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I
can’t complain too
much, because if I
were Fox, I would do
the exact same
thing… the highest
grossing movie of
all time got two
runs through
theatres, one the
original version of
the movie and the
other with an
extended version
with eight extra
minutes. Is it that
surprising that it
gets two DVD/Blu-ray
releases in the same
year too? Not
really. Just in time
for Christmas, Fox
puts out
Avatar
on a (Three Disc
Extended Collector’s
Edition.) This
version of the movie
is a three disc DVD
that includes the
original version of
the film, the
extended version
with eight extra
minutes, and the
super-extended
version with an
additional 16
minutes. Plus there
are some bonus
features on the
third disc of the
release that Avatar
fans will love.
In
Avatar
Jake Sully is a
grunt. He’s an
ex-marine that
suffered a high cost
for his duties. He
lost the use of his
legs. He’s paralyzed
from the waist down
but he hasn’t let it
get him down too
much. When Jake’s
twin brother dies,
Jake gets the
opportunity to take
over for him in a
mining company’s
avatar program. His
DNA is combined with
alien DNA to make a
unique creature that
Jake can ‘pilot.’
Jake flies out on a
spacecraft to the
planet of Pandora.
The planet is being
overrun by humans
for its natural
resources. It’s
filled with all
kinds of plant life
and species foreign
to humans and an
indigenous people
called the Navi. The
Navi worship the
world that they live
on and aren’t fans
of the humans that
are digging up their
ground and killing
their land.
Jake lands on
Pandora and gets put
to work in the
avatar program. The
Avatar program is
the big
corporation’s way of
making peace with
the native Navi.
They’ve mixed Navi
DNA with human DNA
and produced bodies
that can be
temporarily piloted
by humans. Jake’s
brother was supposed
to pilot an avatar.
But since he died,
it’s up to Jake to
take over for his
brother.
So Jake is an
avatar, but he
doesn't belong in
the program. He's
not a scientist.
That's not who he is
and that's not who
he's about. When he
first meets the Navi
people he says that
he's a warrior and
not a scientist. The
Navi people embrace
the first warrior of
the 'sky people' and
they seek to show
him their ways. Jake
learns to be one of
the Navi
and embraces
everything about the
people. But he knows
that his people and
the Navi don't mix
and he knows that no
matter what he does.
Things are going to
end badly. He goes
through
inner-conflict and
then normal conflict
trying to save
Pandora and The Navi.
This Special Edition
Collector’s DVD
release has three
discs. The first two
discs house this
ridiculously long
movie with the extra
16 minutes being
installed in or
filtered out with
different viewing
options. On the
third disc are four
big special features
including a big 90
minute documentary
that goes through
all of the secrets
of making the film.
That 90 minute
making of is worth
the purchase of this
release for any
Avatar fan, that and
the additional 16
minutes will make
them happy.
Fox
will ride the
Avatar
train for the next
ten years… then it
will ride it for
another 10 years.
And really who could
blame them. It makes
a ton of money… a
TON of money. It’s
not only a cash cow
though; it’s a
ground breaking film
from James Cameron.
He did a tremendous
job with the film
and the special
effects are nothing
short of amazing.
There’s a reason why
this movie has
gathered so many
fans, it’s because
it is an incredible
adventure. These
fans will be more
than happy with this
DVD release as well.
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