Avatar movie - contains spoilers!

[lph]

Warning - don't read this if you haven't seen the movie and don't want to know how it ends!

So I've just seen Avatar and loved it. Loved the way the entire world was brought to life in lush and beautiful detail. But I'm a bit disappointed in the plot. Not that the plot was thin as such, because a movie like this doesn't really need a detailed and intricate storyline, but I'm disappointed in the moral. "If somebody attacks you meanly enough, it's ok to stop being peaceloving and moral and ok to give 'em hell back" "Life is sacred, but only if it's not those dumb, stupid, aggressive Earthlings".

The movie could have been so much better if it had been possible to think up some way to make the two "peoples" understand each other at last, so that the humans would stop their destruction of their own accord. At heart it wasn't an anti-war film, war and killing is just fine as long as you're supernaturally beautiful, ride way cool dragons, and have the moral upper hand...

just some musings here...

[Kiwi Stoker]

I also wonder with all the technology on hand why they didn't investigate how to mine without having to rip up the trees etc. And that it wasn't ever mentioned that the humans wanted to mine underneath the big tree to the Na'avi.

I heard there might be a sequel planned. With the story line neatly tied up (except the idea of the company coming back with more fire power maybe) I am not sure what you could do from this point.

But an awesome movie, but totally agree with you lph that it was the greater numbers fighting wins thing going on. Certainly not peace.

[bmccasland]

I also wonder with all the technology on hand why they didn't investigate how to mine without having to rip up the trees etc. And that it wasn't ever mentioned that the humans wanted to mine underneath the big tree to the Na'avi.

Maybe because strip mining is cheaper than other types of mining - like tunneling. At least that's the argument they're using now.

I think the Home Tree was on top of the largest deposit of "Unobtainium" - the ore they're mining for. The head honcho did say something about it early in the movie. The humans just thought the native village was on top of the large deposit, with a big tree - not that the tree was the village.

"Unobtainium" - you'd think they'd come up with a better name..... What numbnut thought of that in a drunken stupor?

[colby]

"Unobtainium" - you'd think they'd come up with a better name..... What numbnut thought of that in a drunken stupor?

Apparently it's a legit term used in science for "whatever you need most right now", so they must have left it in as a tip of the hat to nerds. Personally, I thought if you want someone to believe your movie, you want to make the universe complete. Even if it is an "inside joke", it didn't belong. My husband suggested they should have named it after one of the scientists (or "a" scientist), that would have been more interesting.

The scientists were the most believable characters, everyone else was over-exaggerated. Crazy military guy, money hungry CEO with no heart, blah blah. A little creeped out by the basic-ness of the "white guy becomes the best one of the natives EVAR after a long journey to find his true self" plot. Plot was thin, but they made up for it in beauty.

[OakLeaf]

What Colby said. And one more thing: smoking? In a military/scientific installation? In the whatever century? The tobacco product placement was really disappointing. But the movie was worth it anyway.

[OakLeaf]

... and, whatever it may mean among scientists, there are too many other subcultures that say "unobtainium" to mean anything both very desirable and very expensive. Heck, I'm pretty sure it's what Campy parts used to be made of, back in the day. Most everyone working on the movie must've used the term regarding auto parts, motorcycle parts, bicycle parts, and probably parts of half the rigging they use on movie sets. I can't believe they left it in. The first time the corporate guy referred to it, I thought he was going to get around to saying what it was really called...