Movie Review: Avatar
Avatar; by James Cameron (creator of Titanic)
Summary:
Jake Sully, A paralyzed former Marine arrives on Pandora, a dangerous, lush alien planet, to take his twin brother’s place in a research project. Scientists had created, through blending indigenous Na’vi DNA and Human DNA, Human/Na’vi hybrids called Avatars. Operated through a link to the mind of the DNA specified human driver, through these Avatars they could roam freely on Pandora and connect with the local indigenous in hopes to learn Pandora’s secrets and diplomatically get the Na'vi to re-locate one of their main villages. The driving reason Earth came to Pandora is because of a precious ore ‘Unobtanium’ with the largest deposit laying underneath their village. Jake, is rescued by a native Na’vi warrior woman Neytiri, and while learning their ways, falls in love with her and begins to have his worldview challenged and begins to change. Ultimately choosing the way of the Na’vi, and helping to save their homeland.
In this film we see three major worldview systems clashing with each other;
From the introduction of the movie, and fully embodied through the Col. Miles and the corporate overseer Parker, we see Colonialism and Capitalism. Col. Miles at one point says of Pandora. “If there is a hell, you might want to go there for some R and R.” Parker, sees the Na’vi as primitive savages in the way, and shows frustration to their previous failed attempts at diplomacy through clothes and english schools. Not that he really cares about the Na’vi people, but he rather cares about the bottom-line of money, and doesn’t want the negative press that comes with genocide/annihilation. Not only is colonialism and capitalism visible on Pandora, but the movie makes references to a resource depleted, dying earth.
We also see Scientism/Materialism through Doctor Augustine. She and the other scientists don’t see Pandora as spiritual, everything is matter, and there is scientific explanations for everything. When she is taken to the ‘Tree of Souls’ in an attempt to save her life, she comments on wishing she could 'take samples’, wanting to figure out the science behind the wonderous things she sees. Finally, in the end she exclaims "I’m with her (Eywa), She’s real”.
Which brings us to the 3rd major worldview present. Animism. The Na’vi worship a deity known as Eywa, the Great Mother, Eywa seems both personal (the Na’vi pray to her) as well as encompassing the collective energy of Pandora’s living things. The seeds of the Tree of Souls are considered the purest of spirits, and act as a sign (give guidance) to the Na’vi. Because everything is interconnected for the Na’vi, and Pandora, they have great respect for all things on Pandora.
In Conclusion;
This movie paints a stark picture of the human race, but I think we deserve it. We have a shameful history of colonialism and capitalism, and this story has many parallels to what happened in North America with the settlers and the indigenous peoples. I think it’s so poignant in its delivery to cause a reaction, and hopefully a response in the viewers. But it also shows hope, and hope I definitely believe in. I see that the human race is capable of extreme good, and extreme evil, and it is up to each one of us to choose. To think about the implications of our ideas and our actions, and the world that they will help to foster, to create.
