Avatar is a 2009 American 3-D science fiction epic film written and directed by James Cameron, and was released on December 18, 2009 by 20th Century Fox.

The film is co-produced by Lightstorm Entertainment, and focuses on an epic conflict on Pandora, an inhabited Earth-sized moon of Polyphemus, one of three fictional gas giants orbiting Alpha Centauri A. On Pandora, human colonists and the sentient humanoid indigenous inhabitants of Pandora, the Na’vi, engage in a war over the planet’s resources and the latter’s continued existence.

The film was released in 2D and 3D formats, along with an IMAX 3D release in selected theaters. The film is being touted as a breakthrough in terms of filmmaking technology, for its development of 3D viewing and stereoscopic filmmaking with cameras that were specially designed for the film’s production.

Plot
In AD 2154, humans are engaged in the colonization of Pandora, the lush moon of Polyphemus, one of three gas giants that orbit Alpha Centauri A, 4.3 light years from Earth. Pandora is filled with incredible life forms, and is home to the Na’vi, an indigenous sentient humanoid race who are considered primitive by human standards, yet are more physically capable than them. The Na’vi are tailed, slender creatures with sparkling blue skin, standing three meters tall.

They live in harmony with their unspoiled world, which the humans have found to be rich with unobtainium, a valuable mineral that is essential to remedying an economic and energy crisis that is gripping Earth.

Humans are unable to breathe the Pandoran atmosphere; in order to interact with the Na’vi, human scientists have created genetically engineered human-Na’vi hybrid bodies called Avatars, and use them to interact with the natives and gain their trust for a relocating operation. A human who shares genetic material with the avatar can be mentally linked to it, allowing them to control its functions and experience what it experiences, while their own body sleeps.

The story’s protagonist, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), is a former U.S. Marine who was wounded and paralyzed from the waist down in combat on Earth. His twin brother Tony was a scientist working on the Avatar program; when he is killed, Jake is extended the opportunity to take his brother’s place, as he shares Tony’s genetic material and is therefore compatible with his avatar.

Jake travels to Pandora, and assumes control of his avatar body, delighted at being able to walk and run once again as a whole being. Sent deep into Pandora’s jungles as a scout for the soldiers that will follow, Jake encounters many of Pandora’s beauties and dangers. There he meets a young Na’vi female, Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), who teaches him the ways of her people: the Omaticaya clan of the Na’vi.

Despite having originally been sent to gain the trust of natives, and convince them to abandon their Hometree, which sits above a large deposit of unobtanium, Jake finds himself caught between the military-industrial forces of Earth, and his love for his adopted home and people. He is forced to choose sides as the humans grow increasingly violent in their mining activities, and the oppressed Na’vi rise up to protect their home, resulting in an epic battle that will decide the fate of an entire race.

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Directed by James Cameron
Produced by: James Cameron, Jon Landau
Written by James Cameron

Cast and characters
Humans
Sam Worthington as Jake Sully
Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine
Michelle Rodriguez as Trudy Chacon
Giovanni Ribisi as SecFor administrator Parker Selfridge
Joel David Moore as Norm Spellman
Stephen Lang as SecFor’s Colonel Miles Quaritch
Dileep Rao as Dr. Max Patel.
Matt Gerald as SecFor’s Corporal Lyle Wainfleet
Na’vi
Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri.
C. C. H. Pounder as Mo’at, the Na’vi queen.
Laz Alonso as Tsu’Tey, one of Pandora’s finest Na’vi warriors and Neytiri’s betrothed.
Wes Studi as Eytucan, The Na’vi king of the Omaticaya Clan, the husband of Mo’at and Neytiri’s father.
Peter Mensah as Akwey, a member of the Na’vi tribe.

Music by James Horner
Cinematography Mauro Fiore
Editing by : James Cameron, John Refoua, Stephen E. Rivkin

Studio
Lightstorm Entertainment 20th Century Fox
Dune Entertainment
Ingenious Film Partners

Distributed by 20th Century Fox

Release date(s)
December 16, 2009 (Egypt, France, & Indonesia)
December 17, 2009 (Puerto Rico, Australia & New Zealand)
December 18, 2009 (USA & Vietnam)

Running time 161 minutes
Country: United States, United Kingdom
Language English
Budget $237,000,000

Official Website:  www.avatarmovie.com