avatar
- PRODUCTION: USA 2009
- DIRECTOR: James Cameron
- STARRING: Sam Worthing (Jake Sully), Zoe Saldana (Neytiri), Sigourney Weaver (Grace Augustine), Stephen Lang (Col. Quaritch), Joel David Moore (Norm Spellman)
SYNOPSIS
The story is set in the near future. The Earth has exhausted all its natural resources and the Resources Development Administration (RDA) sends a mission to the moon of Pandora, a jungle planet in the Alpha Centauri galaxy, to find unobtanium, an energy-rich element.
Pandora is inhabited by the Na’vi, a blue-hued race of beings who are strong protectors of the environment. Pandora’s atmosphere is toxic for earth people and for this reason, scientists have created avatars, half-human, half Na’vi hybrid clones, who can move and operate in Pandora’s poisonous atmosphere. The human operators have their consciousness uploaded into their surrogate bodies.
The protagonist is a paraplegic marine, Jake Sully, who has replaced his identical twin brother, a PhD scientist, as an avatar operator. He is shipped to Pandora to serve as a bodyguard for Dr. Grace Augustine, head of the Avatar program, and Dr. Norm Spellman, a xenobiologist, as they study the native flora and fauna.
When attacked by an alien animal, Jake is saved by Neytiri, a female Na’vi, who takes him to her tribe. When Jake returns to headquarters and human life, Colonel Quaritch, Security Head for the RDA, promises to give him back his ability to walk if he agrees to spy on the Na’vi and collect information about their customs and secrets. However, Jake decides to support the Na’vi and becomes a warrior to fight against the RDA.
Quaritch severs the avatar link unit that houses Jake’s human body, subjecting him to Pandoran atmospheric toxins. Neytiri arrives just in time, saving Jake. All humans, save for Jake and a select few, are commanded to leave Pandora and return to Earth. Jake’s consciousness is then permanently transferred into his avatar.
BEFORE VIEWING
8. Read the synopsis and answer the questions.
1. What are the avatars?
2. What disability does Jake have?
3. How do the avatar operators control their avatars?