It might feel like an entire lifetime has passed since James Cameron's Avatar premiered in theaters back in 2009, but even so, the legendary filmmaker's colorful sci-fi epic still holds up -- visually, at least. The 4K HDR remaster brings Pandora and its native Na'vi back to theater screens as audiences have never seen them before, and Avatar remains a must-see when it comes to true cinematic experiences. Given the ubiquity of large-scale VFX-driven films, that's saying something.

Avatar follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a paraplegic Marine who accepts a place in the Resources Development Administration's (RDA) Avatar Program, replacing his late twin brother, Tom. He is taken to Pandora, which the RDA is mining for a rare and valuable mineral called unobtainium. In order to navigate the moon's hostile environment safely, the scientists are given human-hybrid Na'vi bodies to inhabit. During his time on Pandora, he bonds with the native Na'vi through the Omaticaya Clan Chief's daughter, Neytiri (Zoë Saldana). As he embraces them and starts to understand their way of life, his loyalty and attachment to humankind come into question.

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Avatar-Neytiri-Header

When the film originally premiered, it was lauded as being a visual effects masterpiece using groundbreaking motion-capture technology. At the time, that might have been true, and it was undoubtedly successful in capturing the attention of audiences around the globe. Anyone who has seen the film since on Disney+ will know those effects, while still vibrant and beautiful, may not have aged well enough to continue competing with the likes of modern sci-fi franchises. The remastered sound and visual effects of the re-release were just the shot of vitality Avatar needed to stand on its own, without the support of the fond memories many viewers might have. However, it's inconsistent. The remaster shines brightest in certain scenes, which play out smoothly and in crisp quality. Then it's back to standard definition for a lot of the film. The change is noticeable, though not entirely disruptive.

For audiences who missed the 2009 release, Avatar is still likely to stand as a singular experience, if only because mainstream cinema hasn't quite seen an immersive alien world like Pandora in the years that followed the premiere. James Cameron is a master of visual detail. All the effort and planning that goes into that shows very clearly in Avatar. The flora and fauna of Pandora feel very much alive (credit to the stallions and mares that provided motion capture for the direhorses), so much so that it's easy to forget a world like that doesn't actually exist while audiences are watching.

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The Na'vi from Avatar

Avatar is a gorgeous movie aided by a breathtaking soundtrack composed by the late, award-winning James Horner, but it isn't without its flaws. While some of those flaws might have been almost forgivable back in 2009, they are vastly more difficult to ignore now. The film has drawn many comparisons to stories and titles such as Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves over the years, and with good reason. That's not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself; after all, there are few truly unique stories in mainstream cinema, and Avatar has plenty of good qualities to make up for any perceived lack of originality. However, the elements that make up the sci-fi film's story will most certainly be viewed through a more modern lens.

The movie's environmental and anti-corporation messages are still relevant, albeit lacking in nuance, but it's difficult to appreciate those messages when it's throwing a horde of antiquated tropes at viewers -- namely, the white-savior trope and the clear inspiration drawn from exoticized Native American societies and cultures. Of course, none of this is new. Audiences have been calling attention to it and debating it since 2009. Just as the toruk is back and even flashier than before, so too are the questionable statements Avatar seems to make about race and colonialism.

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Avatar's Colonel Quaritch

Some audiences might be able to ignore that and enjoy the film for what it is. Avatar isn't entirely interested in telling a unique and compelling story. That might be the whole reason why its main antagonists are a greedy, suited capitalist and cartoonishly evil military colonel. Its greatest strengths are the fantastical, alien beasts that the Na'vi ride or the powerful mechs and gunships used by the film's evil corporation, and it knows that.

Audiences aren't really going to be interested in the story of Jake Sully, who all the chief's direhorses and all the chief's men can't save from being a forgettable generic action protagonist, or the RDA's search for the ill-defined mineral and lazily-named unobtainium. They might enjoy the performances of Avatar's passionate, charismatic stars like Saldana and Sigourney Weaver, but ultimately that all pales in comparison to Pandora itself and everything it has to showcase. Cameron has Weta Workshop to thank for that.

It's the sense of wonder that comes from now-remastered sights, sounds, and a sense of connection across that moon in Alpha Centauri that will draw views to the Avatar remaster. That's what had a lot of moviegoers obsessed with the film over 10 years ago when it was first released, and that's what is likely to win over new audiences now that it's been revitalized. Fans of the franchise can only hope that, now that Avatar has once again firmly established the world of the Na'vi, the upcoming sequel can give its inhabitants something that runs more than just blue skin-deep.

A Naavi face next to Jake Sully's face superimposed on the planet Pandora on the Avatar Official Movie Poster
Avatar
Science Fiction
8
10

A paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.

Release Date
December 18, 2009
Director
James Cameron
Cast
Sam Worthington , Zoe Saldana , Stephen Lang
Runtime
162 minutes

The remastered release of James Cameron's Avatar is in theaters now.