Avatar Movie Review – 6 Out Of 10
By PhilosoGuy at 30 December, 2009, 4:44 pm
Rating: 6 Out Of 10 PhilosoGuys
Avatar is visually stunning but leaves much to be wanted in way of story.
The Birth of a Nation is considered one of the best films ever made. Its revolutionary use of cinematography ushered in a new age of movies and revolutionized film. By the way, it was a Ku Klux Klan propaganda film that included white men casted and painted as black Southerners. So, while it is remembered for changing the way movies are made it is not remembered for any significant contribution by way of plot, imagery, or symbolism.
Fast forward to 2009 and witness Avatar, which truly is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen. The landscapes, animals, aliens, and even the human technology are all stunning and realistic. There are some bizarre moments, like alien pony tails that are psychic connections used mind meld aliens with animals and the planet itself, but these are appreciated by this viewer as fitting in nicely with Cameron’s overall portrayal of the alien species as a harmonious and nature-loving/connected race.
What was most impressive was, of course, the 3D technology in the movie. Cameron has spent a lot of time and money developing and shooting this movie in his special way. It has paid off. I have never felt so surrounded by a movie, never felt so utterly a part of the setting of a movie (a tropical alien world) or as much in the crosshairs of missile launchers and rifle fire. Cameron has presented a movie with a 3D experience that is not gimmicky: It is a subtle technique, giving layers of depth to the movie that have truly redefined the film and theater experience. It only remains to be seen if this will be widely adopted, especially in movies not as heavily dependent upon CGI).
By way of story, Cameron has utterly failed. He reuses many of his old gimmicks and is heavy handed with the anti-war imagery (the majority of the script must have been written in the run up and aftermath of Operation Iraqi Freedom). Cameron’s human antagonists, who were utterly mediocre (or in the case of Giovanni Ribisi, just plain bad), symbolize all ‘unjust’ American military action starting with Native American policy and ending with our most recent problems in the Middle East policy and Global Warming. On the other hand, the aliens represent anyone on the receiving end of the stick: Pandora is a planet filled to the brim with a substance, comically named unobtainium, that is also filled with a native population of, what the humans believe to be, ignorant savages (and Cameron really drills this home with those exact words). However, these aliens are actually very in tune with their planet and their main settlement is located on the largest deposit of this material on the planet and the humans want to get it (Middle East and Iraq). What ensues is a “preemptive strike” on the growing number of alien warriors and a “shock and awe” campaign to scare them into hiding. This causes a trail of tears scene with the fleeing refugee aliens after a 9/11-esque bombing of a skyscraper tree. Meanwhile, one of the soldiers has moved his mind into an alien body and has “gone native” by learning the ways of the aliens and then coming to lead them against the humans. What ensues is scenes straight out of a Vietnam war movie complete with marines jumping out of futuristic black hawks and jungle snipers (with bows and arrows).
Just like “Birth of a Nation,” Avatar will be remembered for its revolutionary visual techniques, resulting from stunning CGI and 3D technology. It will not, however, be remembered for anything substantial by way of plot, message, or symbolism. Cameron is a good director but not so great a screenwriter. He so is heavy handed with anti-war, anti-climate change, and anti-capitalism that it makes the dialogue just plain stupid. The subtly of his 3D camera seems to have sucked all subtly out of his writing.
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????!!!!!!BIRTH IF A NATION!!??
I AM SHOCKED
Ok there were some intersting commentaries here but to quote, “Birth of a Nation” as one of the best ground breaking films ever is to overlook its propaganda and hatred and maliciousness.!!!! I truly fail to see the relations between the two, even as you try to link them.
Miquidub,
“Birth of a Nation” consistently makes lists of top movies for, as I said in my article, its revolutionary use of cinematography and direction that were, until that movie, unseen in the film industry. As I said in my article, the film’s story and message are racist and the movie is not remembered as being great for its plot points. In fact, from that standpoint, it is remembered as being rather ridiculous and very offensive. However, that does not change the fact that it was a groundbreaking film. See these links for evidence:
http://cinepad.com/awards/afi_100.htm – The American Film Institute ranks “Birth of a Nation” at Number 44.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_a_nation#Significance – Look at the “Significance” section. The Library of Congress has included the movie in its collection of preserved documents for “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films.”
I draw a parallel between “Birth of a Nation” and “Avatar.” This is not because the material of the movies are in any way related, but because “Avatar’s” plot is so utterly predictable, hackneyed, and juvenile that, while it will surely revolutionize the way films are made and viewed, it will not be remembered for having contributed anything artistically commendable by way of plot. This is the same argument I make concerning “Birth of a Nation.” Both movies employ cinematography that is revolutionary. Both movies’ plots are terrible.
The mainstream US film scene is overly obsessed with plots IMHO… to the point where the characters (usually “ordinary” people thrust into the path of terrible adversity) become mere pawns or victims of the plot, and nothing more.
This movie isn’t a Bach fugue, or a Mozart Sonata, or a Beethoven Quartet of movies, all about the beauty and perfection of some intricate, elegant inner logic.
It’s a Bruchner Symphony or a Wagner Opera of a movie, with a simple earthy story rendered on a massive and overwhelming canvas.
I don’t have a problem with this. It’s exactly the sort of movie I wish the big-budget super-studios would make more of!