December 20, 2009
Avatar (2009)
***Cross-Posted on Catholic Media Review***
***Cross-Posted on Theo Spark***
Should I see it?
***Cross-Posted on Theo Spark***
Should I see it?
I saw this in a public theater on a Saturday night. This is a welcoming crowd who wanted to be entertained. People were laughing at the movie when it was being serious. I heard groans and titters throughout.
Should you see it? Please, don't.
I suppose there's no reason to continue with the review at this point since there isn't a bigger condemnation than the natural reaction of an audience. A lack of a reason didn't stop Cameron, why should it stop me. Let's continue.
Should you see it? Please, don't.
I suppose there's no reason to continue with the review at this point since there isn't a bigger condemnation than the natural reaction of an audience. A lack of a reason didn't stop Cameron, why should it stop me. Let's continue.
Short Review: I want to put this as plainly as I can. This film is so uniquely awful that it should be legal for me to enslave and neuter any movie critic who gives it a positive review. They should be forced to do my yard work and clip my toenails.
But then again, I can be an extremist about such things.
This is the worst movie I have ever seen.
Consider that statement. I have seen thousands of movies over the course of my lifetime. This is worse than any other film I can name.
Troll 2, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, Leonard: Part 6, Speed 2: Cruise Control, Battleship Earth, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, Glen or Glenda, Exorcist II: The Heretic,
Kazaam, even Kazaam. It is worse than an embarrassment starring Shaquille O'Neal as a genie who comes out of a magic boom box. Look at this:
This is better than Avatar.
How? Easy, no one within a thousand miles of Shaq in his hammer pants thought for one minute they were making a great work of cinema.
Everyone involved with Avatar has made it clear that this is supposed to be a game changer like Star Wars or The Matrix. This is meant to be one of the seminal moments in cinematic history. When future generations refer back to this time we're to believe that Avatar will be one of the cultural milestones.
I do think this film will go down in cinematic history. Hands down, it is the most self-loathing, insufferably pretentious works of human invention ever to be put before a paying public.
The film takes place on a planet call Pandora. PANDORA - get it? Astronomers, upon finding a planet that can sustain life, felt compelled to give it an ironic name warning of impending doom. Humans, after destroying the Earth's environment (this is mentioned a few times during the film), have shown up on Pandora to claim a mineral called Unobtanium. UNOBTANIUM - get it? Geologists, upon finding a valuable mineral, felt compelled to give it an ironic name warning of impending futility. The humans want the mineral so they can make money. One problem, on top the indigenous humanoid species known as the Na'vi live where the minerals are found. So, of course, the humans plot a pogrom against the planet's peaceful people.
Jake (Sam Worthington - no you don't know who he is), a paraplegic marine, arrives at the planet as a mercenary for the Resources Development Administration, the evil corporation who wants to displace the primitive Na'vi.
Jake is given an avatar, a body that looks like a Na'vi (meaning he looks like a big, blue kitty). He gets closed in a tanning booth and can control the body with his mind, or something like that, its not well explained. As one would expect, he meets up with the Na'vi, falls in love with the pretty one. Then the whole thing turns into Dances with Wolves in Space.
(Spoiler warning for the rest of this paragraph) Jake eventually becomes one of the Na'vi and after the humans attack a Na'vi's sacred site, he leads the attack on the marines. Yes, for half of the movie Jake leads an attack on his own species. Thus, everyone who would ever watch the film is his enemy. Jake and the Na'vi are victorious and send the humans back to their "dead world". Uh, doesn't that mean he sends his fellow humans to their extinction?
The story is a patchwork of other movies and various strains of the noble savage motif. Cameron provides the world with a shockingly unfiltered look at the modern, white liberal mindset. The primitive culture is idealized to the point of being laughable. Everyone is happily equal. The genders are on equal footing. Everyone is in tune with nature. Heck, they literally are wired into their world. The Na'vi have wires at the end of their ponytails that they actually link into dino-birds and trees so they can "talk" to them.
No, I'm not kidding.
Yes, this is a serious movie.
Back to the hippie stuff. The primitive culture is so perfect, so wonderful that every time they are on screen they are celebrated with sweeping World Music. Honestly, during every moment with the Na'vi, Cameron unloads the demo tapes for The Lion King. Now, when the humans are around, he plays the discount version of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. Apparently, he couldn't get the rights to play the theme music for Darth Vader.
So we're clear:
Primitives = happy, natural, honorable and spiritual
Humans = destructive, greedy, violent and conniving.
There is not a moment in the film that isn't noticeably crafted. There is nothing organic. The dialog is self-aware and often corny "Why did you save me?" "Because you have a strong heart!"
No, I'm not kidding.
Yes, this is a serious movie.
