[Tonus]

Putting aside Cameron's obvious political leanings, there is a reason that so many stories (in film, on TV, in stories, in songs) use a variation of the 'David versus Goliath' scenario.  It appeals to the largest audience of people, most of whom see themselves in the underdog role (think about it, even powerful people often act as if the world is against them, so on some level even they relate to it).

When you have a film that is designed around lots of action and big explosions, the usual formula is to write a very basic and simple story around a very well known plot device, so as not to get in the way of the explosions and falling buildings (or ships, or monoliths).  If your ideals lean towards the right, the bad guy is a tin-pot socialist dictator and his guerilla army.  If they lean left, it's the big soulless corporate behemoth.

The trick to enjoying these movies is to understand that they really just want you to marvel at the action.  I just turn my brain off and lower my expectations and wait for the bombs to go off.  Now and then I'm pleasantly surprised by the story (The Fifth Element being a good example) but otherwise I get to enjoy it without having to roll my eyes every so often.

[Ashlee]

Putting aside Cameron's obvious political leanings, there is a reason that so many stories (in film, on TV, in stories, in songs) use a variation of the 'David versus Goliath' scenario.  It appeals to the largest audience of people, most of whom see themselves in the underdog role (think about it, even powerful people often act as if the world is against them, so on some level even they relate to it).

When you have a film that is designed around lots of action and big explosions, the usual formula is to write a very basic and simple story around a very well known plot device, so as not to get in the way of the explosions and falling buildings (or ships, or monoliths).  If your ideals lean towards the right, the bad guy is a tin-pot socialist dictator and his guerilla army.  If they lean left, it's the big soulless corporate behemoth.

The trick to enjoying these movies is to understand that they really just want you to marvel at the action.  I just turn my brain off and lower my expectations and wait for the bombs to go off.  Now and then I'm pleasantly surprised by the story (The Fifth Element being a good example) but otherwise I get to enjoy it without having to roll my eyes every so often.

your right! i should just sit back and enjoy the ride

[Robert McNay]

Putting aside Cameron's obvious political leanings, there is a reason that so many stories (in film, on TV, in stories, in songs) use a variation of the 'David versus Goliath' scenario.  It appeals to the largest audience of people, most of whom see themselves in the underdog role (think about it, even powerful people often act as if the world is against them, so on some level even they relate to it).

When you have a film that is designed around lots of action and big explosions, the usual formula is to write a very basic and simple story around a very well known plot device, so as not to get in the way of the explosions and falling buildings (or ships, or monoliths).  If your ideals lean towards the right, the bad guy is a tin-pot socialist dictator and his guerilla army.  If they lean left, it's the big soulless corporate behemoth.

The trick to enjoying these movies is to understand that they really just want you to marvel at the action.  I just turn my brain off and lower my expectations and wait for the bombs to go off.  Now and then I'm pleasantly surprised by the story (The Fifth Element being a good example) but otherwise I get to enjoy it without having to roll my eyes every so often.

There's a shorter way of saying all that.

Avatar is a Saturday Matinee popcorn movie.  ;D

[Robert McNay]

[font=tahoma][color=navy]I did a double feature of Sherlock Holmes and Avatar in one night, something I hadn’t done since college.  Hehehe… personally, ‘Holmes’ was what I walked away with more of an impression of.   

As a Holmesian devotee, I'm REALLY looking forward to it. CNN had an article talking to members of the official Baker Street Irregulars group. They've given it a thumbs up, finding it very entertaining with just enough canon to make it acceptible. One said he felt that Conan Doyle would have approved.

[John]

Matrix + Dances with Wolves + Return of the Jedi = Avatar

I liked the foreign planet, with the floating mountains, rain forest and creatures ranging from cute to mega-predator.  Plus the movie reminded me of books by Erich von Daniken and Zacharia Stichen that talk of advanced civilizations from space mining gold out of the earth and creating lifeforms compatible to the climate of this planet when the earth was pretty primitive and the ape men like neanderthals were the highest thing on the planet.  The references to "sky men" and "demons" were obviously parallel terms to "gods" and "demons" as von Daniken theorized that the indigenous inhabitants would have seen these beings.  I know much of mainstream science scoffs at the ideas put forth by these men, but they have had a great effect on science-fiction post 1960.  Star Wars, Stargate, Battlestar Gallactica and Avatar were influenced by von Daniken, and his famous "Chariots of the Gods" book and the books that followed. 

