People don't give Avatar enough credit (James Cameron one)

[LadyMint]

So, my friend repeatedly tells me how stupid it is that I enjoy Avatar. I don't believe he gives it as much credit as it deserves. People say that its a direct rip off of Pocahontas, but I think its much different. Take "Unobtainium" for example. Its the fake rock that they're trying to mine in Avatar-place (forgot what its called). I find it hard to believe that people want super expensive space granite countertops. Obviously it does something other than look pretty. Maybe it cures cancer. It has to do something amazing. They hired a company to FLY TO ANOTHER PLANET with all that military equipment to kill huge blue cat people who are living on top of the rocks.

I dunno, just something to think about.

When it boils down to it, their search for Unobtainium still equates to money. Their motives were profit more than societal benefit, which is why they were willing to destroy an indigenous people to get it quicker than they could have by talking it over with them.

That comparison could definitely be made to Disney's Pocahontas, which had the Jamestown settlers greedily battling with the Native Americans for suspected gold. Gold isn't really mentioned in the real account of Pocahontas that I've read, at least.

I'm also assuming that flying to another planet with all that military equipment isn't something foreign in the Avatar universe, otherwise things would seem a bit less organized than they were by the time the audience checks in.

 

[Kermi]

And why would anyone go to a planet named Pandora. If you know mythology you know not to go there. Why even go after unobtainium, the name means its unobtainable. Heck, we can make diamonds, why cant we make this stuff.

Not to defend the movie, but you're introducing a circular argument. The planet is name Pandora so why go there? That's just a name humans gave it, probably because they knew dicking with it could be dangerous. It's called Unobtanium so why go after it? Ever think they called it Unobtainium because it's really hard to obtain?

Hey, I have an anti-bear charm to sell you. I've never been attacked by a bear, so it must work.

So am i supposed to give it a pass because people are so stupid that they wont even listen to the warnings they give to themselves? If i wake up and find a note that says there is a bear outside my front door called man eating bear. I'm not gonna go outside.

Wow, so if anyone ever wants to force you to stay locked in your house forever, all they have to do is keep slipping notes under your door that say "a man-eating bear is waiting for you" or "laser-guided sharks are poised to strike" and you won't even bother to check if that's bullshit or not?

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

No. The movie has too much credit. I hate it. HATE IT!

 

[Mjoldar]

I never thought it received too much/too little credit for what it was: a generic "defet teh evil Capitalzists!" movie I've seen done 100 times and better. Granted, the visuals were amazing and I loved them, but that was drowned out by the sheer blandness of the characters and the few moments of sheer idiocy I saw (no, charging machine guns with horses doesn't work folks, especially through a freaking forest!)

Incidentally...should a movie touted for its amazing visuals and general technological advancements denounce the money-making process that made that technology possible...?

 

[fezzthemonk]

And why would anyone go to a planet named Pandora. If you know mythology you know not to go there. Why even go after unobtainium, the name means its unobtainable. Heck, we can make diamonds, why cant we make this stuff.

Not to defend the movie, but you're introducing a circular argument. The planet is name Pandora so why go there? That's just a name humans gave it, probably because they knew dicking with it could be dangerous. It's called Unobtanium so why go after it? Ever think they called it Unobtainium because it's really hard to obtain?

Hey, I have an anti-bear charm to sell you. I've never been attacked by a bear, so it must work.

So am i supposed to give it a pass because people are so stupid that they wont even listen to the warnings they give to themselves? If i wake up and find a note that says there is a bear outside my front door called man eating bear. I'm not gonna go outside.

Wow, so if anyone ever wants to force you to stay locked in your house forever, all they have to do is keep slipping notes under your door that say "a man-eating bear is waiting for you" or "laser-guided sharks are poised to strike" and you won't even bother to check if that's bullshit or not?

Not if i wrote them. i highly doubt that i would screw with my mind that much. and i would lie to say that i would leave the house for laser guided sharks. that would be a great way to go.

 

[JakDRipa]

Dude, it was the single highest grossing movie of all time. I think it got the credit it deserved.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Cameron's last good movie was Terminator. Ever since then he's been riding the Michael Bay train of flashy visuals patched where substance should be.

Flashy visuals are very cheap these days. Especially when compared to how much they bring in.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

No. It has no special use in mind. It's just a stand-in for oil.

That movie is pretentious as shit, all the characters are horribly one-dimensional and the story is patronizing.

I'm not calling it the worst movie or anything, that would be dumb, but it is the movie I hated the most after watching it.

 

[.No.]

I have to agree with Stephen Colbert on this. I'm amazed how they made the movie in 3D, while keeping all the charaters completely one dimensional.

 

[Kamehapa]

And why would anyone go to a planet named Pandora. If you know mythology you know not to go there. Why even go after unobtainium, the name means its unobtainable. Heck, we can make diamonds, why cant we make this stuff.

Not to defend the movie, but you're introducing a circular argument. The planet is name Pandora so why go there? That's just a name humans gave it, probably because they knew dicking with it could be dangerous. It's called Unobtanium so why go after it? Ever think they called it Unobtainium because it's really hard to obtain?

