Reviews Comments: A common misconception

Avatar whole series review by TG Geko

A common misconception

Despite what most people might think, the movie Avatar is not about marines coming to an alien world to mind for a mineral and the subjection of the indigenous population.

You may remove your head from the wall now . The movie is actually about Pandora itself. Its about taking the audience on a three hour tour of an alien planet rich with flora and fauna that don't exist here on earth. It's about exploring rich landscapes, with alien geography, and alternate forms of biological interactions.

As evidence I present the six elements of drama, Plot, Characters, Theme, Dialogue, Spectacle and Music. Plot, Characters, and Theme are all at the bottom. They are definitely paper thin and truly unremarkable. Dialogue and Music take slightly higher positions, but it is Spectacle that takes the cake. And the Ice Cream. And all the presents.

As further evidence, towards the end, when we have finished seeing one area of Pandora, the movie takes us on a sample of several other locals.

Besides, look where all the money and research went to, the state of the art motion capture and 3D cameras.

So to everyone who bashes the movie for being shallow and unoriginal, you are missing the point. It's like criticizing the thanksgiving day parade because its just a rehash of last years.

Spoken like a true snarker. Yeah, it basically is National Geographic for an alien planet.

comment #2167 shiroookami 3rd Apr 10

If that was the point of the movie, they shouldn't have made a movie, they should have made a theme park ride. People watch movies because they want to watch a story, a tale about characters they can come to care about, that can lift them up or leave them feeling low. Being annoyed with a movie that presents itself as a movie but is in fact a glorified theme park ride is a valid criticism. The thing is though, the movie could have still been a movie as well as a 'tour guide to Pandora'. The Lord of the Rings films were just as much the story of Middle Earth as it was the story of Frodo, Peter Jackson managed to tell both stories quite well. James Cameron failed (or didn't even bother I'm not sure) to do the same. There's no reason he couldn't have done that, he clearly has the talent and history of combing broad spectacles with gripping, human drama.

Instead we're left with a poor movie but a fun theme park ride.

comment #2239 Ouroboros 13th Apr 10

A theme park ride would not have made a billion dollars.

comment #2242 Dracomicron 13th Apr 10

@Dracomicron Tru dat. If Cameron wanted to truly tell an epic tale, he should have made it as a miniseries or at least split the movie into two (It worked for Kill Bill, why not here?)? But then again he couldn't have pulled in those astronomical box office numbers, much of which was derived from higher IMAX ticket prices.

comment #2403 zootsutra 1st May 10

It got only 10% of it's astronomical box office numbers from IMAX.

comment #2557 dArhengel 18th May 10

And most of the rest of the box office numbers from repeat viewings. But then again, so did Star Wars, but still again, Star Wars was a lot more iconic and influential, for all that its own cliches.

comment #2957 zootsutra 20th Jun 10

Theme definitely is NOT on the bottom Theme is about the BONDS that define us So it defines Plot and Characters the way they are It's a movie about internal struggle inside human soul Pure natural bonds vs man-made unnatural conventions

comment #2979 95.32.99.240 21st Jun 10

"...bottom Theme is about the BONDS that define us So it defines Plot and Characters the way they are It's a movie about internal struggle inside human soul Pure natural bonds vs man-made unnatural conventions"

Wierd, I don't see that anywhere. Just a bunch of pretty landscapes and badly written story.

comment #3177 Zersk 2nd Jul 10

Well then Ouroboros, then you should watch "Russian Ark". NO WAY can any theme park of any magnitude be able to deliver to me the freaking Winter Palace of St. Petersburg filled with thousands of actors in period clothing, sitting on heirloom furniture, and dancing to a live orchestra. THAT is the magic of cinema which makes it superior to other mediums. That is why verbatim adaptations from print or video game to screen fail immensely.

And this is why I believe the Crysis engine would have been better put to use on some safari game instead of Tropical ET with guns.

comment #3854 victorinox243 10th Aug 10

"Wierd, I don't see that anywhere. Just a bunch of pretty landscapes and badly written story"

If someone is inattentive or simply stupid, it's not the movie fault. Bonds theme is pushed hard throughout entire movie, clearly reflected in direct physical representation as tsahaylu, Jakes inner conflict and all of his actions.

comment #3861 95.32.133.88 10th Aug 10

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