The world I want to live in

James Cameron is a genius. I missed Avatar the first time it came out, so I was ridiculously excited when it was recently re-released. I’ve just come back from the IMAX in London and I was blown away by the film.

From the very beginning, you are visually bombarded with stunning scenes. Pandora, the world belonging to the Na'vi, the blue aliens, is truly amazing.

It’s the colours which first take your breath away. Water and plant life are fantastically bright and they glow in the dark. There was one scene where the main character, Jake Sully, is captivated by a large clump of glowing coral-coloured flowers. He reaches out to stroke one and it quickly retracts into its shell, so he tries to touch another and soon sets off a chain, and all the flowers in the patch hide away. It was a beautiful and touching scene and I could feel Sully’s amazement and shared it with him.

Another feature I loved, not just because of the forest’s beauty, occurred when the characters were running. Whether it was on a tree branch or the forest floor, where their feet landed the surrounding area would glow a beautiful bright colour. I was constantly amazed by the interaction between nature and the Na'vi.

It was these little details that added something else to the film. The soft, hypnotic movement of the seeds from the sacred tree. Subtle shadows fall on the Na'vi from nearby trees and the bright spots on their faces are like glowing embers. Everything looks so delicate and has been created with great detail.

I wasn’t just amazed by Cameron’s portrayal of Pandora, but also by his visualisation of future human technology. Another of my favourite scenes was one of the first, when Sully is awoken from an induced coma, along with thousands of others each in their own capsule. Thousands of rows of capsules can be seen and it’s remarkably believable like everything else in the film. The 3D effects made Avatar incredibly realistic, drawing you further into the story and didn’t at all help my vertigo.

I found the contrast in the portrayal of the two races intriguing: the humans are violent and devious, whilst the Na'vi are harmonious and peaceful. I felt this was reflected in each race’s environment: the humans surrounded by machinery and bland, dark colours whilst the Na’vi live in a colourful, naturally magical world.

Despite the fact the plot may not be the most original, this really is an amazing film. I can’t express how much I admire Cameron for the dedication he has shown in producing Avatar. His attention to detail working with scientists, illustrators and linguistic experts to create his own world and language for the Na'vi all prove that Cameron is the ultimate perfectionist.

In every scene, it’s hard to focus on one aspect as there’s so much to take in and study. Not once did my attention waver, and I honestly cannot wait to see what Cameron comes up with in the sequel. Thank goodness there are two more films on the way!