Avatar Depression

[kawaiiamethist]

Shit, I'm more depressed Cameron didn't put as much effort into his script and fleshing out his characters that he did in creating that world.

Yes, it's kind of like the story that 15 year old kid in the 7 11 told you about how he hurt his leg running from the cops and then the nurse at the hospital "totally ended up blowing him." It's a wives' tale, for insipid people.

Tell me, who's lead should Cameron have followed in fleshing out his characters and script? Who did a much better job on what movie?

That first part, eh, what?

As for the second, Cameron's problem is that he took his sterotypes and ran with them. The bad guys were cartoon characters and the good guys were your standard goodie goodies. I'm especially disappointed with the villains of the piece, because they were given nothing beyond greedy and mental.

We all know there's an audience for movies produced purely for spectacle (Transformers, for example), and if I believed this was one of those I wouldn't be so hard on it, but Cameron was trying to make a statement about the evils of collonialism and environmental devastation. He did it in a such a dumbed downed, morning cartoon fashion that I couldn't get lost in this world or the message. I'm not trying to be a troll, and if you loved this movie, that's great, you got your money's worth, but for me, to see such care taken with the graphics and little with the script, it's a disappointment.

You seem to insinuate a connection between James Cameron and (no, it would be cliche to invoke the name of Michael Bay here, so...) Jan De Bont (Speed, Speed 2: Cruise Control [please laugh along with me] and Twister[puke]).

37 stories, bud. Look it up. Only 37 stories in the world.

Now, in critique of this film (which I thoroughly enjoyed - the police removed the soiled towel and escorted me to the nearest jail), I would agree that the Colonel BECAME a sterotype by the third act and that Giovanni Ribisi's character was never sussed out. However, both the beloved Sigorney Weaver's character and that of new discovery Sam Worthington were nuanced, conflicted characters. This was even experienced in their not liking each other at first, and how the Hell do I explain my sexual attraction to "Ripley's" avatar - ugg!

It could indeed have been better fleshed out. But, as I've stated probably a dozen times here, Avatar was no less original than the first Star Wars Trilogy (the Bible, Beowulf, Flash Gordon, etc.), though arguably it wasn't as well directed as Empire (sorry - have to clean off my keyboard now).

37? I thought there were less. I study media and with that, writing, so I am fully aware there are no original plots. The trick is finding new ways to tell those stories. The only new thing Cameron's done here is elevate the CGI bar for film. The colonel was a sterotype from the beginning, and his dialogue was so cartoonish that I knew he would eventually go batshit crazy and get into a brall with Jake. He did it with a mech, which I will grant was cool.

James Cameron is not Michael Bay, I would never make that insuation. Cameron knows how to make excellent, thoughtful movies, I've seen him do it, whereas Bay...well, he's a lost cause. Avatar's script was too paint by numbers; it never gave the audience anything to figure out and we were never guessing at anything. I knew what sort of movie I was going to see walking in there, I just wasn't expecting to predict the plot points so well before they happened.

Avatar for me was half a movie. One half was amazing graphics, the other was a hollow story with hollow characters. Just because one half was awesome, doesn't mean he gets a slide on the other. I'm not prepared to accept it was supposed to be for a kids, because this was obviously a family movie, and given the overwhelming popularity of Pixar films, he should know that family audiences demand tight scripts to go with the pretty pictures.

 

[Godavari]

Oy vey
Okay, I realize that there's probably something medically wrong with these people's brains but, honestly? It's just a fucking movie. Get over it. Life isn't all lubby-dubby. If you can't handle the fact that our society sucks, why haven't you come across these feelings before?

People sometimes call me a pessimist. I agree. It helps me not be a suicidal moron.

 

[nick_knack]

Really?!
I would have loved it if they burned the entire planet to get at the unobtainium.
I prefer our cities to that stone age socioty that the Na'vi have.
Hell, why didn't they just genocide the Na'vi with WMD's or something?!

Spoiler: my favourite scenes were

....when the Humans blew the home tree to bits and when the Na'vi were charging the Humans on horses and on foot and the Humans greeted them with a wall of high velocity metal....oh yes.

I agree. I agree so hard, that I will explode if I agree anymore (- buring the entire planet. Seems like a waste of good planet. Maybe just 500 square miles around the mines.). THAT WAS MY FAVORITE SCENE TOO! TAKE THAT PRIMITIVES!!! THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR DISRUPTING COMMERCE AND FOR BEING ALIEN! (I'm not a racist, I just believe in the merits of cultural conflict. I know how that statement might sound flawed, but I've digressed too much already.)

I don't really know why they had to be in that nasty jungle in the first place. I mean, the jungle is a naturally very dangerous place here too, and surely there were deposits elsewhere?

On topic: I kinda get it, because one of my greatest desires is to be around 1000 years from now to see what humanity is like, but I also don't get it in the context of Pandora, because it seems like an extremely dangerous shithole to me, and a terrible place to live as a native.

You people make me feel more than a little ill.

Oh boo hoo. Far be it from me to presume, but I think you need a little more context on how the world works. Might I suggest The Prince and Guns, Germs and Steel?

 

[Raven's Nest]

Judging by 95% of the comments in this thread, I'd say most of you have missed the point entirely... 

These people aren't depressed because they can't have what Pandora is... They are depressed because they can't have what it represents...

A symbiotic relationship with the earth, little concern for materialism or capitolism, a strong like-minded community with a sense of belonging and purpose... Many people crave these things in their lives, myself included. I think I liked Avatar so much because it showed me yet another example of the kind of life I want. I didnt get more depressed after it because it was everything i had already dreamed about, so it wasnt the wake up call ots been for these people. Having said that, nothing short of going back in time and being a native American is going to let me have that life and that is a thought that depresses me... I'm glad avatar isn't my only experience of and ideal world (for me) as I'd probably be amongst those depressed people now if it were...

 These people were clearly depressed before they saw the film. Seeing the Na'vi way of life enhanced by the beauty of the surrounding planet probably made them realise what they really want in life. Which is to lead that kind of life and turn away from capitolism and greed. Having seen that world put in danger by a collection of capitolist, militant and disrespectful group, this would have angered them. It angered me, not because I was sucked into the illusion of the story, but because I see the same aggressive, money worshipping people around me every day. It's part of our western 'civillised' culture. I can only wish it was as easy for me to get away from all that. If I could betray my own race in order to protect my perfect serene way of life then consider me a proud traiter... 

To all that have said "OMG it's just a film"... No, it's more than a film, To them it's a vision of a better modus vivendi. If you can't understand that then consider yourself the kind of person I don't want to be around for my whole life...    

 

[Reep]

I reckon its because Pandora is such a beautiful and amazing world, and then most people who see it just wake up to their grey and brown confining urban jungle.

Sure, i felt a bit sad at not being able to experience something as amazing as Pandora but id still live here.

 

[bcponpcp27]

Actually, I had this for about 12 hours after the movie, then I got over it when I woke up. Seriously, I wanted it to be real so bad. Cept for the horrible toxic gas for air bit. That would suck.

 

[Robert632]

it's polybious in disguise. need proof?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybius_(game)

ok it's about as reliable as milk left out for 4 days, but it is rather similer to the effects described.

 

[Just Pman]

Wow I just relized the resource is called Unobtain-ium. I thought it was Uunuptanium or something of the sort. Wow that's mind-blowing.

 

[Punisher A.J.]

Thats...a little wierd. But then again I kinda understand. It's a freakin beautiful to look at.

Yeah... totally... just... ok seriously who the freak would wanna go there... I mean its cool in all but people would die.... and trust me YOU would die.

Between the amotsphere and wild thantors running round, yeah people would die but at least they could say "Oooh Pre...."

