1. The Plot/Writing-The plot is an amalgam of the movies Pocahontas and Ferngully: The Last Rainforest. The writing is weak and relies on actors being able to say really loud, complicated, painfully obvious words like "unobatnium" and expect it to be taken with a straight face.
Matt Bateman's wonderful plot synopsis summarizes my views on it exactly:
2. The Villains-The villains are not interesting. They are cardboard cutout stereotypes. There is the sleazy, greedy, lazy corporate archetype, Parker Selfridge, who plays golf in his office and talks about preserving the profit margin by any means necessary. In addition, there is also the racist, military bigot, Quaritch. He uses phrases like "terrorists" (in reference to the native Na'Vi) and "scatter the cockroaches." In story, a hero is only as good as the villains. Complicated villains make a story interesting. Characters like Lord Shen in Kung Fu Panda 2 and Sinestro from the Green Lantern comics...or Ra's Al Ghul from Batman are all complicated villains that challenge the heroes in more ways than physical ones. Often, these complex villains engage in cerebral arguments with the hero that causes them to think about the motivation of their antagonists. When a villain is a simple caricature, an element of the story is lacking.
3. The treatment of the disabled. Jake Sully was a Marine before he became paralyzed in combat. Within the world of Avatar, despite taking place in the far future, this is treated as a kind of stigma. Quaritch even tells Jake (who is not an amputee) that if he helps them learn about the Na'Vi, that he will give him back his "real legs," which are still attached to his body. It is implied that Jake cannot be happy in a wheelchair as he spends more and more time in his avatar body.
4. The Technology-Isn't that new. The combat/loader mechs are very similar to the one used at the end of Cameron's previous film, Aliens. The interactive screens used in it are similar to those used in various Star Trek series over the past thirty years. I've heard people discuss the weapons used in Avatar as the "weapons of the future," yet this is defeated by an army of native wildlife, arrows, and spears.
You have your challenge!
I’m almost afraid to respond to the post. I personally thought, for what it was, that Avatar was good. Just watching it as a non-film/ animation “insider,” from taking this course and being a film major, it was entertaining.
ReplyDeleteIt might be, other that the story, due to the fact that the CGI was mixed with actual people and we saw them both as human and in their “animated” form. There was a mixture, like that of Who Framed Roger Rabbit (which is not the greatest example). This was the first time I had seen the actors as them selves acting their entire roll then digitally done over with ears, tail and what not to become that animal like, close to human form, being. We have seen it with Ice age and Bee Movie with the actor’s facial features but nothing so close and life like as how this film came across. The Avatars walk and talk like humans but with their different features draw that line which makes it fantasy. Another thought might be that the Avatar was the first big “adult” appealing film with CGI. Looking at a list of films that have used CGI they, for the most part are all children geared movies. Avatar was a more adult, action packed film.
I see where you are coming from Professor Gill, but considering all the remakes of films it seems ok that the story line was to close to that of Pocahontas. It would be nice if the writer owned up to using the ideas of other films and turning them into Avatar but oh well. For the film just as it was it was alright. If we take it pick it apart then it is up for some debate.
-E. Stolz
Well I will have to agree Stolz on this one, I really enjoyed watching this movie when it came out and it was so life like and closely related to ourselves being CGI. Since it took place on another planet called Pandora, I can get the idea of Aliens and how people want to believe we are not the only ones out in our Universe floating around in space and as intelligent as we are. I realize it is JUST like Pocahontas and Ferngully (both movies I loved growing up) because it wanted to TEACH you something without making it obvious and boring that happens in OUR everyday life that people seem to forget and glance over.We can't go to another country or in this case planet adn claim it as our own even though we have done that with the Native Americans in the past.
ReplyDeleteJake, the soldier that he is (and I know some of my family members are Marines are hardheaded and was even trained to be so), is being told orders and trying to not be pessimistic with his unit for becoming paralyzed but also trying to have some sort of hope for him to get back his life that was taken from him and to become strong again. Even if it means "getting to be come friends" with the people on the planet to get them to trust him. Unlike in Pocahontas, John Smith NEVER learned, and became one with the people and had to learn how they lived like Jake did. They took a step further. John Smith wanted Pocahontas to BE LIKE John Smith and learn HIS ways. And soon this creates a problem with Jake since he becomes EMOTIONALLY attached with these people and becomes like them in mind and spirit on a deeper level than Pocahontas. And thank God, no one was singing in this movie, you CAN"T learn anything from how one culture is by a song! I'm repulsed by that (Not as a kid though)! Jake started to "switch sides" because he felt in his heart who the right people in his life were. The ones who were there for him and in a family setting and people that band together on a deeper level, not ones that take orders mindlessly. He is even called a "traitor" to his own people, but to Jake he IS protecting his people that he loves.
