Avatar is a technical triumph. I recommend taking two aspirins ahead of time to deal with the headache you will get from the noise and something for the motion sickness if you see it in an IMAX theater.
The story is not new. Good artists borrow. Great artists steal. James Cameron steals from everybody including himself. Twenty years ago he made “Aliens” with Sigourney Weaver working with evil corporate executives and gung-ho marines trying to survive on a dangerous planet. (BTW: Who still smokes after the year 2100? 2000? 1964?) As an employee of this evil company Weaver is supposed to befriend and then betray the indigenous people. She realizes too late that the natives know more about this world than she does.
Other things are moved around a little bit this time but not much. There are still big spaceships and heavy machinery but the aliens are more human or at least humanoid. A disabled marine falls in love with the extraterresterial equivalent of Pocahantas. There were moments when I thought she was going to start singing “Colors Of The Wind” or hear music from “Dances With Wolves.” Fortunately we are spared any references to “Titanic”.
These natives out-native Native Americans. They can be directly physically connected to other creatures and their environment in a form of wildlife WiFi (or blue people Bluetooth). At this point I was reminded of “Ferngully” and feared Robin Williams or Eddie Murphy would show up as some animal sidekick. Fortunately the film moved on to the established Hollywood formula of fighting and blowing things up real good.
The ending is unlikely. Conflicts with natives go on for generations. Conquistadors want their stuff and like Cameron’s Terminator, they will be back. Get ready for Avatar 2.
Copyright 2009 DJ Cline All rights reserved.