Some might not even make it that far.

If you want to see pandora and survive then follow these rules... for green trees and exotic wild life, google amazon rainforest... for tenticle creatures, google squid or octi... for giant half naked blue rain forest people who have tenticles on their body and look like cats.... turn safe search off. ^.^

If you want to see pandora if the humans won.... play borderlands.

 

[Punisher A.J.]

"Cameron gets sued for emotional stress due to Avatar being so pretty"

Lame. Our society blows.

we can go dumber....

 

[The Salty Vulcan]

Thats...a little wierd. But then again I kinda understand. It's a freakin beautiful to look at.

Yeah... totally... just... ok seriously who the freak would wanna go there... I mean its cool in all but people would die.... and trust me YOU would die.

Between the amotsphere and wild thantors running round, yeah people would die but at least they could say "Oooh Pre...."

Some might not even make it that far.

If you want to see pandora and survive then follow these rules... for green trees and exotic wild life, google amazon rainforest... for tenticle creatures, google squid or octi... for giant half naked blue rain forest people who have tenticles on their body and look like cats.... turn safe search off. ^.^

If you want to see pandora if the humans won.... play borderlands.

Lol. Touche good sir, touche. Actually the Hallelujah Mountain Range was based on a region in China and despite being Earth and all actually i quite breathtaking.

 

[Xanian]

...Huh...really? But our real world is so awesome with it's multiple varied landscapes and everything not having creepy tentacles...

Must be furries. Always blame the furries.

And while you're at it, don't forget to throw the jews back in their ovens and hang the christans from their crosses.

Because the systematic slaughter of a religious groups can TOTALLY be equated to my minor jab at furries.

Puh-lease...

 

[Brownie101]

I felt this to an extent. Although, I live in my own world a good portion of the time and continuously wish to be something that doesn't actually exist that I've learnt to cope with it.
I just simply accept that it doesn't exist and that it will only live in a fictional plane of existence and get on with my life.

Though on the note of the depression, I agree. That world was so beautiful and stunning that I felt that depression after coming back to reality.

Cursed reality. We need to fix it.

 

[funguy2121]

Shit, I'm more depressed Cameron didn't put as much effort into his script and fleshing out his characters that he did in creating that world.

Yes, it's kind of like the story that 15 year old kid in the 7 11 told you about how he hurt his leg running from the cops and then the nurse at the hospital "totally ended up blowing him." It's a wives' tale, for insipid people.

Tell me, who's lead should Cameron have followed in fleshing out his characters and script? Who did a much better job on what movie?

That first part, eh, what?

As for the second, Cameron's problem is that he took his sterotypes and ran with them. The bad guys were cartoon characters and the good guys were your standard goodie goodies. I'm especially disappointed with the villains of the piece, because they were given nothing beyond greedy and mental.

We all know there's an audience for movies produced purely for spectacle (Transformers, for example), and if I believed this was one of those I wouldn't be so hard on it, but Cameron was trying to make a statement about the evils of collonialism and environmental devastation. He did it in a such a dumbed downed, morning cartoon fashion that I couldn't get lost in this world or the message. I'm not trying to be a troll, and if you loved this movie, that's great, you got your money's worth, but for me, to see such care taken with the graphics and little with the script, it's a disappointment.

You seem to insinuate a connection between James Cameron and (no, it would be cliche to invoke the name of Michael Bay here, so...) Jan De Bont (Speed, Speed 2: Cruise Control [please laugh along with me] and Twister[puke]).

37 stories, bud. Look it up. Only 37 stories in the world.

Now, in critique of this film (which I thoroughly enjoyed - the police removed the soiled towel and escorted me to the nearest jail), I would agree that the Colonel BECAME a sterotype by the third act and that Giovanni Ribisi's character was never sussed out. However, both the beloved Sigorney Weaver's character and that of new discovery Sam Worthington were nuanced, conflicted characters. This was even experienced in their not liking each other at first, and how the Hell do I explain my sexual attraction to "Ripley's" avatar - ugg!

