Avatar: The First and Last 3D Movie I’ll Ever Watch
- Arius Tran
“The Na’vi say that every person is born twice. The second time is when you earn your place among The People forever.”
– Jake Sully
To me, Avatar was more than just a movie. At least in filmmaking terms, it was an ambassador of multiple new worlds: it represented Pandora, but it was also the first of a new species of 3D movie. Grossing almost $3 Billion worldwide, there’s no denying that Avatar earned a place for 3D movies among moviegoers. As a result, the above quote from Jake always resonated with me on multiple levels.
Fast-forward 13 years to the long-awaited, somewhat-unwanted 2nd movie of a now 4-film franchise, and you’ll find 3D movies in a much less comfortable spot. Sure, you might still find a handful of people who love them, but you’ll probably find more who accuse them of just being a gimmick to create hype and justify increasing movie ticket prices. As revenue from 3D movies has declined steeply since its peak in 2016, so too has the reputation and the lasting legacy of the once-groundbreaking film technique. But not with me – I’ll continue to love Avatar until I’m the last of my species, partially because it will probably be the only 3D movie I can ever watch.
Saying Hello and Goodbye to 3D
Shortly after seeing the movie, I began to develop issues with my sight and learned that I probably will not be able to experience future movies in 3D. Therefore Avatar will always remain one of my most iconic and most unique movie experiences. I was blown away by the immersive feeling 3D provided; I felt like I was transported to another world while watching it. I was enraptured from the opening credits to the emotional final scene, and it was the first time in my life seeing people in the entire cinema hall standing up, clapping and yelling almost in exactly the same moment. Like many people, my favorite movie experiences have as much to do with the electric feeling in the audience as they do the movies. In addition to 3D, Avatar will always represent the crowd factor for me.
Avatar was an ambassador of multiple new worlds: it represented Pandora, but it was also the first of a new species of 3D movie.
Oh Yeah, I Also Liked the Movie!
It’s definitely not my most popular movie opinion, but I actually loved the movie. Sorry not sorry! I found the story to be quite compelling and felt connected to it on a personal level.
Representation and Inspiration
I deeply appreciated the decision to make Sully a disabled war veteran, a group that is not represented enough in Hollywood. In our current culture I think we all view ourselves as having some impediment or injury that we wish we could be free of, but we struggle to overcome it. Watching Sully beat all the odds to overcome his challenges gave me the inspiration to face mine with more confidence, and also to accept myself for who I am. Perhaps the name of the planet was a bit too on-the-nose for some, but seeing Jake open a sort of “Pandora’s Box” by going off on his mission compelled me to face my own personal Pandoras.
A Fellow Wanderer
One of the central themes of the film is how to find your tribe when you don’t fit neatly into any of them. As Jake figures out who he really is, I could not help but feel deep empathy for him. As someone who has been a foreigner in a strange land, yet also felt like a foreigner in my own culture at times, I can truly speak from experience when I say that Jake’s journey is a profound one. To me, Avatar touches on the potential for all living things to live in harmony, regardless of differences in language or culture.
Avatar touches on the potential for all living things to live in harmony, regardless of differences in language or culture.
Last But Not Least: The Visuals Blew My Mind
If you’ve ever laid down on the earth staring up at the stars in the dark night sky, you can understand why the visuals of Avatar were undeniably the “star” of the show. Pandora glistened with pristine beauty in dazzling 3D, hammering home the reminder that nature is powerful, amazing, and fragile all at the same time.
Until the Next Revolution…
People often ask me if I’m saddened by no longer being able to experience 3D movies due to my vision. Of course, part of me regrets not being able to see other mind blowing 3D spectacles like Gravity, Life of Pi, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but I always answer with a resounding “no”! Thanks to Avatar, I feel totally content having been to the mountaintop of 3D movies, where I had a nice, long, breathtaking view. I will always be thankful I got to see at least one 3D movie, which is more than most movie lovers throughout history can say!