Characters act completely against their history and/or better interest. My personal favorite is when a mercenary who is collecting a paycheck to kill aliens is ordered to kill said aliens yells "I didn't sign on for this!" and then leave the battlefield. This is done without any character development leading to the decision, it just happens because Cameron needs the character for later on.
You will hear many people say that you see the budget up on the screen. Yes, they put all $300 million up on the screen. Too bad they didn't put one dime into the script. The film is visually full. However, the imagery is too intentional. The environment of Pandora is full of flashing lights, day-glo plants and the grass glows when it is stepped on at night. It is like the whole place is paved with Michael Jackson's sidewalk.
The expansive scenery in all of its intricate glory is so forced that I never lost the feeling I was looking at created scenery. I can say the same about the animated figures. Cameron has managed to get beyond the dead-eyes issue with animated humanoids. There are emotions in the eyes of his characters but they still looked unreal. The visuals are entertaining, but in the end the movie looked like a real long video game trailer. I kept expecting the game menu to pop up.
What puts this film over the top in its road to crapville is that it is a self-loathing racist screed.
The Na'vi are all played by African-American or Native American actors (CHH Pounder, Zoe Saldana, Wes Studi, Laz Alonso). The Na'vi are blue, but their society is an idealized hybrid of African and Indian tribal cultures with some white, middle-class New Age mumbo-jumbo tossed in for flavor.
The humans are almost all white. There are a couple of minority actors who have lines, but almost all of them turn out to be on the side of the natives. Now, let it be known that I don't normally go counting races when I watch movies. I normally don't care one bit. But in this case it was so obvious, you can't avoid it.
The Na'vi are so transparently supposed to be minorities and the humans are blatantly supposed to be oppressive white Capitalists that it is unsettling. I haven't seen a more open case of white guilt casting since the last time I saw a Brinks Home Security ad. Don't believe me? Then listen to Cameron who tips his hand with his own self indulgent dialog. Jake comes clean of his intentions to try to save the Na'vi. Col. Quarich (Stephen Lang - no you don't know him, although you should) turns to Jake. Quarich squints his blazing blue eyes and snarls "You don't want to be a traitor to your race."* The guy in charge of military operations swaps out "race" for "species" when he's dealing with a society of alien humanoids who are a) blue, b) seven-eight feet tall, c) have carbon-binding bones d) look like big kitties. Cameron intentionally uses the word race because that is his point.
The casting and the dialog may not tag Cameron as a self-hating bigot. But this does. (Spoiler for the rest of this paragraph) At the end of the film, Jake (the white boy) only achieves wholeness and his full heroic stature after he leaves his white boy body and enters the body of a Na'vi. In other words, until he kills all the white people (by sending them back to their dead world, remember) and then leaving his own white body behind can he be complete.
No, I'm not kidding.
Yes, this is a serious movie.
Try switching the races around and see how comfortable you feel with this plot. Cameron was one step away from showing white people and then flashing images of rats on the screen. Why not just have everyone chant "kill whitey!"
If all of this isn't enough here are some other problems with this, a great leap forward in world cinema:
- A character leaves the battlefield against orders. The next time we see this character he/she isn't in the brig. He/She is smiling, casually walking around with a gun. No reason is given to how he/she managed to avoid being arrested or shot on the spot for cowardice.
- The film is loaded, LOADED with anachronism. The film takes place in 2154 but people still use terms like "bitch ass", "bitch", "come git sum!" and "he's got skills". One character smokes - INDOORS. Heck, I can show you outdoor parks you can't smoke in. It goes on from there.
- It is stuffed full of Mother Earth/Gaia nonsense.
- We are never told why Unobtanium is so critical. The only reason given is financial. What if it cured cancer? What if it was used to revive the dying Earth? This is an important fact to leave out because it gives a fuller context to Jake intentionally killing off his own species.
- The pretty Na'vi Jakes falls for and has sex with (yes, he has sex with a big, blue kitty) knows he is an avatar and really an alien. It is illogical she would allow herself to be taken in by what amounts to a big blue sock puppet sent by the enemy.
- All of the Na'vi and their animal friends are glowing bright colors. Which makes them all easy targets in the brown and green jungle world they live in. Yet, no trained marine can seem to hit them.
- Speaking of marines, (spoiler warning) we are asked to believe that after years of engaging with the Na'vi the marines are finally done in by a full frontal assault by the primitive warriors using spears and arrows. This is like asking us to believe the modern American military would be taken down by the Sioux.
- Every time Jake returns to the human world his avatar body (made of flesh and bone) drops like a discarded rag doll. This is shown a few times. When this happens the Na'vi are accepting of it. Sure one says he's a demon but other than that they're cool. This is a culture that hasn't invented the wheel yet, let alone any complex tools (which is why they still fight with spears and not catapults). They could not conceive of why he would keep dropping over. They never bury or burn his apparently dead body?
