In case you didn’t not noticed in the title there, this post has spoilers. And, in case you do not know what spoilers are, its when you write about something that happens in a film, book, whatever. Some people believe that this “spoils” the story for them. So, if you don’t like spoilers, do not read past this point. Oh, also, this post was not proofread. 
SPOILERS
The movie was pretty good. I am both excited to see another original science fiction movie this year, and disappointed that it used one of my ideas (humans as the evil invaders). I am sure may people are going to dissuaded by the length of the film (161 minutes), but it really doesn’t feel that long. And, the length allowed for a proper exposition.
Unfortunately, as you probably know from all the ads for the movie (vanberge has informed me that there are many of them) that the movie has a strong CGI look. This is pretty consistent throughout the entire film. I would say it looks kind of like the next generation of the visuals used in Final Fantasy the Spirit(s) Within.
Initially, the visuals are quite impressive. And, its is clear that a lot of effort and planning went into making this project. The awe of the visuals wears off pretty quickly. After you are done being distracted by all the “purdy colors” you start to get to the core mechanics of the film. At its core, the film is pretty humdrum. It has many formulaic elements, such as the “tough” old mercenary. The money driven corporate director. The scientist without any respect for “jar heads.” The star crossed lovers, etc, etc, etc… So, despite being an original idea, there is not a whole lot about it that is original.
There are also some weird mixed messages in the film. Some people have been talking about topics of imperialism, and biodiversity. However, these topics are only addressed in the most superficial sense. Sure, you have the more advanced race coming in to dominate the backwards civilization. However this whole theme breaks down in the end when the primitive tribal people win.
That’s right. The blue people, with bows and arrows defeat mechanized infantry, air ships, and all kinds of things. It shatters the suspensions of the disbelief for the film. I do not care if you are supposed to be rooting for the blue people, they would have been crushed, without question.
However, I will concede the that tactics the humans used were incredibly stupid. I guess in this new space age of 2154 the human race has forgotten rocket science. Seems to me that it would made a lot more sense to bombard the stick people with artillery/missiles from a safe distance. Instead, they decided to fly in low so they were completely vulnerable. And, yes I remember in the film when they tried to explain this all away with “magical” interference from whatever. But, you don’t need a GPS / laser guided missile. Lets use math people.
The whole romance angle of the film didn’t do anything for me. I suppose it was pretty convenient that they happened upon a planet with a humanoid race that has such similar social norms as humanity. Granted, they are animist beliefs, but there are humans who believe in that crap. I did not really relate to the transformation of the main character. He seemed to have developed some kind of dissociative disorder, and allowed his fantasy world to supersede reality. Unfortunately, this problem had dire consequences.
Sure, he saved hundreds of sentient life forms, but I cannot even imagine the economic harm that was wrought when the company was forced to leave the planet. After loosing access to such a rich supply of a valuable resource must have sent their stock into a downward spiral. Think of the poor investors!
Granted the way the company handled the situation was also flawed. The Na’vi (blue people) just happened to have built an entire tribe over top of a huge mineral deposit. They should have known better, perhaps if they were so dedicated to living like savages they could have done something about it.
Speaking of savages…the Na’vi worship some kind of organic neural network. This network allows them to store and retrieve memories at certain data port trees. It seems to me that if you were able to build such a wealth of generational knowledge you would be able to develop a pretty advanced civilization. Instead the system just seems to re-enforce their ignorance.
I found myself quite conflicted during the final battle. I wanted to root for the humans, since I am a human. But, the movie tried hard to make the humans unlikeable, and the Na’vi the scrappy underdogs. So, I ended up just watching the sequence on the screen wondering if the unintelligent humans, or the valiant savages were going to win the day, not caring one way or the other.
Ultimately, the movie had an entirely too saccharine sweet ending. Their only real loses were the annoying scientist that at one time hated Jake Sully, and then liked him later one without any on screen explanation why. And, the pilot played by the dreadful Michelle Rodriguez, so once again no big loss.
There is a big “happy ending” sequence, where the “hero” has his human body killed, and all his memories transferred into his Avatar. I guess this is good because it means he doesn’t need to use the machines to connect to the Avatar anymore. And, he doesn’t have to go back to his human life that he has abandoned. Unfortunately, all he had to do was die to achieve the goal. Lovely.