Hey, I have an anti-bear charm to sell you. I've never been attacked by a bear, so it must work.

So am i supposed to give it a pass because people are so stupid that they wont even listen to the warnings they give to themselves? If i wake up and find a note that says there is a bear outside my front door called man eating bear. I'm not gonna go outside.

Wow, so if anyone ever wants to force you to stay locked in your house forever, all they have to do is keep slipping notes under your door that say "a man-eating bear is waiting for you" or "laser-guided sharks are poised to strike" and you won't even bother to check if that's bullshit or not?

Not if i wrote them. i highly doubt that i would screw with my mind that much. and i would lie to say that i would leave the house for laser guided sharks. that would be a great way to go.

But the people who named the planets aren't the same ones going there either. Anyway, Avatar was a good Movie, I got a nice three hour nap because of it. (I actually did fall asleep during part of it and was woken up by them shooting at the tree, 3 hours is a stretch.)

 

[BabyRaptor]

I didn't think Pocahontas. It was described to me as "An adult Fern Gully" and in my opinion that's accurate.

I only saw it after a bunch of my friends told me I had to because it would blow my mind. The scenery did indeed blow my mind. The story? Eh, had a few exciting moments, but nowhere near as awesome as just staring at the forest.

 

[BoredDragon]

What's your point? I think it was to solve the world energy crisis or something, but I don't see why that makes it any of a better movie. Avatar really was just something that tried to get by through the spectacle of new CG tech. The storyline was predictable and it was littered with cliches and archetypes.

I'm not saying it's a bad movie (there are certainly worse films), but I think it's really getting a little over-hyped. Especially when people start saying they are saying thy want to kill themselves so they can be reincarnated as Navi (wtf crazy people!!!)

 

[BoredDragon]

My opinion on Avatar is this: It IS a rehash of Pocahontas. But that doesn't matter. It retells the story VERY VERY well.

I don't think it's a phenomenal movie, but I DO think it's pretty damn good. It just needed a little something more, and it would have been a masterpiece.

But as is, it has to settle for "pretty damn good".

ummm... what? You mean that in order to make a movie that's "pretty damn good" all you have to do is take an older movie's plot and fill it with cliches and archetypes? I never knew this, TO TV TROPES!!!

 

[BoredDragon]

just like 1000 other movies its story can be related to other movies story's. I Just dont understand why anyone gives a shit tbh

Have you read like at least half the non-troll, analytical comments on this thread? Basically goes like this:

eyes + sex= Avatar's visuals

Dances with Wolves + Cliches * Archetypes = Avatar's Plot

Acting - believability = Avatar's acting

visuals + plot + acting = Ok || Good

Avatar != hype || praise

(no I don't know why I used psuedo math )

 

[The Rockerfly]

Because every other good film in existence has a totally original plot. Look to the people saying that it's basically the last samurai, Pocahontas or Dances with Wolves well yes the actual template of the plot is similar to them but the point of a story is not the template, it's the overall journey. How do characters relate? How do they develop? What do they learn and consequentially, you learn?

I'm surprised people are treating this film as so special and get so dumb founded that they review this film in a way no other film is seen as, by a black and white story. Dialogue is generic but the character are believable enough and it's lacking logic you say? Of course we have never gone anywhere for financial gain

Overall, it was a good film with nice visuals, good music, some lame characters and some decent artwork. The template of the plot is not original but how many stories can claim that? Although it was dragged on a little

 

[Axolotl]

At least Last Samurai as good acting (even Tom Cruise, altrought I think the movie would be even better with another main lead actor), good dialogues, good development even if a little used and good characters.

I give Last Samurai 8/10 in quality and 10/10 in entertainment. It's my favorite movie.

I guess if you ignore the offensiver moraqlity of the films message then it might be OK but how could you try and ignore it? It waved it in face the whole time, it's bad enough when films try and force their morals upon you but it's even worse when the morals being displayed are so repugnant.

 

[spartandude]

The way i see it, you got it the wrong way round. that movie gets way too much credit.
I'm not saying it's bad (i enjoyed it) but people seem to think it was absolutely amazing which it was not. I'l tell you what didnt get enough credit District Nine!

 

[alrekr]

The way i see it, you got it the wrong way round. that movie gets way too much credit.
I'm not saying it's bad (i enjoyed it) but people seem to think it was absolutely amazing which it was not. I'l tell you what didnt get enough credit District Nine!

You sir have taste District Nine was orinigal and had a quite low budget for a action sci-fi film

Avatar is just a reskin of films like Dances With Wolves

 

[Outright Villainy]

Fun fact: Unobtanium is a joke amongst engineers to describe a metal that they need for a project that they could never get their hands on.

Indeed. As far as Avatar was concerned, I think it was like a superconducter at room temperature, right?

Wait a tic, yes, we have google.

It is. [http://james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Unobtanium]

The actual plot was mighty silly yes, but the world was surprisingly well realised. Cameron would be a fantastic games designer.

Does that really scream anything other than Macguffin?

See above. It's a long running engineering joke. The joke in the film was that the joke name stuck when they actually found it.