Comments on: Review: ‘Avatar’

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:18:00 +0000

Did you guys ever see this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23JOQbiAUM8

The Aborigines in Australia have had this strong connection to earth. But the australian governemnt actually built houses and streets for them – and guess what: they didn’t want it, so it became all shebby. It is absolutely identic with the movie. And it happens right now! I’ve been to Australia two years ago.

Cameron isn’t Moore. He doesn’t take only one issue. So you must not see the Iraq War only. By the way, it’s definately not ill-advised. It’s just a tiny piece of the whole thing.

For me this movie is much more than a technical thing. In this case I really don’t care much bout cheesy dialogues or 3D effects. This movie is a huge metaphor. And it has a huge massage to everyone here on earth.

If you couldn’t see that – go and watch it again.

By: Shannon Hood

Shannon Hood — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 02:28:27 +0000

Nguveren,
Yes, to clarify, what I meant was why don’t they do a combo of live action and animation? It seems like a lot of resources are being used to produce realistic looking humans, but you have the real live actor right there in front of you. I just wonder if they would use the actual humans (not the animated humans) in the final movie product. Yes, they are already acting against a green screen, but why not use the actual footage.

I’m not a film maker (obviously) so I am just kind of thinking out loud.

By: Nguveren

Nguveren — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 01:41:22 +0000

I also felt like the humans still look “off” in some way that I can’t put my finger on. I’m just not sure that making humans 100% realistic is ever going to be possible.

I think that it works better when you make them somewhat cartoonish, like A Christmas Carol did earlier this year. Otherwise, why not just use humans and green screen? It certainly would be cheaper.

All in all I agree with your review, however I don’t understand the above comment. Didn’t they use green screens and real actors for the human shots?

By: Shannon Hood

Shannon Hood — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:04:34 +0000

@Jamie M. As for the age cut-off, it is subjective of course. My 7 year old could probably handle it, but I know some of her classmates couldn’t. I just urge people to think a second before they take their kids. You and I both know that too many parents don’t think, and drag their toddlers to stuff like this, and it is just too intense for toddlers.

To me, the unobtainium seemed to obviously = oil, and the “we’ll fight terror with terror”, “shock and awe”, etc was a direct reference to the Iraq war, although I totally agree with you that it has far greater reaching themes. I didn’t even get into the environmental themes, because I easily would have ended up with 3,000 word review.

By: Jamie M.

Jamie M. — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:48:09 +0000

I agree with your review for the most part but a couple of rebuttals:

I didn’t see any allegorical parallels to the Iraq war. I did see an allegorical connection (which you’d have to blind to NOT see) to westward expansion and the genocide of the Native American population as European settlers encroached. They even try to “relocate” the Nav’vi. The only thing more they could have done was give them smallpox tainted blankets.

I saw the film with my 8 year old daughter and her friend. The both loved it, so I think a better cutoff age is perhaps six or seven. The film is VERY violent, but it is not pointless and gratuitous violence.

By: Shannon Hood

Shannon Hood — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:09:26 +0000

@Rikus
So you saw the 2d and loved it? I thought the movie would still look good in 2D, the 3D is not essential, but enhances the movie. I’m sure you will be thrilled with the 3D.

By: Rikus

Rikus — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:58:41 +0000

Sometimes a movie falls prey to a certain formula that is all too common in any kind of story, particularly tales that involve alien races or worlds, trigger-happy mercs, and a native princess who happens upon a male protagonist. What I love most about Avatar (besides how staggeringly awesome everything looks) is that while the story does follow a somewhat predictable formula it does so because that is what would happen in such a setting, and the formula becomes prey to the movie.

Another thing I really appreciated was the foreignness evident in the body language and speech of the Na’vi, and everything else on Pandora. Fantasy at its best.

I really enjoyed the film and would love to experience it again (perhaps this time in 3D).

Bravo Mr. Cameron, bravo.