Avatar

[thegreatgonz]

I finally managed to get a chance to see Avatar (many thanks to omega697 and aardvark428 for watching Kael while we went). Regarding it as a movie, I find I really don't have a lot to add to what everyone else has said: it's visually spectacular (albeit more as a matter of craftsmanship than real artistry), and it's very competently shot and edited, with a few really

Comments

[paperclippy]

I haven't seen Avatar, and I'm still not sure if I want to or not, but I saw this and thought it was hilarious. You might appreciate it.

Edit - I'd like to know how true that link is, from someone who's seen the movie. I've heard lots of people saying it's Ferngully/Pocahontas/Dances With Wolves in space, which, to be honest, holds about zero appeal for me.

[thegreatgonz]

I haven't seen Ferngully or Pocahontas, but that link hits the nail pretty much on the head. If you go, go for the action or the eye candy.

[martian687]

That link didn't work for me, but I think this is what paperclippy was pointing to:
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/7269/originalvq.jpg

[snailprincess]

I had less problems with the villain being one-dimensional, than with other things. I found it at least somewhat plausible that someone could be that evil in the situation since they were essentially working without any true oversight from the public or the government. History has shown that people can be pretty damn nasty if no one is looking over their shoulder.

But I definitely felt the ending was pretty cheap, and I had the same feeling of uneasiness. Somehow it seemed to trivialize the plight of indigenous populations. It almost seemed to be saying everything would have worked out okay for the native american's if they'd just believed hard enough and maybe gotten a white guy to join their team.

And the implausibility of ever animal and plant on the planet having compatible USB ports aside, I thought that was kind of a cool idea that they basically did nothing with.

[thegreatgonz]

I certainly find it plausible that someone could be that evil in that situation; I just don't believe they'd be so overtly, simplistically, obviously evil. Evil characters can have depth and nuance and plausibility without being less evil.

[dragonmudd]

And the implausibility of ever animal and plant on the planet having compatible USB ports aside

I pretty much took it to be that the planet was a godlike being and all the other creatures were intelligently designed.

[martian687]

Why is nobody talking about the super disturbing flying-thing rape!??!

[thegreatgonz]

2gouda4u noticed that right off.