Avatar and District 9

[sagacious]

1.) No, this is not a "which is better" thread
2.) This contains SERIOUS SPOILERS, you have been warned. If you havn't seen one of these, GO SEE IT/THEM RIGHT F&@*ING NOW, they are both that good.

I noticed some odd similarities between District 9 and Avatar.

A.) Both Wikus and Jake start out working for the oppressive human Corporation
B.) Both Wikus and Jake are chosen by their corporation for a special mission.
C.) Both Wikus and Jake go into the domain of the aliens and get over their heads.
D.) Both Wikus and Jake enter into a grey area between alien and Human, Vikus with his hand, and Jake with his avatar.
E.) Both Wikus and Jake are on the Human's side up until it is too late to prevent a conflict, then they switch sides.
F.) Both Wikus and Jake are about to get killed by the main bad guy, but then get saved by an alien or aliens.
G.) in the end, Both Wikus and Jake become fully alien.

Thoughts?

EDIT: i'm not suggesting that Cameron cribbed notes from District 9, considering that Avatar was in development years before Distict 9 was. Also, changed "Vikus" to "Wikus," oops.

 

[Radeonx]

It's a coincidence.
Or, Avatar stole District 9's idea and replaced the aliens with smurfsN'avi.

 

[ma55ter_fett]

I haven't seen avatar but I did see district nine, and if jake is anything like Vikus like you seem to be sujesting then i won't like him much as a character.

seriously Vikus was such a dick.

 

[sagacious]

I haven't seen avatar but I did see district nine, and if jake is anything like Vikus like you seem to be sujesting then i won't like him much as a character.

seriously Vikus was such a dick.

No Jake was likeable, they are VERY different movies, these are just some similarities.

btw: GO SEE AVATAR!!!

 

[delet]

Convenient thread. I just re-saw District 9 the other day.

You know what, you're almost completely right... Looks like Cameron took his story (or aspects of it, at least) from yet another source...

 

[boxcat]

Dance's with wolves, Pocahontas, heck it would be a really long stretch but you could also compare it with the matrix

 

[MortisLegio]

two movies with similar stories like thats never happened before*

*Sarcasm

 

[Zetsubou]

They both have roots in the basic "Find a new way of life" story archeatype. Neither is a copy of anything else, except that very story frame.

 

[sagacious]

They both have roots in the basic "Find a new way of life" story archeatype. Neither is a copy of anything else, except that very story frame.

You my friend are one of the few who get it.

 

[XIGBARx13]

I actually saw Avatar and District 9 for the first time on the same day (saw Avatar in theaters, then bought District 9 DVD right after and watched it when I went home.) I did notice a lot of the similarities, and I also think it was just a coincidence.
(Btw the name of the main character of D9 is spelled Wikus, not Vikus. I never would've realized that if I didn't turn the subtitles on.)

 

[DannyBoy451]

1.) No, this is not a "which is better" thread
2.) This contains SERIOUS SPOILERS, you have been warned. If you havn't seen one of these, GO SEE IT/THEM RIGHT F&@*ING NOW, they are both that good.

I noticed some odd similarities between District 9 and Avatar.

A.) Both Vikus and Jake start out working for the oppressive human Corporation
B.) Both Vikus and Jake are chosen by their corporation for a special mission.
C.) Both Vikus and Jake go into the domain of the aliens and get over their heads.
D.) Both Vikus and Jake enter into a grey area between alien and Human, Vikus with his hand, and Jake with his avatar.
E.) Both Vikus and Jake are on the Human's side up until it is too late to prevent a conflict, then they switch sides.
F.) Both Vikus and Jake are about to get killed by the main bad guy, but then get saved by an alien or aliens.
G.) in the end, Both Vikus and Jake become fully alien.

Thoughts?

Those are fairly superficial similarities, Avatar follows the whole "Dances With Wolves" plot cliche far closer, in a lot of ways District 9 actually subverts it and fucks with it.

 

[DoctorNick]

Spoiler: I mean, really.

While I liked Avatar, breaking new ground in storytelling it was not.

 

[Ghonzor]

They both have roots in the basic "Find a new way of life" story archeatype. Neither is a copy of anything else, except that very story frame.

If I said I loved you, would you be concerned?

 

[Hat of Controversy]

That's pretty funny indeed. Though you have to respect District 9 because it did it with 1/10 of the money Avatar used, and District 9 had WAY more style, AND District 9 did it in a much cooler, more original and engrossing manner.

Yeah... I'm so not bias!

 

[Vrex360]

Well there are undoubtedly similarities between the two plot wise, but in truth I get the feeling that was just coincidence. After all the two movies have very different settings and honestly have different goals, District 9 wants to show us unflinchingly the horrors of Apartheid Africa and life in the slums whereas Avatar wants to show us the lush beauty of nature and the cruel exploitation of a native people at the hands of the endlessly powerful militarised amoral humans.
In truth I personally felt that both movies worked on their own terms, hence why I gave them both positive reviews. If I had to pick a preferred one it would be District 9 but it's still pretty close.

 

[AkJay]

Uh... his name is Wikus. Wikus Van De Merwe, not "Vikus".

 

[lasherman]

That's pretty funny indeed. Though you have to respect District 9 because it did it with 1/10 of the money Avatar used, and District 9 had WAY more style, AND District 9 did it in a much cooler, more original and engrossing manner.

Yeah... I'm so not bias!

Exactly my feelings as well. I was kind of disappointed with Avatar; it was just multi-million dollar eye-candy.

 

[sagacious]

That's pretty funny indeed. Though you have to respect District 9 because it did it with 1/10 of the money Avatar used, and District 9 had WAY more style, AND District 9 did it in a much cooler, more original and engrossing manner.

Yeah... I'm so not bias!

Exactly my feelings as well. I was kind of disappointed with Avatar; it was just multi-million dollar eye-candy.

I actually liked Avatar more, District 9 was too dark for me to enjoy fully. But hey, that's just my taste.