- Jake's avatar is left laying prone in a jungle for an extended period of time. No animals or insects devour the warm flesh of his dormant body laying on the jungle floor
I know you will feel compelled to see this in the theater and I don't blame you. It is a tempting flick to see. I will say that if you insist on seeing it you should do so on the big screen. I will also say that if you can find the will to resist its pull, of any movie I have ever seen, this is the one you want to miss.
Related Reviews:
Other movies that stink
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Drag Me To Hell (2009)
Other Critic's Reviews:
Roger Ebert (get mowing, tubby)
Big Hollywood (Nolte avoids clipping my little piggies)
* - I'm paraphrasing, I don't have the exact words, but this is dang close. The important point is the replacement of "race" for "species".
Labels: film, James Cameron, movie review, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 8:00 AM
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36 Comments:
Good to see you posting again Scott.
Thanks for the review. I've been POed that the film apparently is going to set a record for first week grosses. Note that most of the money comes from overseas, because this movie can also be interpreted as the good primative natives against the evil American imperialists.
I won't be seeing it even though I would be interested in the tech and art. The last time I saw something like this was "Ferngully" and I was depressed for a week that there were a substantial number of people in this world that thought the movie was good.
Maybe it's just this movie being out the same time as the fascists passing their economic take over, but I'm beginning to believe that at some point, either our culture will slowly die out or there's going to be some kind of nastiness involving camps and or extreme violence.
It's difficult for me to believe that any film could be this bad without the involvement of Roland Emmerich. But, then again, Emmerich is just utterly and amazingly inept. Whereas, it sounds like Cameron has just flat out gone to the dark side. Aliens was great, the Terminator .. I even liked The Abyss. Hell, I saw friggin' Titanic in the theater seven times just for the visuals. But, wow. Thanks for the $12 saved. I feel safe predicting that I'd have left the theater viscerally angry after sitting through Avatar.
Great review! Very entertaining.
Wait, I am sorry I don't know if I miss interpreted what this website is. I was searching for Christian reviews of the movie Avatar, but what I found was a very satirical, antagonized review of the film. All personal views on the quality of the movie aside, or it "actuality" that is somewhat of a pointless remark to make as it is clearly not real; the film is about race. Believe it or not but we STILL live in a racist society. Perhaps our lines our blurring more these days, however do not forget what the human race has been doing for its entire existence. The Dominant people (for one example Europeans explorers, who had advanced weapons and had been taught to take what was not their own) manipulated, tortured, abused and brought about the genocide of countless Native Americans in hopes of new land, wealth, etc. The Native Americans were trusting and welcoming to these barbaric travelers, but the pioneers were relentless. I am speaking in generalities here, but this is just a single example of the typical situation that has and will most likely continue to occur in our world. I believe that movies such as Avatar (and the resent film, District 9) point to the notion of self-reflection, and if you are not a racist individual, I believe that the stories assist you in seeing what is going on in our society racially speaking. If an individual is prideful however, they will not look into this notion and see its worth. To see ones own faults (both the singular person and the entirety of a people) is to help one change his faults. Just as recognizing that we all our sinners, helps us to be humbled, and with the love of Jesus He forgives us, and we hope that we learn through faith and discipline to end that fault. Perhaps you believe the filmmakers are trying to create a very left-winged, propaganda flick, maybe they are? Nevertheless, I think that conservatives (myself) can get past that and see the value in the film regardless of our political differences.
Also one other qualm I have (somewhat in general, but can be regarded on Christian reviews of this film) that I really do not understand is why some Christians, or some conservatives are so opposed to taking care of, or finding a connection to the earth. God created the Earth, He created every tree, every animal, every human. We (humanity) are supposed to be stewards of the earth, or managers; carrying for what God has created. God insist that we must not be wasteful, a theme that does present itself in the film. When Neytiri teaches Jake to kill creatures only when they are needed it is a great lessons that we can all learn from and one I think God would want us to see. Even Jake recognizing the animal as it dies and thanking it, can be translated to Christians praising God for His blessing, and a way that we can see all things we receive, as gifts. Jesus was, after all the lamb that was slaughtered for us, the ultimate gift and sacrifice to which we must be eternally grateful for, as we should be for everything God gives us. Nothing is our own, everything is a precious gift. If we treated everything in this respect, our world would be much different.
Why can we not take those themes and applications out of this film?
I have seem this movie twice and have found some serious flaws in your understanding of even the most basic concepts of this film. You said a lot of crazy shit in your paragraphs but I'm just going to worry about your bullet points.
#1: Of all of your complaints, this one might actually be worth making. I assume her refusal to destroy the Hometree went unnoticed due to the massive success of the mission.
#2: Unless you've actually been to 2154, I don't think your quite qualified to tell us what curse words would have gone out of fashion.
