While the majority of the people that saw James Cameron’s “Avatar†enjoyed it, evidenced by it’s 8.3 rating on IMDB.com, there were plenty of people who felt the beautiful special effects blinded the audience, making them forget that the story was essentially a modern-day retelling of stories like “Ferngully†and “Pocahontas.â€
With 16 more minutes of footage and a nice batch of extras, the Avatar- Extended Collector’s Edition three-disc-set may make them a fan of the film. With a new beginning and over 45 minutes of deleted scenes, director James Cameron’s vision is a bit different than what was originally showcased in theaters. Seeing a bit more of the life of Jake Sully [Sam Worthington] early on, viewers who complained the character was flat may think twice this time. Seeing his plight and his eventual overcoming of handicap and ultimate happiness, the film feels more like an underdog story than the one that was showed in theaters last year.
The added scenes also give us more of an insight into Grace Augustine’s character [Sigourney Weaver] and all the work she’s put into helping the people of Pandora. In the standard theatrical release, you see her as a devoted outreach worker, but after a few of these added scenes, an extra emotional element is added to her character, making Weaver’s performance much stronger and her character more important to the story.
While it may not be able to sway some people completely, it’s almost impossible to argue that this edition of the film isn’t a better movie than the theatrical release. For that reason, this may be the best version to purchase for those who are already fans of the film.
Included in this three disc set are the original theatrical edition, a special edition re-release with eight extra minutes of footage, which includes family audio track with objectionable language removed and the collector’s extended cut with 16 additional minutes, including the alternate opening on earth. Having all three of these versions in one set makes it a perfect buy for a family, because it allows theater traditionalists who want the original version and hardcore movie buffs an opportunity to see everything they missed to be satisfied simultaneously. An added 45-minute documentary, “Capturing Avatar,†adds even more luster to the final product.
With so many versions of this film already out, this version is the first to put them all together, making this set the complete package and one that both fans of the film and newcomers to the franchise alike can enjoy.
If you’ve never been to Pandora, this is a great place to start.
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