Avatar: Bigger than Titanic (but with less calories)

 

With the overwhelming popularity and success that James Cameron's new film Avatar has garnered, it seemed only right to air my views, since no one else seems to be holding back. I will warn fans of the Avatar film that I am not amongst you. This may shock some, but it needs to be said. There are other gainsayers; I am not alone, though I am still in a strict minority. How can I begin to defend this wretched position of conscientious objector which so many seem to despise?

Let us start with the man himself. James Cameron. I blame James Cameron for a good deal with what is wrong with Hollywood films in our day and age. It is because he can, and probably does, OWN most of it. It is true, James Cameron makes big movies, they make lots of money, and because he seems to put himself in charge of almost every department, he also gets most of the credit. The things he can't actually do himself are pawned off to the same handful of people who he seems capable of deigning with a portion of his credit. This is credit that is not even well-deserved. Cameron's hubris has kept him from understanding that he is a terrible writer and most of what his production and directorial jobs entail is saying "bigger. more expensive. extra big booms. BOOM, man! you understand me? BIG BANGING BOOM!"
Which can get boring if you don't enjoy things being blown literally out of proportion on the screen. We have to remember also that the few good movies we remember James Cameron doing tend to overshadow the massive number of awful movies he has had an equal part in.
To name a few: True Lies, Rambo: First Blood part II, Terminator 2 and 3, Dark Angel, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Terminator: Dawn of Fate, and my personal favourite Solaris.

That is a list of some of the funniest Bad movies and TV shows I have every seen. And he is credited in a number of them as writer, director AND producer.

Leaving aside the man for a moment, let us have a look at the writing: We'll first have a look at the basic plot, courtesy of my friend, the internet.

This is only a single element of my objection to the plot structure. Not only is it a shameless re-hashing of an ancient plot, but it plays up every cultural stereotype so as to gain our politically correct sympathies.
The villain is contained in the dual antagonism of Corporate AMERICA Earthlings (sorry, that's some Tourrets thing I have) and a psychotic and typical General PATTON Quaritch (oops, there it goes again!). Together they are in search of the valuable mineral called -this never ceases to crack me up- Unobtainium. UN - Obtain - ium. You get it? Because it is unobtainable? *Nudge Nudge*. This mineral is so vaguely established that we are not even told its uses or why the ONLY deposit of it of any value is directly under the tree that is sacred to the native people.
And speaking of the Native people - I could not help but notice every actor (save one) of the Native Peoples of Pandora are African-American, speaking in an accent that recalls the African continent (where none of the actors were born, these are constructed accents). Are we being maybe TOO subtle, James Cameron? Why don't you just toss some beasts reminiscent of the African jungles in there? Oh wait...

Even the individual typecasting was horrific:
Newbie scientist: Smart but inept and less attractive than main character.
Single hispanic actor: female and butch, and rogue (didn't I see her in Resident Evil? What's she doing in the future?)
Main Character: capable of bypassing standard procedure and is more adept in things the trained scientists have been working on for years.

Militant villain: Looking for a fight, a war, and a win despite the lack of need, encouragement, or likelihood of survival. Always smoking a cigar and drinking what is presumably whiskey with a touch of coffee.

James Cameron: I am BORED.

Now, to give the film a chance, everyone declares that while the plot is specious at best, the visual experience is the saving grace and is in fact, revolutionizing the way we watch films.
The only difference between Avatar and other films of its visual calibre is that Avatar was funded by billionaires. The estimated budget before marketing and promotion has been reported as anywhere between 200-300$ million. I was not taken away by the visual effects. They were perfectly equal to the funding in most ways, and that is as much as I can say. I am irritated constantly by 3D and in fact the only revolution for ME watching this film was the headache I got from wearing the ridiculous 3D glasses.

The digital effects captured me in only one respect: the melding of live actors and their animated characters was unprecedented. Although a seven-foot blue Sigourney Weaver still haunts my dreams, it was a certain success of the film. In other ways the animation does not bypass the capabilities that any other studio possesses. There was no method that was invented, nor anything truly revolutionized. It was simply a much more expensive film than one usually sees.

My last words to James Cameron: Quit your job. You're rich enough to retire and pay ample settlements on your inevitable fifth divorce. 

Lots of love.