#3: I don't know how "Mother Earth" references automatically make a movie bad. Nobody will take this movie seriously. (Accept for you apparently).
#4: It is unimportant what (if anything) Unobtainium does. The characters in the movie don't want to cure cancer, they want so that they can make money. They are greedy and uninterested in what the mineral is used for. When the Europeans came to America, they took gold, not because it had any specific function, but because they could become rich off of it.
#5: Man, in this bullet point, you sound like a Vulcan. There's no way you were really trying with this one. Unless you really believe that all love is logical.
#6: You seem to forget that THE ENTIRE JUNGLE also glowed. It's just as hard to see a bright object against a bright background as it is to see a dark object against a dark background.
#7: No, you're not expected to believe that the Marines were beaten by arrows. In fact, they were winning! The Marines didn't lose until EVERY FUCKING ANIMAL ON PANDORA came after them.
#8: Did you also forget that the humans had built a school for them and had begun educated them about human science and culture. Yes? You did forget? Eh, that's cool. I forgive you. Also, why do you think that won't be able to comprehend what is happening? Do you think that they are stupid, unteachable, savages?
#9: This one you took out of context. Sure, Jake's body was left on the ground. I'm guessing that no animals ate the body because they were scared off by the FUCKING GIANT FLAMING TREE THAT HAD JUST COLLAPSED AND THAT WAS COVERING THE LANDSCAPE IN INCHES OF ASH! But that seems like a long shot.
Remember, think before you pull words out of your ass!
K, I've heard a lot of people link this to Ferngully. It is depressing to see how many people are so fascinated by this film. Yes, its a technical landmark but its a landmark with a childish storyline and dialog to satisfy morons.
Krispy, you won't leave the theater angry. You will leave thankful it finally ended. It is incredibly boring.
Honestly, the battle sequences I keep hearing the fanboys rave over reminded me of the battles in Phantom Menace.
Robert,
Thanks!
V&A,
Huh?
Its non Christian to post "a very satirical, antagonized review"? Since when? What Bible are you reading?
We don't live in a racist society. We live in a pluralistic society. You make yourself sound like a buffoon when you claim America is racist when the President, numerous politicians, policemen, soldiers, professors, entertainers, authors, artists and community leaders are of various races. If this were a racist society all major and most if not all minor social positions would be held by one group.
I'm not sure where the Christians and conservatives are so opposed to taking care of, or finding a connection to the earth bit. Where did I say that?
"When Neytiri teaches Jake to kill creatures only when they are needed it is a great lessons that we can all learn from and one I think God would want us to see. Even Jake recognizing the animal as it dies and thanking it, can be translated to Christians praising God for His blessing, and a way that we can see all things we receive, as gifts." No, you are ignorant of the theology you claim to uphold. He THANKS THE ANIMAL NOT GOD. He is partaking in animal worship. Its pagan. It has nothing to do with Christ. Again, what Bible are you reading?
"Why can we not take those themes and applications out of this film?" BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THERE. You are inserting a Christian round peg into a pagan square hole.
#4. Unobtanium is obviously employed as a McGuffin by Cameron but the context of its use would provide some needed depth to the central conflict. If it had some larger purpose, such as curing disease, it would have provided actual motivation for the humans to go to the lengths they went to in the final act. The problem with this is that Cameron had to keep things brutishly stupid "Its worth a lot of money" so Jake's treason and ultimate murder of his species could be glossed over. If the humans were from a "dead planet" - which they were sent back to at the end of the film, implying that they had no where else to go, then why were they looking for wealth? It doesn't stand.
#5. There is some logic in love. One doesn't fall in love with a blow up doll, their dog or their couch. They certainly don't fall in love with things from different species.
Neytiri knows he is not what he appears to be. She also knows there is an existential war brewing. She is also promised to Tsu'tey.
#6 The jungle glowed at night. Not during the day. Jake, who is a blazing blue, flying around on a giant fire engine red pterodactyl thing - trained marines couldn't hit him?
#7 The frigate, or whatever you want to call it, and the smaller ships were taken down by the Na'vi = silly. The ground troops were taken out by Na'vi and the beasts. You will note that the marines were completely ineffective against the beasts even though they were in the field for years? Years on the planet and they didn't find a way to dispatch some charging rhino things? Unlikely at best.
#8. I remember they built the schools and tried to educate them. This doesn't mean the Na'vi, who are primitives, could understand the intricacies or even the basics of biological engineering or anything else that has to do with the avatar project. This is why Jake is referred to as a demon later on. They don't understand the tech.
"Do you think that they are stupid, unteachable, savages?" Yes, that is exactly what I think. Otherwise they would be able to use the dropped guns during the battle. They would have also had even the most rudimentary tools at their disposal.
That's the thing about the primitive - they tend to be seriously stupid.
