Unless you've been orbiting the Earth in cryogenic sleep for the past twelve months, there's very little chance you haven't yet seen Avatar, now the highest grossing movie of all time.
James Cameron's technological breakthroughs allowed him to make convincing use of 3-D cameras, if only to provide the most immersive experience for his loyal audience. They, in turn, rewarded him with repeat viewings, and excellent word of mouth.
So, you may ask yourself, after having seen this incredibly lush tale packed with fantastic vistas and visual wonders, why would anyone want to sit through another 2 hours and 45 minutes (or more, with added footage) of this film, if we've already seen it twice?
Well, let me tell ya, there are several reasons.
What to Look For in the Avatar Extended Edition 3-Disc Bluray
Cameron is notoriously known for his perseverance and ambition when it comes to getting the exact movie he wants on film. As such, we've all heard tales of cast members recounting some rough moments on set (actors and crew on The Abyss has started calling the film The Abuse.)
What people must remember, however, is that such a reported type of behaviour is a director's prerogative. Besides, most actors who've worked with Cameron have gone on record stating that the film got better as a result.
We, as the audience, get to enjoy the fruits of such hard work. Be it from not having seen a half dozen actors working opposite nothing more than a sea of green screens, or from not having spent days in cold water reliving the greatest sea disaster of all time, as viewers we get to be the selfish recipients of what can only be deemed a generous offering of additional content, when a movie hits the store shelves in the home video format.
Avatar is no exception. This latest release, dubbed "the extended edition" by Fox's marketing boys (and Cameron, naturally), redefines the meaning of generosity. In other words, if this edition doesn't have something for everyone, then it probably doesn't exist yet.
(Note: Actually, the sole element missing from this all-inclusive pack is a 3-D TV friendly format, which is rumoured to see a separate release in 2011.)And so, fans at home get to enjoy the possibility of three different cuts of the film: the original December 2009 release, seen by most; the longer cut offered by James Cameron this past summer; finally, as a show of thanks for all of the positive support he obtained from his grateful fans, a definitive extended home video cut, which clocks at about the three-hour mark. No big deal, time-wise, many a fanboy has already watched 4-hour versions of Lord of the Rings, and Titanic was 17 minutes longer.
The audience can now experience an extended start to the film, which goes back to the pre-flight moments, where Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is still on Earth, a polluted urban landscape not unlike that of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner: rainy, grimy and rough.
We get to witness Jake have a pair when he provokes a bar fight despite his wheelchair-bound status. This is a prelude to his rebellious nature seen on Pandora.
Other additional scenes worthy of note include some background on the relationship between Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) and the Na'Vi, including a tragic event which causes a rift between the humans and the natives.
Moreover, the much talked-about extended love scene between Jake and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) is also included; many have raised concerns about the hidden meaning of their ponytails connecting, alluding to an unspoken intimacy between the characters. Honestly, I don't see what the big fuss is about, as these same characters connect to myriad animals in the same exact fashion. Ergo, grow up, people. It's a movie.
Why Real Movie Fans Should Get Avatar Extended Edition
As I mentioned before, this isn't just another means for a filmmaker to line his pockets by re-issuing yet another special edition of a film that's been widely seen, only for the director to go back and reinvent the original product for the sake of further sales (yeah, I'm looking at you, Mr. Lucas).
If anything, the insertion of these additional scenes into the original flow of the first cut of Avatar feel more inclusive than intrusive, much like the fact that most completely forgot that they were watching a film that was, for all intents and purposes, over 90% computer-generated to begin with.
These extra scenes add meaning to the main characters' lives, adding richness to their complexities, outside of the subplot involving the obtention of the much discussed Unobtainium.
Don't have your fix after watching this newest, three-hour cut? No problem. James Cameron throws everything in (though no kitchen sink, sorry), including 45 minutes of deleted scenes, an impressive amount.
Don't feel the film's occasional harsh language is appropriate for the kids in your family? Not to worry, there's a "family friendly" option which allows for a cleaner experience. All in all, the three disc set gives you over eight hours of goodies, a boon given the original clamour by fans when the first bluray came out in April, looking quite bare.
This is a definite show of thanks from James Cameron, for having gone along for a decade-long ride towards a movie which has redefined science-fiction for the 21st Century.
Avatar Extended Edition Bluray: 4 out of 5
Dominic Messier - Dominic Messier is a Toronto-based Film & TV writer, Sci-Fi TV and Film Dramas Topic Editor, and creator of PopCultureLandscape.com
