Movie Reviews

AvatarFor the ten people left that have not yet seen Avatar, it is time to get yourself to a nearby movie theater. James Cameron outdid himself and beat his own Titanic for first place in box office sales.

Some students here at Messiah College have even gone to see it more than once because of how impressed they were by the film. It is close to three hours long, but when the credits start rolling you will be asking yourself, "It's already over?"

Avatar is about the Na'vi, a tribe of blue-skinned humanoids on the moon Pandora. They live in a part of the moon that is rich with Unobtanium, an extremely valuable and rare mineral. However, humans have now come to Pandora, and will do anything to get to it.

Jake Sully, a marine who lost the use of his legs, is inducted into an expensive project where humans are given control of a Na'vi body and sent into the tribe to learn about them and gain their trust. Scientists that have studied life on Pandora want Jake to only do that, but the military presence there secretly asks him to persuade the tribe to leave their home so that the Unobtanium can be mined.

Cameron's latest movie (which was in development for sixteen years, by the way) is more than a simple story, but rather a massive world conceived in his imagination full of exotic animals, ancient customs, and a prehistoric nature no longer seen on earth. To all those who have read the Harry Potter books or seen the Star Wars movies, you will once again be asking yourself, "Why can't I visit there?"


Sherlock Holmes

Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Rachel McAdams star in this blockbuster about the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. If nothing else, this action mystery is by far one of the most entertaining movies of the year.

Robert Downey Jr. plays the character Sherlock Holmes, a genius who needs to solve crimes to keep his constantly contriving mind busy, and who does so easily with his incredible skill at noticing the smallest details. The actor fits the role perfectly, flowing through this movie with quick, intelligent dialogue and explosive action scenes.

Jude Law fills the role of Dr. Watson, who studies his friend and mentor as Holmes analyzes crime scenes. Rachel McAdams is the mysterious Irene Adler, the woman who outsmarted Holmes and earned his drudging respect.

Not only does this film execute a great mystery employing the classic characters from the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but it keeps the audience awake with some brutal fight scenes. Though most people do not think of Sherlock Holmes as one who participates in street brawls, the movie pulls it off by illustrating the logical, calculated mind of Holmes when he decides to throw some punches.

The acting by the main villain seems a little melodramatic at times, but as the plot progresses his character becomes slightly more believable. This movie doesn't necessarily show much character development; It is more of the James Bond genre, with a protagonist that everyone envies.

Sherlock Holmes is a fun movie, and it keeps the audience guessing until the end. It certainly deserves to be seen and don't be surprised if you find yourself dropping by a local bookstore afterwards.