I finally watched Avatar, and there are two symbols that are worth pointing out.
1) This one is obvious: The bad white military man that attacks poorer civilizations to steal their resources. Clear criticism towards corporatism and the American government, no further explanation needed.
2) This one is more subtle since it involves the spectator: We are embarrassed by what we have done to our planet. That’s why we, human viewers, end up wanting that they, human invaders, lose the battle. We want to learn the lesson.
Avatar makes a strong case on our primitive need to go back to a natural lifestyle. The spectator realizes that we are quickly moving towards technological progress and that living in nature is going to be impossible for most of us by now.
Our animal inside knows that societal satisfaction is less fulfilling than natural satisfaction.
Our animal inside wants us to cut ties and respect our home once again.
Our animal inside feels guilty.
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This probably explains why I cried no less than five times through the course of this movie, for moments and emotions just like this.
Let’s pray to the gods that we do become more intimate with nature. My hippie parents would be proud.
I loved this movie and watched it twice actually. It has incredible symbolism with simple messages.
I don’t know. Whenever I see movies like Avatar, there always seems to be an extreme – this ongoing reckoning with forces of nature and The Man. Either get back to verdant nature or steep in a poisonous technological stew. I think the tension lies in using up resources within an inch of their life – on both angles. There can always be too much of anything, whether it’s nature or not. Both things grant a different kind of access to our society and community. When we over use them (or strip them of their benefits) that’s when we run into trouble.
No need to think about the movie too much, of course I agree.
I find interesting the effect that the movie has on the spectator, that’s all.
I take to heart a good movie the same way I take to heart an awesome book. And skeptical as I was about it, I was impressed both visually and message-wise by Avatar.
Natural satisfaction better than social satisfaction? How about naturally social satisfaction? That seems like it would be pretty sweet to me.
It would. But if you had to choose, which one it would be?
Wow it’s nice to see a your point of view Carlos. I watched the movie and didn’t pass thinking ahhh good movie. That’s it. But it is sad how the man keeps taking but not giving back anything.
There’s also the colonial theme of white man as savior of the indigenous people in Jake Scully (see also Dances with Wolves, Pocahontas, etc.).
Brilliant, didn’t think of that one. Maybe it’s because it’s more common in other movies, but it’s definitely there.
Yet our animal side is still manipulated by the superficial since after we watched Avatar we probably closed the night with some good ol’ Bravo TV programing reinforcing everything we are ashamed of (a bit overly cynical I guess).
I feel like many people in small pockets online (like ur group) act on many of the more “animal” instincts by being able to filter out the surface level gratification and focus on finding meaning.
But the evil forces always keep the balance and counteract the fulfillment our animal side is looking for.
Next movie review: Matrix…go!
Hmm, does nobody else see the whole “Pocahontas” resembles of Avatar? Kinda like Lion King and a certain Shakespeare play.
Great post, you should watch “Examined Life”. A philosopher on it completely disagrees with you… always good to hear a contradictory opinion.