Avatar: Collector’s Edition – Blu-ray Review

The Collector’s Edition:

Since Jon already gave a great review for the previous release of Avatar (here), this review will only be for the added scenes in this Collector’s Edition.

When James Cameron’s Avatar was first released on Blu-ray/DVD back in April, fans were disappointed with the lack of any special features. The film was then re-released back in August with approximately 8-9 minutes of extra footage. Avatar has now been returned to Blu-ray in an all-new Collector’s Edition, now with 16 minutes of new scenes that will surely please fans.

The added scenes certainly are a treat for die-hard fans of the film, but they really don’t add much to the film. The new opening that we’ve been hearing about is a delight to watch, and does give a bit more insight into the character of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington). There’s also a bit more development into why Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) is bitter towards humanity. Some scenes mention what happened with Dr. Grace Augustine’s (Sigourney Weaver) school for the Omaticaya and that adds a bit more emotion to her character. There’s also a scene that involve Sully hunting a herd of animals that shows how he’s growing as a hunter. There was a great scene that explained the affects Unobtainium had on the environment of Pandora, which showed how unique the world James Cameron has created really is. Another scene set-up Sully’s role in the sequels, but many could have already guessed what would be.

Overall, most of the new scenes don’t add much to the film, and the movie can stand on it’s own without them. However, the fans are sure to love them, but the average moviegoer may not even notice what’s new and what’s old.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Nothing has really changed in terms of audio and video.  The picture is just as beautiful as release back in April as is the audio for this release. There’s also an optional track  that removes all cursing from the dialogue.

Deleted Scenes: This features provides over an hour of never-before-scene footage. Some of the scenes have unfinished special effects, and show how the actors looked in the scenes without the computer-generated effects. While it’s understandable why Cameron chose to omit the scenes, some of them I found to go deeper into the Omaticaya way of life, and growth of Jake and Neytiri’s relationship.

Capturing Avatar: This feature gives a very neat and interesting look into the years of work James Cameron and his crew took into creating the world of Avatar. It gives  insight into the technical and thought process the filmmakers used to create the Na’vi, the creatures, and the world of Pandora.

A Message from Pandora: This is a 20-minute documentary that James Cameron created on the Xikrin-Kayapo tribe after the government planned to move them out of their home to build a dam, which mirrors the entire story of Avatar.

Production Materials: This feature basically gives a look at the storyboards, screen-tests for Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana, and the progression of the visual effects to the film’s completion.

Scene Deconstruction: This is a very neat feature that allows you to view certain scenes with the completed effects while seeing the actors work with the motion-capture suits.

Featurettes: This gives a look into making of several of the vehicles, creatures, the biology of Pandora,  language of the Na’vi, and the stunts performed in the movie.

Avatar Archives: This just gives a look at the marketing of the film, and the original and final screenplay James Cameron created. We even a thorough “Pandorapedia” that gives a detailed description of the world of Pandora.

You will have to option of choosing from the Theatrical Cut, the Extended Re-release (with 8 minutes of extra footage), and The Collector’s Edition of the film. You”re also able to go directly to the extended scenes.

Conclusion: This was the release many have been waiting for since April. While the scenes don’t add much to the overall quality of the film, the fans will definitely get a kick out of them. Fans will also enjoy the hours of special features this release offers.

The Film: Rating:

The Blu-ray: Rating: