Now that the trailer for James Cameron’s Avatar is out, we can get a better idea of its plot. Cameron has said he had the idea for the 3-D film (due out Dec. 18) many years ago but waited until digital technology caught up with his vision. However, based on what the trailer tells us, that vision now looks pretty stale. Watching it, I couldn’t help feeling how very familiar it seems to both Cameron’s and other films of various genres.
Take for instance its story of the paraplegic marine whose consciousness is placed into genetically bred body of a race of indigenous humanoid inhabitants of a planet rich in ore. Earth corporations (that is, according to the accents, Americans companies) send their military to eradicate the blue skinned creatures standing between them and the valuable metal. The young marine, now undercover among the “aliens,” grasps how this low-tech culture is doomed by human greed and decides to go native and join the resistance, sort of like Dances with Aliens. And of course we see the military evil incaranated in the officer with the southern accent, Stephen Lang, who probably loves the smell of napalm in the morning. And we see the aliens fight back against a supposedly superior force, drawn from every movie from The Return of the Jedi‘s cuddly Ewoks to Cameron’s own Aliens. This is Cameron’s first directing of a fiction film since Titanic, 12 years ago and I’m getting the idea that this will be no more original than the recent films of another once cutting edge director, George Lucas, who gave us so much empty eye candy spectacle in the Star Wars prequels. In fact, like those bloated CGI behemoths, Avatar’s battle scenes look a lot like video games, smooth and pristine but lacking the feel of real. With his long record of success, Cameron should not be underestimated but based on the trailer that’s supposed to entice viewers, it offers little we haven’t seen before.
What’s worse, if this story is to be believed from the New York Times, then Avatar is going to have one heck of a hard time making a profit with the budget they’re estimating: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/business/media/09avatar.html?_r=1
Let’s be honest though, I’ll be lining up to see it December 18th with the rest of the nation who (from the looks of it) are going to be starved for some good films this Christmas season. Disney’s return to 2D animation with The Princess and the Frog may be good, but I’m anticipating a racially-based backlash from at least one major African-American organization, (I hope I’m wrong, but I could see someone getting up in arms if Disney gives them an excuse to read into anything more than they should in today’s politically correct bubble), and Sherlock Holmes a la Guy Richie’s vision may be interesting, but it’s a holiday season devoid of many of the blockbusters I’m used to seeing released at this time. So yeah, looks like I’ll join Cameron and co. in the world of Avatar since my options are limited. :-/ Considering that the average movie ticket costs upwards of $9 or $10 these days plus the fact that the economy isn’t great, I guess it’s a good thing there’s not a lot of movies I’ll be spending my hard earned cash to see at the cineplex this December, but it still seems like a slim menu this year…
Comment by Benjamin Friday — November 9, 2009 @ 9:44 am |
Funny he should mention the racial backlash of Princess and the Frog. From what I heard, Princess and the Frog was made BECAUSE African American organizations were complaining that there was no African American Disney princess.
It looks kind of funny, from the trailer. But it simply isn’t going to be Disney magic. Because they’re only making the movie to pander to a special interest group (which, as I’ve heard, is the only reason they;re making it)I’m afraid the story is going to sound forced, rather than letting the story tel itself with memorable characters that Disney is famous for.
It’s also interesting to note that the prince/princess scenario int he film if the first cross-cultural relationship in Disney Animated history, as, from all of the trailers I’ve seen, the “prince” of the story, is Caucasian.
It does seem like this year will be devoid of the Christmas time blockbuster list we’re accustomed to seeing.
Perhaps making this the perfect year to dig into the DVD collection and pull out your copy of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown”?
Comment by Ashley — November 11, 2009 @ 1:05 am |
[...] Review: Avatar Filed under: Movies — Alex @ 4:02 pm As I had noted in my preview last month, Avatar looked like it was cobbled together from the plots of various older movies like [...]
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