The experience was seriously immersive. Period. Visually and technically, Avatar was stunning, awesome, and beyond. I honestly never expected in my lifetime to see a movie with such realistic and fantastic 3-D effects. For most of the movie, I felt like I was the only one in the theatre, enclosed in a virtual reality pod, viscerally experiencing a netherworld, charmed and connected with aliens. Oh, wait, that was the plot (or at least, part of the plot).
I had read a bit about the story beforehand but really I didn't know what to expect going into the movie, except I knew I wanted to see it on the IMAX screen in 3-D. The nearest IMAX theatre to us is in Hooksett New Hampshire, a 2 hour drive south. We arrived at 3pm on Sunday to buy tickets to the 6:30pm showing. But it was already sold out. So we got tickets to the 9:45pm, and went out shopping and to dinner before heading back to the theatre. Waiting in line reminded me of the lines you'd see at a Disney World ride. Crowded, jubilant, friendly, slightly irreverent. Finally they let us into the theatre.
We found decent seats. The huge IMAX screen encompasses most of your peripheral vision. The one size fits all 3D goggles were comfortable and unintrusive. Donning the goggles, the presentation was immediately tangible like everything's happening right in front of you, regardless where you actually sat in the theatre.
I was wary of the plot. A few days earlier, I had been pointed to a
review written by UK political commentator Nile Gardner who called the movie "the most expensive piece of anti-American propaganda ever made". At $300 million, Avatar certainly was expensive. But was it anti-American? propaganda? I'm a firm conservative, a believer in traditional American values of democracy, capitalism, and individualism, and see the US military as a positive force in this crazy world. Will I be offended, even disgusted by the movie?
He says, "Avatar is at its heart a cynical and deeply unpatriotic propaganda piece, aimed squarely against American global power and the projection of US economic and military might across the world." Ouch! It's obvious the movie's bad guys are Americans (everyone in the movie, other than the aliens are Americans) who make quips about "preemptive strikes", "shock and awe", and "we must answer to the stockholders". It's disturbing to see one of your own being so bad and exploitative. That's called
drama.
It's a typical Hollywood theme: the big, mean, heartless, greedy corporation overruns the less technological, somewhat naive, indigenous, spiritual people. Greed versus the little guy. Technology versus nature. Imperialism and exploitation. Sounds like the American Revolution and the struggles of our Founding Fathers to me!
In this way, Avatar is like "Dances with Wolves" (where Kevin Costner plays Civil War soldier stationed in a remote western outpost who become "indian" and turns against his own people). Or "Wall Street" and "Pretty Woman", where "greed is good" yet a corporate mogul become turncoat and fights for the little guy. Or "Holes" (incarcerated children), or "Bugs Life" (exploited bugs), the list goes on.
The good guys are American's too. Although most of them are environmental scientists (a nod to global warmingists?!) and a paralyzed soldier (reminded of "Born of the 4th of July"?!)
The spiritual side of the inhabitants of planet Pandora, their oneness with nature, their resourcefulness and collective wisdom, as well as the storyline how they triumph in the end, tells that a kind of collectivism can overcome all odds. I'm not exactly a "tree hugger" but I am a naturalist who believes in the connectedness of nature and psychic energies beyond our physical comprehension. So this aspect of the theme also resonates with me. I dont see it as a condemnation of my individualist and meritocracy values. The Pandorans have their leaders and followers. They have to earn their place in society, and learn to work together. They appreciate the powers of the natural world --work with it, you'll win; go against the grain, you'll lose.
Man, I loved this movie. And after seeing it, I still love the great USA, for all our goodness, bad-ass-ness, and ability to produce and experience 22nd century entertainment like this.
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