This is my official review of the movie ‘Avatar’
Deep inside the mentality of the human being is something terrible. The drive to accomplish. Although it can serve a proper purpose in all things, it is very seldom that we see that drive put into use, by the best hearts in this world.
‘Avatar’ very well could be one of the best movies I have EVER seen, if not the best. Not because it has some of the most intense actions sequences, which if you know anything about me, you will know that I fancy a good action scene; and not because the CG was incredible, and not because the story was good. Although all of those things contribute to the success of a good film, those are not the reasons for which I designate this movie as such.
When I buy a film to add to my DVD collection, my purchases are not based on the top selling movies out at the time, nor are they based on the MPAA rating of the film either. They are based on the quality of the message within the movie. And if you have looked through my DVD collection, you know that every single one of my movies, regardless of rating, could be found being viewed when my mother is present; And this particular movie, will certainly be found among those when the time comes.
In the movie, the protagonist of the story hits it right on the head when he makes a statement: “If they have something we want, we make them our enemies, and can then justify actions to take war against them.’ I can’t say for sure if that is quote accurate word for word, but it is close. When humans want something, they take action to make enemies, and then feel proper in justifying further action to suppress and drive anyone who is an enemy.
The ‘Navi’ are an indigenous population of humanoids that live on the planet Pandora. “They are VERY hard to kill” says the colonel in the movie. But even more important than how hard they are to kill, is the reason they are there.
They believe to be connected to the flow of life on this particular planet through an entity called “The Tree of Souls”. It bonds the entire race of Navi, to the ancestors that have preceded them, and all those that will proceed them as well. They love the land, and though there are creatures of considerable might, strength, and danger…all things on Pandora are respected. Even when life is taken, a prayer is offered to the almighty deity, to receive the life force.
The Antagonist of the movie, is the idea, and action of war. Why? Because everything in the eyes of the human being is about money. Because a little mineral called unobtanium sells for $20M/kilo, these humans are willing to destroy, sacrifice, and murder in order to have it. They forced the Navi out of home tree, by destroying it. Then they moved in on the very “Tree of souls” in order to not just relocate the Navi, but to eliminate them. And for what…? Money.
The Navi stood to uphold the very value that maintains life, the creates life, and conjures appreciation of life, and they were nearly destroyed for it. They understood that “Tsaheylu”, or “the bond” of life, was the most important thing on Pandora, and they were willing to fight to protect it.
Human beings are considered to be the most sophisticated race on the planet. And yet, as such, we are the only race that will go to war for anything that will grant us a little more power or money, whether it be that humans fight over women, men, sex, land, money, greed, power, or anything else that we feel might be ‘advantageous’. But if humans could only realize that it is truly ‘Tsaheylu’ that makes us everything we are. But they don’t…it’s the drive, the same drive that moves us to accomplish, and achieve what ever is ‘needed’ that makes humans slaves to what has become the new human nature; pride.
I know some of you will have no desire to see this film, and to that I urge that you see it anyway, at least once. Reason being, this may be the most accurate depiction of the human mentality I have ever seen.
God help the human race...
Checking in…
2 comments:
We went and saw it yesterday afternoon. The visuals were amazing, I thought the choice of actors was perfect (both the humans as well as the voice actors that they chose for the Na'vi).
As for the message, I admit I was a bit concerned going into it. Hollywood 'pushing' messages via movies that appear to be heavily anti-military tend to bug me, and in this case the trailers didn't really make it clear whether the 'bad guys' were actual government or not. So I was pleased when the movie revealed that it was some (non government) corporation looking to make money and that the 'security' for the corporation were mercenaries/guns for hire -- I felt completely justified in hating their guts. So all in all, when it came to the end of the movie, I completely agree with what you said about the message.
I would gladly see this movie again if I get the opportunity, and it's definitely being added to my collection once it comes out on DVD (though really, it is a film that seems like it's most effective in the theater and seen in 3D)
My Father typically loves to watch movies for the splendor of watching movies, however, I have NEVER in my life heard my dad so fixated on one Movie. He cannot stop talking about it. He went and saw this spectacle at an IMAX. Having been dormant to 3D, He was buggy, and then absolved in the movie, purely absolved. My dad truly is still a child. Hahaha....
Post a Comment