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Avatar rant
Here there be spoilers...and grumpitude.
So, yes, very pretty (though I felt like I was at a rave - too much day-glo after a while) and it was awesome seeing my friend's names in the credit <3 (so proud) and seeing friends on screen. And it was a fun ride and was like being in a video game.
But the story? Ugh, come ON man. Sucktastick and offensive, and it bothers me more and more as time goes on.
- Indigenous culture with all manner of knowledge at their disposal - and they just let some white guy waltz in and obey him almost instantly? Lame.
- Oh, and white guy, not only saves the day, but becomes more awesome than any of the indigenous people by riding the big fuck-off bird no one else can ride? Did they need to do that? Dumb.
- Sigourney Weaver, so cool, strong older female character - oh, actually, nope she'd rather spend more time in her rocking hot sexy young body, actually. Why couldn't her avatar been old and smart too - not look like a teenager?
- Bad guys, so evil cuz they don't care about the environment and are mean to the indigenous peoples. Two-dimensional, and pretty rich given McDonald's merchandising tie-ins (McDonald's cares about the McEnvironment, yo!)
- And no matter what you do, it's OK, as long as you get your legs back because being disabled sucks. So betray your own people, or your new friends, so you can get your legs back.
The story isn't just bad, it's offensive. And it didn't have to be. It could have been a perfectly predictable, simple story that still showcased the awesome technical aspects of this film while being very pretty to look at and a fun ride. But James Cameron, I dunno, is sloppy or lazy or just plain clueless.
*grumble grumble grumble*
So, yes, very pretty (though I felt like I was at a rave - too much day-glo after a while) and it was awesome seeing my friend's names in the credit <3 (so proud) and seeing friends on screen. And it was a fun ride and was like being in a video game.
But the story? Ugh, come ON man. Sucktastick and offensive, and it bothers me more and more as time goes on.
- Indigenous culture with all manner of knowledge at their disposal - and they just let some white guy waltz in and obey him almost instantly? Lame.
- Oh, and white guy, not only saves the day, but becomes more awesome than any of the indigenous people by riding the big fuck-off bird no one else can ride? Did they need to do that? Dumb.
- Sigourney Weaver, so cool, strong older female character - oh, actually, nope she'd rather spend more time in her rocking hot sexy young body, actually. Why couldn't her avatar been old and smart too - not look like a teenager?
- Bad guys, so evil cuz they don't care about the environment and are mean to the indigenous peoples. Two-dimensional, and pretty rich given McDonald's merchandising tie-ins (McDonald's cares about the McEnvironment, yo!)
- And no matter what you do, it's OK, as long as you get your legs back because being disabled sucks. So betray your own people, or your new friends, so you can get your legs back.
The story isn't just bad, it's offensive. And it didn't have to be. It could have been a perfectly predictable, simple story that still showcased the awesome technical aspects of this film while being very pretty to look at and a fun ride. But James Cameron, I dunno, is sloppy or lazy or just plain clueless.
*grumble grumble grumble*
no subject
*Boils*
Actually, what is bugging me far worse is how many people are fawning over its alleged brilliance.
Pretty- that is all.
And, for that matter, in three years it will look quaint and a bi primative.
no subject
I dunno, it's not groundbreaking. It's just day-glo.
It's not to say I didn't enjoy the pretty. I'm just sort of surprised that more people aren't grumbling about the offensive storyline.
no subject
Here's a good start : http://disabledfeminists.com/2009/11/21/james-camerons-avatar/
Personally I liked the helicopter lizards. :)
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I like one of the terms I read today: Avatar = Dances with Smurfs. Hah!!
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James Cameron - what a tosser.
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I guess it depends on what you find offensive. In Sin City all the women (even the strong ones) were damsels in distress that had to be saved by men. For a film with 3 stories why were they all the same. At least in Avatar the Na'vi are a strong, intelligent, strong-willed, powerful people. Neytiri had to save Sully at the end and pretty much throughout the movie.
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- Yeah, that's putting the 'noble' in 'noble savage'. They still deferred to the wisdom of the great white hope, and deferred pretty quickly.
And after reading the article I linked to above, I'm even more disappointed that his otherwise strong and cook Neytiri had to be tarted up by slapping on a pair of breasts that she has no biological reason to have just so guys would find her hot.
I dunno - I didn't go into this movie looking for flaws. I went into it quite open minded expecting a good ride and some pretty CGI. It's just in hindsight that it seems laughably offensive on not just one level, but several.
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I enjoyed the movie a lot despite it's obviously lame plot. I figured that it was trying to get a pretty blunt message across and was appealing to the lowest common denominator who, lets face it, aren't that smart so it needed to be very obvious and blatant.
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But still, that article? It's cringe-worthy.
And, really, I did enjoy the film as I watched it. Because I wasn't thinking - I was just experiencing.
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Good points. I hadn't thought about it quite so deeply and put the problems down to very, very, bad writing. Visually impressive, yes, very poor script, ohhh yes.
no subject
But yes, it's pretty to look at.