Nothing can be more spectacular than a sci-fi movie especially when it comes to the special effects. Seen as an escape from reality into the world of future where human beings prove their supremacy time and again bashing up all the baddies from galaxy to galaxy, achieving immortality on the way, is an oft repeated theme, one that most movie makers of Hollywood take advantage of, thereby making a kill at the box office.
James Camerons Avatar was no exception which raked in millions while the audience watched goggle eyed. The fantastic story featuring Navi, a humanoid creatures living in Pandora unfolds amidst spectacular effects and the distant world of 2154 proves to be lucrative for all involved in the project. Avatar has now proved its mettle by smashing all box office records across US and Canada. Their successes in other parts of the world are not minor either! This resulted in the film makers cashing in on to the success by releasing it once again this time in 3D. The move paid off with the film becoming the highest grosser till date surpassing the $2 billion mark with ease. Avatar went on to bag three Academy Awards including the one on Best Visual Effects after being nominated in nine categories. The debate that ensued over the 2D versus the 3D version continues to rage on
2D or 3D? Which one do you favor? The sedate viewing when the characters stay confined to the screen or the one that has the protagonists and other actors leaping out at you while you try to cower in your seat, eyes covered by special eye glasses? Well, there are arguments and arguments with some swearing by the first form while the others wax eloquent about the other. There is a sizable population of movie goers too, who have watched both and cannot quite decide for themselves.
Battles on the Screen- Most of the die hard Avatar fans did not really find the battle scenes to be superior in the much hyped 3D version. The aircrafts that were used for the war as well as the helicopters engaged in the conflict that lasted all of 15 minutes seemed as striking in the 2D version as the one that went tri-dimensional. However, the associated effects of raindrops falling and the ash resulting from the ebbing flames on the battlefield were definitely an improvement over the 2D one. The entire effect helped in creating the atmosphere making the viewers feel as if they were a part of the battle too. The tentacles of the soul tree is yet another feature that you may miss out in the ordinary version of the movie. The floating seed pods completed the effect by making you want to brush them away from the front of your face.
Unpleasant 3D Moments- The fans who were pretty much excited about being able to watch the paraplegic protagonist Jake Sully travel through space to his final destination, the universe of Pandora felt let down by the 3D effects. Nothing seemed out of ordinary and the entire scene lacked depth, feel the audience. Critics say that moving through space in 3D was certainly not an improvement over the 2D version. In fact, they looked horribly similar!
Viewing- Being able to watch the movie without the aid of glasses can prove to be a pleasanter experience at times. Especially so when you have to strain your eyes in order to see the 3D images while your vision takes time to get adjusted. Some of the viewers complained of an eye strain while others found themselves staring at double figures all the way.
Cinematographic Errors- A number of errors becomes prominent when you sit down to watch Avatar in all its 3D glory. The trees look unreal for one while the discrepancy of the plants swaying to breeze while the ferns remain perfectly still is something that cast aspersions over the realistic nature of the scene in question. The character sizes particularly those of the fictitious Navi leave much to be desired as they are shown to be significantly bigger than the ordinary human beings whereas the size of their hands remain the same as that of their human adversaries.
-- Kornika Ganguly / Sampurn Wire