About Avatar

Avatar, directed by James Cameron, is a groundbreaking film that was released in 2009. Set in the year 2154, the film's storyline revolves around Pandora, an inhabited extra-terrestrial world filled with unique life forms. The RDA Corporation, seeking a valuable mineral named 'unobtanium', strives to clear the planet's resources, leading to conflict with the native species, the Na'vi. The storyline follows Jake Sully, a paraplegic former marine, who operates an 'avatar' — a human/Na'vi hybrid — to interact with the locals.

Making / Production

Directed by James Cameron, the film's groundbreaking visual effects, including revolutionary motion-capture techniques and photo-realistic rendering of alien environments, set a new standard for CGI in film. Avatar took several years to develop, with Cameron writing a 114-page scriptment for the film in 1994. However, he felt the technology of the time was not yet ready to bring his vision to life, and it wasn't until early 2006 that principal photography began.

Actors and Their Roles

• Sam Worthington as Jake Sully: A paraplegic former Marine who becomes an operator of an Avatar. Worthington brought a genuine mixture of toughness and vulnerability to the role.
• Zoe Saldana as Neytiri: A Na'vi princess. Saldana’s performance captured the essence of an indigenous warrior leader, delivering a heartfelt, soulful performance in an entirely CGI character.
• Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine: An avatar operator and scientist. Weaver provided a strong, focused counterpoint to the corporate and military forces seeking to exploit the Na'vi.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• James Cameron was convinced that CGI technology had finally caught up with his imagination after seeing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
• The design of the Na'vi - particularly their blue skin and large eyes - was inspired by a dream that James Cameron's mother had told him about.

Awards

Avatar broke numerous box office records and earned a plethora of awards. Some of its notable achievements include winning three Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects. It was also nominated for nine British Academy Film Awards, winning two for Production Design and Special Visual Effects.

Notable Quotes

• "I see you." - The traditional Na'vi greeting
• "This is our land!" - Jake Sully

Music and Soundtrack

• The film's score and soundtrack were composed by James Horner, who previously worked with Cameron on Titanic. The music was intended to evoke the film's alien setting while remaining grounded in human emotion.
• "I See You", the film's theme song performed by Leona Lewis, was nominated for a Golden Globe.