Now, for the corporate scum people are unfortunately true, there are people like that today and will step all over people to get ahead no matter who it hurts. And those stereotype military people...well, since i do have practically all the branches on my family I can honestly say I don't like how they drill the Marines thinking they are the best instead of they are one army and work as a team..not a separate team. But that's not here or there. I love the military but still, you have stubborn people in general and when you give someone a gun and weapons, well what do you expect a person to do? They go mad with power..that however was very dramatically done though. The villains are your everyday backstabbing people that you DON"T see coming because you think they are on your team. They aren't going to make you think, they are going to make you want to fight back and defend yourself.
The technology I thought was awesome, was it new? Have we seen it over done in other movies? Of course we have, but its not like we have it ourselves, so its still awesome. Technology ISN:T new to anyone but its ADVANCED. That's the difference. I bet everyone who has a cell phone, probably got an upgrade to a "better" phone. Is it new technology? No, but its more advanced now. I don't know about you, but, I SOOO want a cool hologram screen/computer. :)
Pretty much its an adult version of Pocahontas/Ferngully for a reason, to teach you something like we did as kids. But this one is more closer to home even though its over exaggerated but you can see the underline of the truth. However, sad to say, its what goes on in our everyday lives, even if we don't see it.
Ok...I think I said the basics for it.
Gina Levy
When I first heard there was going to be an avatar movie I immediately I was so excited. I love the cartoon show with the masters of the four elements; air benders are my favorite because they can fly. When I saw the preview I was completely disappointed and had no desire to watch it. Once I walked in as my dad was watching it on HBO and asked him what it had to do with the cartoon show. He told me nothing at all, "just think about Pocahontas in the year 2154". I loved watching Pocahontas growing up and asked him to record it so i could watch. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteI am not a film major and could probably never analyze or critic a movie as well as you but it was really good to me. So its just like Pocahontas. I think that's one of the best parts. Its so similar but just super futuristic. The small difference was that John Smith didn't assume the identity of an Indian, he just observed them. Jake Sully appeared as a native Na'Vi. He learned their ways and was completely accepted by them, until they found out who he really was. Its about doing whats right even if it leaves you against the people who you thought were your friends.
I'm the type of person who likes a bit of variety and complexity so I would have liked to see something different in the villains. I agree with you on the stereotypical corporate guy and his tough muscle man. At least let the villains win. The thing that I liked about the villains is that the moments when the villains do something really bad and the heroes think all hope is lost were really good. The scene where they destroyed the tree was amazing, and I was extremely shocked to see that Grace died. I guess that would be the climax of the story (im not sure). By the way, I loved Kung Fu Panda 2.
When I thought of how poorly Jake was treated, I thought it was because he was a Marine not because he was handicap.I know the scientist, especially Grace, were not happy to have him instead of his brother. His brother was trained for the mission, Jake wasn't. I got the feeling that even Parker thought of him as just a combat trained idiot. I viewed his love of his Avatar body as a new beginning. Not better because he could walk but just different in general. I also think the love he grew for Neytiri had allot to do with his love for his Avatar.
I don't know much about Technology but there were many weapons and pieces of equipment that I have seen in a previous movie before. I don't view that as a bad thing. I don't know about their weapons being that of the future but I really enjoyed watching how they played into the story. All in all it was amazing to me. I still watch it whenever I can make it to my parents, its on HBO on demand.
This is a debate that my friends and I have on a regular basis. We all agree that the film as a whole was enjoyable, at least the first time around. The visual effects are fantastic, that cannot really be denied. However, in my opinion, while story may not be everything it is one of the most, if not the most, important part of a film and it just does not cut it in Avatar. For my friends and I it is mostly the stolen story (we found that image that you posted about a week after watching the film in theaters) and the terrible naming of objects in the story, as you noted "unobtainium" or "home tree." I'm not trying to take anything away from the filmmakers involved, they spent over ten years developing this film. They deserve a lot of respect for what they did. But that's the point, I think. It isn't about the story so much as the visuals and the technology that it took years to develop. It still makes me angry to watch because I feel that for all of the time and care and effort that was put into this film (not even talking about the money) I think that they could have hired a couple of amazing writers, or even a couple of mediocre ones, to come up with something better than what is presented here. As a film student, I do think that it is worth studying and at the very least worth one watch through. But the film lacks so much that, to me, it really isn't worth much else.
ReplyDeleteTiffany Balbuza