His teacher, become lover survived. And, the once tribal leader in waiting was killed in the battle with the humans, so that took care of a nasty issue, since he was supposed to mate with Neytiri before Jake cockblocked him. The company personnel were forced to the leave the planet, but if they’re smart they would just come back with some orbital payloads and wipe out the Na’vi. But, they proved without a doubt in this film that they are not smart.
While I think the film was pretty average, I do support original science fiction, and I do think the visuals are worth seeing on the big screen, so I am going to give this movie a 2. Feel free to see it.
I also did not proof read this comment
2 out of 10 or out of 5?
I saw this last night. I thought it was pretty good. I tried to put a lot of the negative thoughts aside. I actually went into the theater thinking this movie was going to be ALL hype and not really good at all.
I found it good, and maybe better than I thought it was going to be. I “got” some of the themes of the film, but what it missed to me was the emotional connection. I think it was because it was just too damn “predictable”. I was rooting for this to be a BEST PICTURE, but it fell FAR FAR from that. Maybe if it had a better twist to it I would have enjoyed it more.
On the technology side, I think the way they make movies was pushed a little farther and I expect people to continue to use similar and more powerful technology. The facial expressions are amazing on the CGI.
It’s worth watching.
2 on the scale of -5 to 5. See my undecim page.
I’ll probably see it just to go Imax 3D even though I am literally certain that I will hate this film based on your comments.
I saw it in Real D 3D and that was fantastic. Your synopsis of an original idea executed in an unoriginal manner is spot on. The story line was pretty thin (and according to all the reviews I’ve read that is the big knock everybody has on the film) but that aside it was a great experience.
I just saw it on “3d” and I would write for hours on this one.
To keep it short welcome back to Science Fiction James. Sadly you are going to continue playing second fiddle to District 9 for 2009 supremacy.
It’s good but completely devoid of logic on so many levels and the human characters utterly cookie cutter. The thing is the visuals are breath taking even with those awful 3D glasses and the action perfectly executed. A sequel more or less could be better but honestly what other then the unexpected could possibly happen.
i’m outa here
I just read your review. I agree on a few points, but disagree on many others.
You mentioned the notion of having a “more advanced race coming in to dominate the backwards civilization”. I think from that moment on, perhaps you are missing the point.
The humans represent the more technologically advanced race based on what many of us think of as “technology”, but they are clearly not the more advanced race in spiritual or moral terms. They are not able to live in balance with nature (hence the need to destroy other worlds to gather “unobtanium”), and deem that the need for these resources outweighs any other regards for destroying life, or other ways of life.
To me, that is at its core what being -savage really is-. When you use up and destroy everything you have then you just go take from others, kill and continue your destructive ways (unrestrained by even your own morality).
A society that has not advanced beyond this way of thinking is nothing but a cancer. Sure it grows… wow look how big it is! But it is a cancer. It is out of control. When you take the covers off of it, it is governed by crude and basic rules and serves no purpose in the grander scheme of things other than to spread its own malignancy.
Humans have a way of looking at the size of the growing cancer as justification of its existence and justification of further participating in the spread: “Look at our empire, and our shiny buildings! Our way is right! They have no shiny buildings… they are puny and insignificant. We can avert our eyes with confidence as we destroy them, because they are like ants and we are like gods.”
I agree with you that the film has a curiously unsatisfying taste to the way it was wrapped up. That is, I believe, because they are trying in a sense to sew up a huge moral dilemma that we as a society have ourselves not resolved.
Your dissatisfaction, in my opinion, is more that the film didn’t end with our typical pattern for dealing with these conflicts… so it was like hearing someone say “A… B…” without the final “C”.
There were no negotiations on extracting unobtanium that (temporarily) satisfies both sides, no agreements that amount to forced relocation, no orbital bombing.
Subconsciously, we all know these kinds of situations end badly for the underdog. That makes us uncomfortable, and uncomfortable about the end of the movie… because somewhere deep down, buried under our shiny buildings and military machines, we know it is not right. By not showing the next step, Cameron keeps us right at the edge of the conflict in our minds.
In a way, I think that is spectacularly clever.
Terrible review. Ironically for someone who appears to want to champion humanity you seem profoundly disconnected from it.
The story was archetypal. Sure, there were one-dimensional characters. The dimension they did add, however, you were unable to connect with. It is explained away by you as a dissociative disorder, or as too convenient. Think of the conflict the Na’vi princess must have experienced, for example.
Well, this post was my initial impression not a review. You are putting way to much weight into a very shallow story. In order to fill in the blanks you are trying to add your own narrative to the story in order to have it “make sense.” That is not the correct way to interpret the film.