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Minor Avatar gripes
So, Avatar: as you've probably heard by now, it's very, very pretty, has little to recommend it by way of script, plotting or characterisation (to quote chromatic scthewriter: the solution to flat characters is not 3D, it's better writing), and it has a really stupid ending.
Other than that, I quite enjoyed it. The fight scenes are good. But I'm going to air some minor grievances anyway, because these things have been bugging me.
First off: when Jake Sully arrives, the scientists are all "ooh, he's a Marine, he's going to be such a thicko, why did they bother". Er, no. He's the identical twin of the scientist originally slated for the mission, which means he shares his genome and upbringing: hence, there's a very good chance that he's highly intelligent. Secondly, he's had extensive experience of jungle warfare in Venezuela¹, and thus should be at home working and surviving for long periods of time in a jungle environment (in a rather different ecosystem, obviously, but there must be some transferable skills, especially given how much Pandoran jungle looks like Earth jungle). Thirdly, he's a reconnaissance specialist, which means he's been trained in close, careful observation. Put all this together, and you have the makings of a first-rate field assistant, which is not something to be sniffed at. Yes, scientists can be dismissive of expertise from outside their field. But they're not stupid, and they'd certainly think of the identical-twin thing.
Secondly: is Colonel the most evil rank, or what? At least as far as the movie biz is concerned. A re-watching of Akira suggests that yes, it is. Relatedly, Col. Miles Quaritch is another entry for my ongoing list of "evil characters called Miles in fiction".
Thirdly, the ending. Oh God, the ending. There were at least two ways they could have recovered the situation:
Anyway, I'd like to end on a more serious note. The displacement and genocide of tribal peoples is not safely confined to the past or the cinema; it's still going on now, and it's much more brutal than Cameron dared to show. If your planet is affected by the issues raised in this feature film, please consider donating to Survival International³.
¹ Even though he later appears completely unable to move tactically in a jungle environment. Never mind, there are bigger plot holes out there.
² Did you notice him? Giovanni Ribisi, AKA Phoebe's idiot brother Frank from Friends. If you ever get the chance to catch him in the Kieszlowski-written film Heaven, do take it.
³ Hat-tip to James "Two Doctors" Mackenzie for the link.
Other than that, I quite enjoyed it. The fight scenes are good. But I'm going to air some minor grievances anyway, because these things have been bugging me.
First off: when Jake Sully arrives, the scientists are all "ooh, he's a Marine, he's going to be such a thicko, why did they bother". Er, no. He's the identical twin of the scientist originally slated for the mission, which means he shares his genome and upbringing: hence, there's a very good chance that he's highly intelligent. Secondly, he's had extensive experience of jungle warfare in Venezuela¹, and thus should be at home working and surviving for long periods of time in a jungle environment (in a rather different ecosystem, obviously, but there must be some transferable skills, especially given how much Pandoran jungle looks like Earth jungle). Thirdly, he's a reconnaissance specialist, which means he's been trained in close, careful observation. Put all this together, and you have the makings of a first-rate field assistant, which is not something to be sniffed at. Yes, scientists can be dismissive of expertise from outside their field. But they're not stupid, and they'd certainly think of the identical-twin thing.
Secondly: is Colonel the most evil rank, or what? At least as far as the movie biz is concerned. A re-watching of Akira suggests that yes, it is. Relatedly, Col. Miles Quaritch is another entry for my ongoing list of "evil characters called Miles in fiction".
Thirdly, the ending. Oh God, the ending. There were at least two ways they could have recovered the situation:
- Sully and/or the scientists discover that unobtainium is produced as a side-effect of something the Na'vi are doing, on a reasonably short timescale. Hence, the only way to assure the continued supply of unobtainium would be to come to an accommodation with the Na'vi.
- Instead of babbling about "ten to the twelve connections", Sigourney Weaver could have pointed out that the biological uploading/mind-gestalt technology represented by the Pandoran jungle (USB dreadlocks and all) represented a potentially vastly bigger economic opportunity than the market for novelty anti-gravity paperweights. Mining is halted while Phoebe's idiot brother² hotfoots it back to Earth to raise MOAR VENTUER CAPITOL.
Anyway, I'd like to end on a more serious note. The displacement and genocide of tribal peoples is not safely confined to the past or the cinema; it's still going on now, and it's much more brutal than Cameron dared to show. If your planet is affected by the issues raised in this feature film, please consider donating to Survival International³.
¹ Even though he later appears completely unable to move tactically in a jungle environment. Never mind, there are bigger plot holes out there.
² Did you notice him? Giovanni Ribisi, AKA Phoebe's idiot brother Frank from Friends. If you ever get the chance to catch him in the Kieszlowski-written film Heaven, do take it.
³ Hat-tip to James "Two Doctors" Mackenzie for the link.