Avatar is a 2009 American science fiction film directed by James Cameron. It is set in the mid-22th century when humans are colonizing Pandora, a moon with a valuable mineral. Humans use avatars, which are human-Na'vi hybrids, to interact with the indigenous Na'vi people. The expansion of the mining colony threatens the Na'vi way of life. The film's protagonist Jake Sully, a paralyzed former marine, is recruited to infiltrate the Na'vi people. He bonds with the Na'vi and falls in love with one. As he spends more time with the Na'vi, he changes sides and helps them fight against the human colonists to protect Pandora.