“An iconic movie heightened by an incredible orchestra”
In 2009 James Cameron’s Avatar took the cinema world by storm, raking in $2.92billion globally and becoming the highest grossing movie in history. The blockbuster was 15 years in development, and showcased a level of CGI and special effects that wowed audiences in movie theatres across the globe. For me, Avatar is my earliest memory of watching a movie in 3D at the cinema. I vividly remember sitting in a row with my family, aged 11, 3D glasses on, reaching out in amazement, dazzled by the magical plants which seemed to pop out of the screen before me.
Avatar is a thrilling, action-packed sci-fi. Jake, a paraplegic marine, replaces his scientist brother on a mission to Pandora, a planet home to the Na’vi people. His quest is to be accepted by the natives as one of their own, so that he can negotiate the terms of their relocation, but as he falls in love with their way of life he must decide where his loyalties lie.
The Royal Albert Hall screened Avatar as part of its Films in Concert Series. This screening was dedicated to James Horner, composer of Avatar‘s incredible score, and Oscar-winning producer Jon Landau, who worked for decades alongside Cameron.
Projected onto the big screen in this iconic building, the movie was brought to the next level with live musical accompaniment from the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, the National Youth Choir and soloists Eric Rigler and Eleanor Grant, conducted by Ludwig Wicki. The score for Avatar was nominated for Best Original Score at the 82nd Academy Awards, and the song ‘I See You’ was nominated as Best Original Song at the 67th Golden Globes. This was a truly incredible experience. The music throughout the show is powerful. The tribal-esque piece ‘Pandora’ featuring whistling and choral singing really sets the scene for the planet, and the exciting and uplifting ‘Jake’s first flight’ makes you wish that you were there on Pandora, riding on the back of an Ikran amongst the floating mountains. The percussion during the tense battle scenes is powerful and intense. With over one hundred musicians on the stage, it really is next level and dictates the atmosphere of each scene. Sometimes it’s hard to choose which to watch – the movie or the musicians.
Avatar is an undeniable masterpiece, with quality directing from James Cameron and a brilliant cast. Zoe Saldana is fantastic as Neytiri, a skilled mo-cap actress conveying incredible raw emotion. Sam Worthington makes for a strong Jake Sully, while supporting actors Sigourney Weaver (Grace), Michelle Rodriguez (Trudy) and Joel David Moore (Norm) are inspiring as a troupe of rebellious scientists. Stephen Lang is the epitome of evil as Miles Quaritch, while Giovanni Ribisi disgusts us as Parker Selfridge, both skilled performers. A real stand-out for me is the character Mo’at, played by CCH Pounder.
The story of Avatar is a retelling of the European colonisation of the Americas. The aliens (humans), are after one thing: Unobtanium, a natural material with incredible monetary value. The colonisers are determined to steal the land from the natives for monetary gain, no matter the cost. Seventeen years on from my family trip to the ODEON, sitting in the Royal Albert Hall, the full weight of the film finally hit me. This is a film about genocide. Space travel aside, this is a very real story which is unfolding in various parts of our planet today. As I watched Na’vi mothers with their babies in arms, covered in ash and running from bombs that were destroying their home, I was overwhelmingly reminded of the images which I see coming from Gaza every day, plastered throughout my Instagram feed. In Parker Selfridge’s obsession with Unobtanium I see the plight of the people of Congo, children forced to mine material for smartphones. It is difficult not to draw comparisons between the story of Avatar when the same atrocities are being committed in our lived reality. Avatar sends a very clear moral message against violence and greed, and encourages respect for nature, land and indigenous/native people. A movie such as this, accessible to children with such a clear message is so important. If only more of us could learn from it.
Other upcoming Films in Concert events at the Royal Albert Hall include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in Concert (1st-3rd November); Home Alone in Concert (7th December) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (25th April).
Great review for a fantastic evening. You forgot to add the surprising but magical ‘curtain call’ moment where Sigourney Weaver and James Cameron came on stage at the end to receive the well deserved ovation from the audience.