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Though Avatar was officially released on December 18th, it is still #1 in the Box Office and a trending topic on twitter (which let’s face it, has come to be the standard of relevance in today’s world). Therefore, I feel justified in writing about the flick’s exceptionally apparent environmental overtones approximately one month after its release. Its also my birthday, so I’ll cry if I want to. Except instead of crying I will write about Avatar. Ha-zah!
First let me start off by saying that I originally did not want to go and see the movie. Though I am a sci-fi lover and friend to animation, I did not understand the hype. I had never seen a preview, had no clue what it was about, and quite frankly, I wanted the option to stay in on a Friday night and watch Love Actually for the zillionth time. A friend of mine literally harassed me until I finally agreed to go with him opening night. I left the theatre with running mascara, my thoughts on overload, and highly attracted to a fictional blue character. (Oh please, as if you weren’t too!)
Avatar’s political and environmental messages rang loud and clear. Since I went into the movie blind, I had no idea what to expect. So when I started noticing references to Iraq and environmental destruction I wasn’t sure if it was just my tunnel vision or actually the true message behind the movie. By the end of the 162 minute masterpiece there was no doubt about it, James Cameron had intended to place those messages in there, and he definitely got his point across. So much so that apparently some audience members experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the movie. Yikes. Though I’m sure that was not Cameron’s intention, its clear that Avatar was supposed to elicit a response and was successful in pulling on the world’s heartstrings.
So let’s state the obvious because the “fight terror with terror” line sealed the deal for me. There were obvious references to the Western world’s, namely the United States’, imperialist tendencies and originally ulterior motives in Iraq. I say originally ulterior because it is now no secret to most of the able-minded world that there were never any WMDs in Iraq but rather an abundant supply of oil for the taking. The film takes place in Pandora, a moon in the Alpha Centauri star system plentiful in precious mineral unobtanium. The only problem is that the Na’Vi, a culture of human-like beings who live in peace with nature, inhabit the land directly above the area richest in unobtanium. Therefore in true Western fashion, the humans destroy whatever is in their way regardless of how it disrupts native and natural life. I think I’ve heard this story before?
Beyond highlighting flaws in US foreign policy, Avatar is clearly a metaphor for anthropogenic impacts on the planet, regardless of nationality. Pandora is presented as a lush planet, with its natural world kept largely intact. All of the living organisms are inter-connected, living in a state of blissful harmony. However, the arrival of the greed motivated humans almost leads to the demise of Pandora. It isn’t until the Na’Vi get a little help from the forest that they are able to send the humans back where they came from (if there is even anything to go back to).
Though Avatar is a fictional story, it does not diverge that far from the truth. Many might not agree with the politics, or seemingly racial and at times gender insensitive storyline (myself somewhat included), however the environmental message is sound and true. I just hope everyone heard it.
Until next time.
Same green time, same green station,
Brittany
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