Day 327: "Avatar" is a Metaphor for Predictability

I watched Avatar tonight for the first time after the urging of my husband. A few things right off the bat: that movie is too long, I would have hated to sit in a theater through three hours of that or any movie. Two, the plotline was predictable. Thirty minutes in, I said “I could write this shit” after I successfully predicted the first plot point and the predictability continued. There were some good things too. Yes, I see that it’s a metaphor for our world and the way we live. In fact, I’d suggest it’s not just a metaphor, but basically a retelling of human history. Thanks Cameron for beating us over the head with the genocides we’ve committed in our world. Even with all this, I liked the movie. It was pretty and very colorful and the creatures were cool. Overall, I found it entertaining, but not the “rethink the world” experience others did.

In fact, I found it a little insulting. There is no progress in our world. Mankind has not evolved past its instinctive fear of foreign cultures. We mock their deity, disrespect their customs, and assume they are primitive. I sincerely hope that in a distant future our own historic battles with cultural and religious wars will have taught to appreciate the differences, not seek to destroy them. This movie is a modern day depiction of “Last of the Mohicans” or “Dances with Wolves.” Not that it is a story that does not deserves retelling, but humanity as a blunt instrument, ruthlessly murdering and destroying any obstacle in our paths is getting a little old.

There are two stories filmmakers tell over and over: humanity as the evil destroyers or as the indomitable spirit that triumphs over all obstacles. Blah, blah, blah. I am fine with respecting this movie as a simple sci-fi/action movie, but I will never concur with popular opinion that it transcends Hollywood. James Cameron is not a genius, he’s just an entertainer who utilizes material of the past to create films. Titanic anyone?

I just want some originality, is that too much to ask? Maybe all the stories have already been told, but that doesn’t mean we cannot re-imagine with at least some creativity. I know that a alien world with blue people who tap into the essence of nature is original on some levels, the biggest part of the story is not. Man vs. Nature. Man vs. Alien. Man vs. Unknown. I’m bored. Let’s stop fighting or at least not depict almost every man as championing the same cause. We are a conflicting people, but where is that is this film aside from a few conscientious objectors? I am tired of all our own hype. None of us are any one way and no problem is black and white. This movie sold us all short. The effects were amazing though, points for that.