It could indeed have been better fleshed out. But, as I've stated probably a dozen times here, Avatar was no less original than the first Star Wars Trilogy (the Bible, Beowulf, Flash Gordon, etc.), though arguably it wasn't as well directed as Empire (sorry - have to clean off my keyboard now).

37? I thought there were less. I study media and with that, writing, so I am fully aware there are no original plots. The trick is finding new ways to tell those stories. The only new thing Cameron's done here is elevate the CGI bar for film. The colonel was a sterotype from the beginning, and his dialogue was so cartoonish that I knew he would eventually go batshit crazy and get into a brall with Jake. He did it with a mech, which I will grant was cool.

James Cameron is not Michael Bay, I would never make that insuation. Cameron knows how to make excellent, thoughtful movies, I've seen him do it, whereas Bay...well, he's a lost cause. Avatar's script was too paint by numbers; it never gave the audience anything to figure out and we were never guessing at anything. I knew what sort of movie I was going to see walking in there, I just wasn't expecting to predict the plot points so well before they happened.

Avatar for me was half a movie. One half was amazing graphics, the other was a hollow story with hollow characters. Just because one half was awesome, doesn't mean he gets a slide on the other. I'm not prepared to accept it was supposed to be for a kids, because this was obviously a family movie, and given the overwhelming popularity of Pixar films, he should know that family audiences demand tight scripts to go with the pretty pictures.

I can appreciate that you hold everyone who makes a film worth your time to a high standard. I guess we just disagree on how well sussed out the characters were, though I think we can agree they could've benefited from some more work.

When it comes to Pixar, I tend to agree. When it comes to the myriad Pixar knockoffs, I couldn't agree less. What was the Nickelodeon movie where the cows went "boy tipping?" Terrible. And Over The Hedge was worst, especially with its inclusion of Ben Fold's "Rockin' the Suburbs" (a very R-rated satire of Fred Durst, et al -'Ya'll don't know what it's like/bein' middle middle class and white), whitewashed for a brainless child audience -ecch.

So no, I don't think that parents have high enough standards for their children's entertainment. Hell, my aunt still didn't believe me when I told her Billy Ray Cyrus used to be a stripper, even after his 16-year-old daughter did a pole dance at an awards show.

 

[ArtVSscience]

I sorta felt it. But I got over it in like a day.

 

[Distorted Stu]

I felt like "Man, it would rule to live somewhere liek pandora" after iw atched it. I can always visit their in my dreams.

This reminds me of the people who thought life wasnt real after watching The Matrix.

 

[Soushi]

To be honest, it was kinda depressing to walk out of teh theater and look at all the plastic and garbage lying around and think "Well... fuck humanity." I mean, there is this beautiful and so life-like world that is out of our reach, a world that is like our Earth used to be in so many ways, that might be enough to get some people going.

But still, even thinking suicide is going WAY too far. I mean, yeah, i saw teh movie , i loved it and can understand how it might touch something off in people and even casue some people to hurt when they look at our own damaged world. But geez, rather than being depressed and sad, why not do what you can to make THIS world better. There are REAL rainforests out there, and real people, who are being exploited and destroyed by companies and governments. the trick is to take an example from this movie, to use what is obviously become a powerful force, as a rally point by which to change this world. Don`t forget, everything in that movie was created by humans, we have the imagination, all we need is to finally develop that sense of family as a species and obtain the drive, on a massive scale, to fight to keep this world alive.

 

[Soushi]

I just simply accept that it doesn't exist and that it will only live in a fictional plane of existence and get on with my life.

Though on the note of the depression, I agree. That world was so beautiful and stunning that I felt that depression after coming back to reality.

Cursed reality. We need to fix it.

Exactly! Good words friend.