The science of Avatar

It's a little bit of a departure today from the usual sex, bombs and burgers fare, but I had to take the opportunity to rave about Avatar, James Cameron's new science-fiction movie. You've probably heard all of the critical praise already, but if I could add my humble two cents worth: it may just be the best movie ever made.

Oh yeah. I said it. I saw Avatar on Friday and, during parts of it, I couldn't help but think that I was watching a magic show rather than a movie. While leaving the theatre, I had that "I just witnessed something important" feeling, which I can't say I remember having after any other movie. Like the ads say, Avatar is going to change movies. However, I think it can be compared to Apple's iPhone - it's so far ahead of the game, it's going to take others a long time to make anything comparable. It makes Star Wars and Lord of the Rings look like they created in some garage by a pair of a hobbyists.

So what makes Avatar so amazing? It's Pandora, the alien world that is so fully realized that it immerses the viewer and makes them really feel like they're there. The luscious planet teems with plant and animal life that is on the one hand utterly fantastical, but at the same time incredibly realistic. And of course, the big bonus is that it's all in 3D - those crazy alien tigers and rhinos seem amazingly lifelike, and there's amazing depth as the characters run and fly through the jungles.

The Discovery Channel has a short report on some of the science that went into the movie, with Cameron talking about the effort that went into making the planet real: