternal bond to the Na’vi is jeopardized when the human invaders use the information he gave them to commence with their plan to obtain the plutonium, nestled beneath the Na’vi’s gigantic Home Tree, which connected the Na’vi to the planet. In one long, heart-wrenching scene, humans attack from the sky and manage to completely destroy Home Tree, along with the sacred gardens of Eywa. Suddenly, the audience realizes that their overwhelming sense of anger and devastation is caused by the atrocities committed by their own race! They’ve turned away from supporting the human quest to save the economy to empathizing with the natives, the innocent victims of human greed.

The epic battle and gripping suspense continue to the very end. Jake redeems himself from his betrayal by uniting all tribes on Pandora and leading the war against his race. After much devastation and many more action-packed scenes, the Na’vi forces are victorious and finally force humankind off of their planet. However, even after this there is one more scene filled with anticipation as Jake is the first to make the treacherous transition from human to Na’vi. After many long moments, Eywa grants him a new life in his avatar’s body and the entire Na’vi population rejoices with Jake’s conversion.

With constant suspense, fantastically imaginative scenery, and mind-boggling science, Avatar rose to the very top of my favorite movie list. I’m praying for a sequel!