#9. The corpse is left for an extended period of time following the first battle. If I recall correctly, Jake and the other pillow-biters were imprisoned in the brig. This would have left the area open for animals to come back in. Even if you deny the possibility of animals consuming the body, insects would absolutely devour it. You can't leave consumables on the ground in any tropical location because it will be eaten immediately.
Next time you start an argument, try being right on at least something. It helps with your credibility.
Thanks for stopping in. Talk to you next time!
Spurgeonworld,
First thing, nice language. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?
Your points would be devastating if any of them were correct.
You're wrong. Let me tell you why.
#1. It does makes sense. The other soldiers she was flying with were incensed she left. These are soldiers in a battlefield, following orders is important to them since her leaving her post could have led to others being killed. She should have been executed.
#2. Of course, because low class slang that's been mainstreams for less than ten years is going to survive 150 years in the future. You don't even believe what you're saying.
You still have to contend with the other anachronisms found in the technology and dress. Even the most forgiving audience member has to sigh at the notion that Jake would have one of those douchebag barbed tattoos on his arm.
#3. First, it is "except" not "accept". Second, the film was made by Cameron to promote his theological, political and environmental beliefs. He has stated this numerous times. Taking the messages to heart is the whole point. If you believe that no one will take it seriously, you are only supporting my view that this film is a piece of crap.
(Continued)
Obviously, you are a radical right wing Republican with no sense of decency. This film, if you actually took the time to think about it, shows the evils of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, Rove, Haliburton, Blackwater, and Big Oilm of course in a different context because if James Cameron showed them instead, he would be put in Guantanamo Bay with the other innocent, non-Christian, indigenous peoples of the Middle East that dare dissent from Bush's illegal wars on dark-skinned peoples who don't bow to that Jesus fellow or read the fictinal Bible and act like it is fact. Plus, look at how much you care about the use of the word race. Obviously, you didn't vote for Obama and don't support him because he is black.
I saw this movie and it was as brilliant as any Orwell story. I think every American should see it and understand the context. If the redneck cracker homophobe racist sexist nd Islamophobic Republicans don't like it, they shouldn't go see it.
Amusing.
I know that a certain kind of Internet film geek uses words like Unobtanium. (Reference here...Fair warning: the TV Tropes website can be highly addictive.)
But to actually have that phrase used in a movie?
What next, a movie in which the Special Item actually has a "MacGuffin" label visible on it?
Some Christians have confused Avatar's Earth worship theme with the Bible's admonision to be good stewards of the Earth. What they are forgetting is that while the Bible makes it clear to be good stewards, it also says to not to worship Earth. Protect the Earth but don't worship it. This is an important distinction, and many Christians get confused when discussing their role in environmentalism.
Finally, the reason I won't waste my time or money on Avatar is simply that the script seems to be full of the typical, overused movie lines. I'd rather read a book.
Wow. There are so many things wrong with this review, I don't know where to begin. And I really don't feel the need to bother, since I know you will just snap back at me all the reasons why I'm wrong without really considering that YOU could actually be the faulty one.
However, I do feel an overwhelming urge to call you out on two things...
First, "The primitive culture is idealized to the point of being laughable. Everyone is happily equal. The genders are on equal footing."
Last I heard, our not-so-primitive culture considers all races and genders "equal". (Unless you're one of "those" Christians who believes we should enslave minorities and strip women of their voting rights and their voice in the church.) You make it sound as though equality is the kiss of death to a civilized society. So much for "all men are created equal"... oh wait... maybe you would agree with the "all men" part of that.
Second, as far as the "evil white man" killing off the "innocence blue kitties"... In this movie, there is no background to make clear exactly how the humans are behaving themselves in 2154. What if as you mentioned, the races were reversed... would it then be ok to slaughter the enemy, as long as they weren't the same color as you? Or what if the earth had been taken over by a Hitler-like radical dead set on pillaging and destroying any alien planet he pleased? Is it so inconceivable to you that our race could be capable of such a thing? That kind of thinking is not only naive but dangerous.
I think it's clear who the bigot is here. (Hint: It's not James Cameron.)
I've considered if I'm the faulty one and nope, I'm good.
Your bit on gender doesn't make sense. You gave it a good shot however. I don't own any slaves and if I did, I would probably get a white guy since they would go for far less than a minority - basic economics.
As far as gender equality being the kiss of death to our culture - this is straw man, oh wait, I'm sorry STRAW PERSON you pulled out of nowhere so you could bring your disjointed paragraph to an end.
There is a background to how humans are behaving. First, we see the attitudes of the competing factions within the human race. Second, it is clearly explained that humans environmentally destroyed Earth and will likely destroy Pandora. Conversely, we are shown the Na'vi in perfect balance with each other and nature. This, of course, is far from the truth when dealing with Stone Age tribal cultures. Brutal violence, and yes SLAVERY, are often a way of life in these cultures.