It seems like a realistic scenario that this would be what humans would do once we get the technology to go to planets outside this solar system for mining resources.  The old stories of advanced technological civilization crashing down on the more spiritually-focused and shamanistic tribal people is more than likely to repeat itself.  This tale of technology smothering the true energy and nature of man is as old as time, and is in the oldest mythologies of this planet.  This same theme was a focal point of Lord of the Rings with the Orcs being a careless machine culture led by Sauron while elves and the men, hobbits, and dwarves that followed them were after the order of Iluvatar, the giver of life – LOTR's "God".

[Solarian, aka LordDaroth]

There's a shorter way of saying all that.

Avatar is a Saturday Matinee popcorn movie.  ;D

Which has passed one BILLION dollar in two weeks, and it will start the era of 3D cinema…

[David]

This is not an anti-military movie. All of the fighters are corporate mercenaries unlike Aliens where they were Marines. It's basically an anti-corporate exploitation for profit's sake movie. Oddly coming from a guy who's made more money in films than any other director.
Many people have brought up the Native American against the cowboys angle but you could say the same for any colonial vs aboriginal people theme. "Civilized" people have always thought they could teach the savages what to do and believe and if not, well they're barely above animals.
I don't think 3D will become the norm for a while. From what I've heard the majority of the screens worldwide are still showing it 2D. Then again I'm hearing that there might be announcements about new 3D HD TV's coming.

[Oh-mi-kaze]

To me, it seemed like a tedious, exorbitant Crying Indian ad campaign where the Crying Indian gets a happy ending.  What was enjoyable was that it was visually stunning, and the various CG aspects (lighting, particle effects, etc.).  What ruined it for me was the contrived, pockmarked plot (The material in contention is "UNOBTAINIUM," for Pete's sake, and my parents spent the remainder of the day trying to figure out how the Na'vi spoke English.), the high-handed sermon-like quality of every single monologue, and the cardboard presentation of the majority of the characters.  Directors have done more with less money and time, and didn't require 2.5 hours for an 80-page script.

tl;dr version: So much money for so little entertainment!

[flashHEART.EXE]

I don't get what the fish had to do with the reactor. Besides, they already cloned Lincoln, so why the hell couldn't they just clone a fish?

[AlexG]

Matrix + Dances with Wolves + Return of the Jedi = Avatar

And with a dash of Pocahontas, too.  😉

It seems like a realistic scenario that this would be what humans would do once we get the technology to go to planets outside this solar system for mining resources.  The old stories of advanced technological civilization crashing down on the more spiritually-focused and shamanistic tribal people is more than likely to repeat itself.

For a more realistic portrayal of a planetary conquest, an advanced civilization that can cross the stars at will isn't going to necessarily go w/ a War of the Worlds / Independence Day blow-em up 'til they glow solution to crushing the native inhabitants.  They’d want the infrastructure left intact, even if it's technologically primitive by comparison, it would give them something to work w/ until they can replace it.  Same with the natural resources that they'd want to exploit, they don’t want to contaminate it with radioactive fallout.

Instead, a more likely scenario would be that they'd release a bio weapon into the atmosphere that would be designer-engineered to specifically kill off only the opposing intelligent species they want eliminated, especially if that species is wielding nukes.  Those that would survive such an onslaught would be too few to form any significant resistance, and would end up either as slave-servants, or possibly as pets of the aliens.

As an example, Cortés didn't hack and slash his way to conquering the Aztecs as rather he had Generals Smallpox and Measles do the grunt work of slaughtering for him.  Then he and his conquistadors only had to deal with the decimated and demoralized survivors, which eventually succumbed to the Spanish in short order.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

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