A long, long time ago, on a stage, far, far, away, a film director stood in front of the world and claimed he was their king. Fourteen years later, the king is back, and he's brought a whole new world with him.

From the very second paraplegic marine Jake Sully touches down on the distant planet Pandora, the depth of James Cameron's vision is breathtakingly clear.

For the opening half hour, it's all military interiors and computer wizardry, and once Jake - a perfect DNA replacement for his dead twin - is hooked up to his 'avatar', a ten-foot tall half-clone created in a lab by Sigourney Weaver’s Dr Grace Augustine, it's all bright blue vistas and multi-coloured forests.

Clearly, Cameron's intention is to turn the cinema screen into a giant window, one that peers into a world more colourful than anything seen on screen before.

With such grand visions, it's to be expected that the story plays second fiddle. But, while the allegories aren't remotely subtle and the themes have been played before, the fit between plot and visuals seems to make sense.

Jake is sent into the heart of a forest filled with multi-coloured flowers and a mixture of beasties, some beautiful, some deadly.

It’s here that Jake meets Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) a member of the Na'vi, the indigenous, primitive humanoid race that reside above a plot of land rich in an element that the planet's human invaders are desperate to get their hands on, particularly Giovanni Ribisi’s Parker Selfridge, the company exec, who has the choice between peace or superior firepower.

After several weeks of learning their ways, Jake begins to develop feelings for the big blues, and even finds himself falling in love with Neytiri. But Selfridge has no time for pleasantries – he’s got a battle-hardened colonel (Lang) just waiting to unleash military hell, and Jake’s given them just enough information to begin their campaign.

Eschewing the it's-coming-at-you approach so often employed by 3D directors, Cameron's use of 3D is all about immersion and, from start to finish, completely justified

And not only does the 3D work, but the special effects are streets ahead of every movie to have gone before, allowing Cameron to go wild with action sequences that assault the senses.

It’s not without flaws – Jake’s voiceover is inconsistent and Dr Augustine’s appearance in the alien camp doesn’t quite add up. And yes, the environmental message is often heavy handed – but you don't pay to see a Cameron movie for its subtlety.

Comparisons to FernGully and Pocahontas are not completely unfair, but to label it Dances With Smurfs misses the point entirely.

Avatar is James Cameron doing what he does best – blowing things up with awesome special effects, while tying the set pieces together with a story worth telling.

The king of the (sci-fi) world is back. Long live the king!

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Rich Phippen