If the races were reversed the audience would be far less accepting of the ignorance pushed in this film.
Not so sure on why you need to go to another STRAW PERSON with the Hitler who rules the Earth. Strange tangent but okay. Since you ask, I can easily conceive of people of European descent committing crimes against humanity GIVEN THAT HITLER WAS FROM EUROPE. Seems to be self-explanatory.
I think it's clear who the dimwit is here (hunt: its you)
Hey, thanks for stopping in and letting me slap you around for a while. Come back, enjoy the reviews and make yourself comfortable.
you must be white and are obviously blind to the deeper things. Most of us Americans are violent, greedy, destructive, and conniving. All it takes to realize this, is to look around our homes and realize how much we are blessed with and yet we complain and desire more and will do whatever it takes to get more, to see that. Maybe you should stop criticizing the mirror for its intended purpose and instead, use it,look at yourself get a revelation and change. It's easy to judge others works when you have none of your own.
Ajonte,
Sounds to me like you need to find new friends. The people you're hanging out with sound awful.
And please, do not refer to me as white or as a man. I prefer "testicularized Euro-human". Thanks.
Well, I have no desire to be slapped around, but I'll tag into this discussion. I just saw Avatar today, and I really liked it. I know we don't always agree, but I am surprised at your strong feelings about this movie. I think you are being too sensitive about the whole race issue. It is a requirement in any good story that there be a main character, a problem, and a resolution. In most movies, there is a good guy and a bad guy, unless it's a love story then the good guy and bad guy are both of the un/happy couple. I just try to enjoy movies, not analyze them to death. I didn't stop to ask myself, why are all the Americans white and greedy? It can't be even said they were. Four or five or our main characters in the "military" side ended up working with the natives and half of them weren't even white. I grow tired of reading this type of review. I have heard from several of my friends that feel the same way about this movie as you do. It's all about "it's a liberal agenda movie." Even if it is, so what? What are we afraid of? If so, wouldn't that be as dumb as a non Christian not wanting to watch a "Christian movie" because of a perhaps Christian agenda. This is why we (liberal/conservative or Christian/non-Christian) can't ever have a dialogue. Your "review" if you can call it that has its own agenda. People went in to the theater to see a movie, not with a motive, and some of them were moved by it. Why not have a dialogue instead of beating people over the head by calling them morons if they enjoyed the movie. You are equal parts offensive and defensive and so there is never any true discussion.
I just have to say,the writer of this review is possibly the biggest idiot i have ever wasted time listening to,you are another reason for me to see Christianity as the bane of humankind.
Shane, you read the review, you didn't listen to it.
I am curious, how is it that you're able to discard the entire Christian faith over a movie review? Honestly, please explain further. What exactly about the review has caused this?
Is this really a Christian review? I really didn't know that, and if it is how embarrassing! If you are a true "christian" Scott, you wouldn't even have to ask Shane that question. I hope you write back that you are not representing christianty this way.
ajonte,
This is a "Christian review" in the same sense I make "Christian sandwiches". I am a Christian. I critique films. My viewpoint is a Christian one. I don't overtly intend to write "Christian" I am one so the product of my efforts is inherently Christian.
I don't represent Christianity as a whole - the only one who can do that is Christ.
How is it I'm shaming all Christians by asking a troll to explain his over-reaction to a movie review?
One could argue worshipping the Earth we LIVE ON that gives us our life is less "nonsense" than worshipping a bunch of arbitrary man-made rules.
When you started your "review"with statements like "it should be legal for me to enslave and neuter any movie critic who gives it a positive review." And then to call people who take the time to post comments about your "Christian Review" trolls and dimwits for disagreeing with your extremist views just does not represent Our Lord with any degree of compassion, sensitivity or humility.
It is worth noticing that more people took the time to disagree with your rant than to support it. As a believer in Jesus Christ of Nazareth being the Son of God, and my personal Savior, it makes me feel very unsettled to be put in a category with one that can be so blind to the real message and to polarize and disenchant more than is intended by writing a "Christian Movie Review". It might serve you well to put a little more prayer and thought into your reviews and leave out the extremist propaganda and name calling.
Just a thought.....
Tristan,
So, you're for worshiping lumps of dirt and rocks. Why not just worship a lampshade while you're at it? The Earth doesn't "give you life". You utilize as a resource just as you would any planet you found yourself on. It is used to provide, it doesn't "give life".
With your thinking, we should all be praying to our refrigerators.
So, which rules are you speaking of and which ones are "arbitrary"?
Darrin,
My points are hardly extremist. I do use hyperbole for humor. If you would cease your sanctimonious non-scriptural sniffling, you may have noticed.
