Thursday, December 24, 2009

Avatar

Yep, I was right. But I wish I wasn't.

I wanted to see Avatar at first, but the trailers told me I'd be in for a sermon. Well, according to an article on Yahoo! Movies, the film is full of political messages. I'm already full up on all the political and social agendas in movies and television shows. Why stand in line and pay for another helping?

Why does a story have to be mucked up and turned into a megaphone?

Edit: After reading all the sickeningly glowing reviews at IMDB, I started in on the "Hated It" reviews. Even more reason not to plunk down perfectly good, hard-earned cash.

3 comments:

Phy said...

Have you seen it? Because while I am technically in the camp of those who wouldn't care for the film on the basis of articles like that, I loved it. It was an adventure unlike anything I've ever seen. If you like space opera, you'll like Avatar.

Keanan Brand said...

Sorry, Phy, I'm just not sure I can bring myself to do it. I'm not interested in those particular messages being pushed at me, nor do I want to (in essence) support them by paying for the ticket.

I'm not interested in making humanity the villain of a story, either on another planet or on this one; the environmentalists are doing that already. Humanity has just as much right to natural resources as the trees do, or the giraffes, or whatever other living things are out there.

[If the more rabid environmentalists or "global warming" adherents were to carry their beliefs to the most logical conclusion, they would rid the planet of their pestilential selves. Problem is, all life needs the interplay / exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Whether such folk will admit it or not, we're necessary to the health of the planet. Symbiosis.]

My father's family are descended from not only European immigrants but from Cherokee; even in a more modern age, they were looked at sideways for their native blood. Some, however, rose above that, and didn't let the bigotry of others or their own poverty stand in the way of their success. I find it frustrating and sad that many among the Native Americans still let their people's past dictate their present lives, and I wish they would take control of their futures. Wish they would rise up and stand on their own -- and many are. So I'm not interested in any more stories where "the white man" or some other "more civilized" individual comes in to save the poor, backward natives, whichever planet they may occupy.

As for anti-war messages, they're old and worn out, like the standard beauty contest reply, "I wish everyone in the world could live in peace." Nice sentiment, but it ain't gonna happen. Human nature tells us that much. Yes, war is hell, and results in death and carnage. But there will always be war of some kind going on somewhere in the world (until a certain time you and I both know is coming -- and even then the peace will be false and short-lived).

Honestly, I don't want to go to war. But if it were required of me, I hope I would do what must be done. Others in my family have given -- and currently are giving -- service to this country via the military. So the whiners and the protesters and the leftover hippies just don't garner any sympathy from me. I'm not interested in hearing anything they have to say.

Therefore, despite my interest in the amazing animation, Avatar will not be on my viewing list.

Pappy said...

Well stated Keanan. I'm sticking to the old corny movies with the good social messages.