After 12 years, James Cameron returns with his latest masterpiece 'Avatar' and reminds Rob Peters why he enjoys movies in the first place.

Wow! Seriously, wow!

It's been 12 years since James Cameron released his last film, but 'Avatar' is well worth the wait... and then some. It explodes onto the screen from start to finish, a 3D space epic that has raised the bar to a new level.

Costing close to $300-million to make, the money is put to good use, as Cameron unleashes the latest in computer technology to seduce us into a world that is beyond anything we have ever seen. The alien planet Pandora is alive with vibrancy, colour and life and within minutes you are lured in by its charms.

The landmark motion-capture animation, meanwhile, is simply astounding, with the characters in their avatar form taking on each actor's mannerisms.

This is movie making at its best and it is no surprise that Cameron is the man behind the wheel of another breakthrough film.

The story of 'Avatar' is a simple, and topical, one. Lured by the minerals of Pandora, humans have come to pillage the riches, destroying all that gets in their way. The race that live on Pandora, the Navi, must either move on or perish.

It's not hard to see that it is drawing a direct comparison to how we are currently doing exactly that to earth. In reality we have lost touch with nature and are driven by greed ? and this is brought to the screen in the futuristic 'Avatar' as humankind seeks new world for new forms of wealth.

We are introduced to Cameron's bold new world through the narrative of a wheelchair-bound ex-marine Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington), who has been brought to Pandora to take over from his dead brother in the Avatar project.

The genetically engineered avatars ? created by splicing human DNA with that of Pandora's inhabitants ? take the form of the Navi, the planet's indigenous humanoids. Seeing as Jake shares the same DNA as his brother he is the natural choice to take over the empty avatar. Nobody else can.

Researchers see the project as a means to better understand the Navi, while the suits like Carter Selfridge (a great Giovanni Ribisi) are looking for a way to exploit them and move them out of the way so they can mine the minerals of Pandora.

Jake's military background sees him working both sides ? doing recon for the military, while acting as a researcher for the scientists led by the avatar creator Grace (Sigourney Weaver).

And when Jake is rescued by Neytiri (a terrific Zoe Saldana), the daughter of the tribal leader of the Navi, he is taken in by the tribe as one of their own.

The development serves the purposes of both scientists and military, but more importantly, it is from here that 'Avatar' really comes into its own. As Neytiri takes Jake under her wing, we are given a full tour of Pandora, from its vast landscapes, to its wide variety of life.

Weighing in at 2 hours and 41 minutes, Avatar sweeps you up in its virtual majesty and leaves you wanting more. That's right, more. This epic could have gone on for another hour and I would have happily sat through it just to be able to soak in what Cameron has achieved.

The first 90 minutes could be a National Geographic special as it transports you to the mythical world of Pandora and gives you a guided tour in the form of Neytiri and Jake.

And when the inevitable collision between the Navi and humans occurs you can only watch in wonder as the battle unfolds. Gunships against an alien race, carrying bows and riding winged creatures from another world? You can't beat that!

I am not sure how it will translate to DVD, but the experience of watching 'Avatar' unfold in 3D on the big screen, allowing me to escape into a world of absolute wonder, reminded of why I love movies in the first place.

This is a game-changer and nothing will ever be the same.

Watch Zoopy's review of 'Avatar' here!