I can support every line of my review. I will point out you failed to pull anything specific from the review but rather felt comforted by putting quotes around the word "Christian" implying I am somehow not Christian. And you think I'm lacking in humility?
I referred to Ajonte as a dimwit because he is, at least judging by the comments above. Calling a commenter a troll is a description. The term troll actually means something online. Name-calling is not against the faith - perhaps you would be happier if I referred to my detractors as a "brood of snakes".
About the message of the movie. Cameron's film is racist. It is anti-civilization. It is also eco-Marxist. It is he who is the extremist, not me.
From the Entertainment Weekly interview:
EW: “Avatar” is the perfect eco-terrorism recruiting tool.”
JC: Good, good. I like that one. I consider that a positive review. I believe in ecoterrorism.”
I can go on. But, why?
Scott,
You do not need to go on. The quotations were not to question your Christianity, just the way in which your profession of faith is being used as a means to earn money or for what ever reason that drives to to use your talents along with His name and do such senseless damage along the way. Of course this is only my opinion, I wouldn't want to really be "sanctimonious" and I am definitely not sniffling. But you misdirected anger and zealotry are most likely doing more harm than good.
So unless you get some earthly benefit from these types of "Reviews" that I would consider more of a rant than a legitimate critique, it might be better for you to consider what other ways you might utilize the talents that God bestowed upon you. Maybe something that attracts instead on repels. There is no doubt that we all get on the wrong track from time to time. My misguidance was in wasting the time reading and commenting on such hate-filled, misguided prose that is labeled as Good News Film Reviews. It is hard for me to believe you will be judged well for this use of God's gift to you.
But we all have our opinions now don't we?
Zealotry? Again where? Specifically, in the review where is the fault? Everything I state is true.
I've noted you didn't bother responding to what I have written. You've simply retracted from being call sniffling and then have the amazing gall to assume the judgment of God.
Instead of sniffling and belching out your pious nonsense, tell me exactly where I've strayed in my review.
Again, speaking strongly, assertively without pandering is not against scripture.
Cameron is promoting the worst, absolute worst kind of thinking. A strong reaction, calling it out for what it is - this is the only proper reaction. Jesus didn't wilt and mince around trying to make sure everyone was happy and felt good. He can in and overturned tables and called out the rotten in this world. He is love but He is also truth. Reread your Bible, you will find that He had plenty of strong words for the fools.
This is not an exhaustive list by any stretch but it states some of the most obvious flaws of the movie. (not to mention all of the technical flaws such as Trudy, the pilot, not getting in trouble after disobeying orders.)
One issue that I had with your review was that it was significantly lacking in love toward Christians that actually enjoyed the movie despite its flaws. I don't think you would say "if you enjoyed this movie you must not be a Christian" ABSOLUTELY NOT! One reason I wrote this post was to say that I,as a Christian, can genuinely enjoy the movie despite its flaws.
I notice the movie's propaganda but I can choose to ignore it for the sake of enjoyment. This is not to say that I condone the propaganda because it doesn't matter. I think it is sad that someone with James Cameron's talent and vision could be so corrupted and misled in his philosophical views. But at the same time it gives me a chance to truly connect with non-Christians who also enjoyed the movie. As you well know the movie is extremely popular and a great number of non-believers have seen it..and liked it. I can then talk about it with them as a fellow fan and connect with them in order to talk about the flaws without alienating myself as a "no fun Christian who doesn't have good taste and wouldn't know a good movie if it hit him on the head." I am trying my best to be "in the world but not of the world."
I hope you understand where i'm coming from and can respect my opinion without feeling the need to "slap me around." I'm not looking for confrontation but I hope you can have a real, Christ-like conversation _in love_ that demonstrates you care for me as a person. Christ connected with the sinners and prostitutes. How do you think he did this? By criticizing all of their practices and habits? No, he loved the sinner and connected with them in a unique way that was unprecedented at that time.
I'm sorry for going off on that rabbit trail. I agree that the movie had some terrible and fundamental flaws that are direct offenses against my faith. But I enjoy genuinely enjoy the movie, ignoring the flaws for my enjoyment's sake, but at the same time reflecting on all the flaws when I can use it in loving evangelism.
I am an 18 years old, not 34, but I would still like you to respect my opinions and do your best not to "slap me around." Thank you.
Scott,
I saw Avatar a couple days ago and really enjoyed it. A couple days later, I brought it home and let my Dad watch it. At the end my dad turned to me and the first thing that came out of his mouth was..."I'm glad I saw it. I can see why it got so much publicity and has so many fans. I'm also concerned with all the propaganda it pushed. Can you see all the fundamental flaws?"
Notice the first thing he said was positive. He knew I had seen the movie before and liked it so rather than come right out and bludgeon me on the head he complimented my taste. After establishing that he fulling respected my opinions he called upon my discerning and critical nature and asked me if I saw all the flaws.
