Kops Korner

One of the most explosive science fiction epic silver screen films to make its debut in the year 2009 is James Cameron’s futuristic motion picture: AVATAR! Set in the year 2154 on Pandora of the planet Polyphemus, a moon in the Alpha Centauri star system (α Centauri / α Cen); (also known as Rigil Kentaurus, Rigil Kent, or Toliman.) The Binary Star System Alpha Centauri AB (α Cen AB), of which Alpha Centauri A (α Cen A) is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus, is 4.37 light years away from our Sun.

With an all-star cast: Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, C.C. H. Pounder, Wes Studi, Laz Alonso, and Peter Mensah, Cameron pens a futuristic scientific epic story of history repeating itself. Surrounded by the Na'vi People (a fictional race of indigenous humanoids who live on Pandora) the RDA Corporation, having employed U.S. Marines and traveled to Pandora, wages an all out war against the peace loving indigenous people to destroy them for the valuable mineral called unobtanium located on their planet beneath their sacred home (an energy source in which RDA wants to acquire;) a repeat of the historical destruction of the indigenous Native American Indians for their land.

In their pursuance of this acquisition they genetically engineer Avatars (part humans and part Na'vi) an incarnation of a human's intelligence into a remotely located biologically engineered body of the Na'vi People. Through the Avatars they are able to breathe, walk, interact, learn and live as a real Na'vi. The physical characteristics of the Na'vi mesmerized me alone and hypnotized me into wanting to see this film, so I did…two times!

Oh how I fell in love with Pandora! The nature side of me was in awe with the Flora, plant-life like: the carnivorous plant, the puffball tree, the honeycomb home tree, the Tree of Souls, and the Tree of Voices (the voices of their ancestors.) And my animal loving passions engaged me in wonderment at the Fauna, animal-like creatures: the Direhorse (a six-legged alien Clydesdale,) the Great Leonopteryx (an airborne predator,) and the Hexapede (deer-like creatures.) The Na'vi Language (created specifically for this movie) and the Na'vi’s devotion to Eywa, their Mother Goddess, reminds you a lot of the American Indians. "I See You" was the Na'vi's way of saying I can see the heart of you. The exotic rain forest atmosphere of Pandora, the harmony between humanoid species, animals, and plant life seduces one to yet dream and hope for a utopian world of beauty and peace. The dedication and commitment of the Na'vi People to their way of life, even at the threat of extinction (like the Native Americans) were remarkable and historic. The tenacity to fight, even though they were primitive in their arsenal of weapons against their enemy, and their reliance upon their spiritual beliefs, spoke of a dying breed. And yes, ahh yes, the innocent heart-felt unfolding romantic chronicle of the unsuspecting love chemistry between Avatar Jake Sully and Na'vi Neytiri was beyond price.

Despite the fact that this was a fictional saga, nevertheless, the many messages tucked away in this nearly three hour long movie left me so full with imagination, a re-commitment to my dreams, and an innate strength to fight against personal destructive tyranny. This is a film for all ages, it has comedy, romance, history, triumph, science-fiction, special effects, drama, action, suspense, and it brings awareness to the fact that all species have knowledge of “One” who is the Creator of all Life. I could not recommend this film enough as the all-time film of the year! I have seen this film in the regular version and in the IMAX 3D version. I have to hurry and scramble to see the regular 3D version before it is gone from the theaters for good. I See You and I’ll see you at the theaters!