The way he approached me was critical. He evidently displayed love to me and did not estrange himself by ranting on and on about all the hog-wash and occult themes that were featured in the movie.
I responded with a full and thorough list of all the propaganda and offenses the movie displayed toward my faith.
A Brief and Cursory list of my objections:
1. The lack of clothing on the natives. Borderline nudity.
2. The theme that nature was deity and we should worship the earth
3. The theme that the "savages" were the pure and noble creatures and humans were corrupt and sordid.
4. The idea that the more we draw away from our fundamental nature (our inner savages) the more corrupt we get. (directly contrary to the truth that the human heart is inherently sinful and our "inner savages" are totally and completely engulfed and rotting in sin.)
5. All the foul language.
6. The barb toward toward the War on Terror by the remark by the villain that we will fight "terror with terror."
7. The occult chanting and moaning that were illustrated during their "healing ceremonies" or "worship."
8. The labeling of the Marines as murderers. (the topic of murder was not addressed in the film. Was it murder? were the aliens made in the image of God? Or is it no different that killing a cat? On the other hand, we thought black people were inhuman at first, (after all they look different: they are black not blue, they generally have big lips not big eyes, there are other physical features that make them "different" than whites.) Of course we know that this was a tragedy completely false.
(continued...)
Ethan, I appreciate your delicate approach but, alas I will slap you around a bit. I'm in a good mood today, so I don't really want to. I'll try to be quick about it. Age has nothing to do with it - opinion and demeanor does.
a) I'm not your Dad. Nice you have a good relationship with him and KUDOS to him for seeing the flaws (to you as well). This said, he's your Dad he should be kind with you. I, on the other hand, am under no such requirement.
b) "we thought black people were inhuman at first" Ahem, you got a mouse in your pocket? What's the "we" crap? I have never believed such a thing and I refuse to take blame for what SOME whites believed generations ago. Its a small turn of phrase but it has huge implications. I am responsible for what I do and what I say. Always reject historical guilt, it is an evil.
c) Me pummeling those who support, promote and revel in lies and racism IS HAVING A CHRIST-LIKE CONVERSATION. He was assertive and very confrontational. It is unchristian to avoid speaking truth and attack that which needs to be attacked. Christ wasn't a weakling and He doesn't call us to be wimps either. When I believe a hard tone is needed, I use one. When a nicer approach is called for, I have that in me as well.
d) I am a strong supporter of Christians watching a broad range of films in particular to keep them aware of the culture. Heck, I'm about to publish a book on that subject. Good for you if you're using this as a means of discussion with your non-Christian friends. If they accuse you of not having good taste for not liking this film - that is like someone telling you that you have bad taste in food because you turn your nose up to a Ding-Dong, it exposes their ignorance.
"Christ connected with the sinners and prostitutes. How do you think he did this? By criticizing all of their practices and habits?" I'm not insulting the whores in this case, but rather attacking the culture-makers, the metaphorical Pharisees.
"No, he loved the sinner and connected with them in a unique way that was unprecedented at that time."
His treatment of the moneychangers and The Pharisees fit in with that statement how?
Does the guy who wrote this review really consider himself a Christian?
Wonders never cease. . .
I am a Christian. Nice of you to doubt that - very scriptural. So, care to cite your reasons for you question or are you going to pot-shot without explanation and move on. You know, just like Jesus did.
I love your review. Keep up the good work!
Hey Scott,
I appreciate the review. However, please be mindful of how you communicate truth in a hateful fashion. I believe Christ would agree with defending the truth, but he would not agree with your tactic of attacking others with your derogatory tone. You could certainly defend the truth without attacking the person. Remember Christ would want you to act as a witness to unbelievers, and by attacking others, you are certainly not acting as a good witness, despite the truth that you are communicating. Blatantly attacking unbelievers by "putting them down" ruins your witness. I hope that you can receive this well from a fellow sister in Christ.
Sylvia
Sylvia,
I sincerely appreciate your kindness and wanting to correct what you see as a hateful attack. I understand my role under Christ and do all I can to bring out the Truth. That role includes identifying and calling out lies.
This film promotes the worst kind of philosophy. I am right in condemning and mocking it.
Christ does not call for us to be nice all the time. In fact, Christ Himself wasn't very nice during much of his time on Earth. He was honest and good. He used biting sarcasm and mocking words against the pharisees. The Apostles likewise mocked non-believers and ridiculed their faulty belief systems.
You need to be careful in the words you choose. Your assigning the word "hateful" to a review such as this betrays a need to overstate what is really just some potshots and very humorous mockery. Its not hate.
Living in Christ and glad to have you along for the ride, Scott.
I am going to say this as simple as I can..."It was a movie"
bless all ya'll!
DC
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