One would think I’d know better than to think a movie produced by a Hollywood liberal wouldn’t be thick with their message. Now it’s obvious why many of the initial reviews gush.
Absent from the big screen for over a decade now, Oscar-winning director James Cameron returns armed with a reported half-billion dollars, a story he’s been desperate to tell for 15 years, and the very latest in cutting-edge visual technology. The result is “Avatar,” a sanctimonious thud of a movie so infested with one-dimensional characters and PC clichés that not a single plot turn – small or large – surprises. I call it the “liberal tell,” where the early and obvious politics of the film gives away the entire story before the second act begins, and “Avatar” might be the sorriest example of this yet. For all the time and money and technology that went into its making, the thing that matters most – character and story – are strictly Afterschool Special.
Since it’s a 3-D movie, it won’t detract from the experience if you hold your nose.
The animation for Avatar looks interesting, but the premise, as much as can be gotten from the trailers, seems to be: military bad, put upon indigenous people angelicly good, generally anti-capitalist, pro multi-cultural feel-good. I’m undecided about whether to see it. I went to see “Happy Feet” with my daughter and nearly walked out because of the manipulative propaganda. She wouldn’t have understood, so I sat and seethed. I expect this to be similar.
I’m a geek too, Fred, I suppose I enjoyed Episodes 1-3 a little more though and I suppose I was sort of waiting for something fantastic and new from STAR WARS
but that’s just me
Even though I have Ep3 on DVD, I’ve honestly never watched it. The last time I watched the movie was the one time I saw it in the theater.
@crowhorse
“And the idea of making the Force the result of “midiclorians” –or however that’s supposed to be spelled– took the mystique out of the Force.”
That was likely the whole point. The books refer to the Jedi religion as a faith and they draw their power from it (Paladins??)
But to be PC, Lucas HAD to scientifically explain the Force with microscopic lifeforms (and explain the faith-like explanation of episodes IV-VI with cultural regression in the 20 years the Empire has ruled)
“And Anakin being miraculously conceived–retarded.”
In Episode I it seems (and it implied) that he is miraculously created, but in Episode III it was established that Darth Plagueis (Sidious/Palpatine’s Master) created Anakin using the Force and the resulting baby was carried by Anakin’s mother, whom had her memory erased after the fact.
Yeah I know… I’m a geek
Maybe I won’t see Avatar. My hubby will probably drag me along though.
“Episodes IV-VI were far superior, in spite (or maybe because) of technological and monetary constraints.”
–Agreed.
The older Star Wars seemed more “real”, lived in. The actors meshed well, the script was better written, and there was definitely more substance.
The newer ones had horrendous scripts, and even good actors would look bad trying to say those lines. Jar Jar was annoying. And the idea of making the Force the result of “midiclorians” –or however that’s supposed to be spelled– took the mystique out of the Force. And Anakin being miraculously conceived–retarded.
These movies were all around cheesy, and made me think they were setting themselves up for marketing of toys.
Me, well, I think I will stick with the originals. Far superior. The only thing that annoys me with them is the sound quality on A New Hope (tinny sounding) but I guess that couldn’t be helped then.
And just wait. Should Avatar flop, the excuses will range from “People weren’t ready for this movie” or “Moviegoers couldn’t see the brilliance behind it.”
me personally, I had no problem with eps 1-3, especially not Jar Jar. The character was funny. I hated the criticism and especially one line from some ‘critic’ that the character of Jar Jar was a “stefan fetchit on platformed hoofs”…please. to me, he was a run of the mill far out there funny star wars character, like ewoks =P wish fans were more accepting…
overall I just think people were too used to 4,5, & 6, and didn’t quite warm up to 1,2,3
Exactly. LucasArts and everything that came out of the success of the original movies were great. And then they became susceptible to the usual: thinking their shit didn’t stink and that no matter what they did, it’d be equally great as previous accomplishments.
I was one of the guys camped out in front of the theater all day waiting for Phantom Menace to debut. When I walked out of the theater, the first words that came out of my mouth were “they tried too hard to make it pretty” and the actual substance of the movie fell to the wayside and flopped. As fboiteau mentioned, the acting was largely horrendous, and the lines were right out of a WB or ABC Family ‘tween scifi drama, but worse. All three movies had such great potential that I think the biggest letdown for fans was that the fell so far below their potential.
It reminded me a lot of many video games in the last 10 years, which is that all effort went into the false notion that it needed to be pretty and look good that it took the focus off the purpose of the title in the first place: to tell a story and provide an immersive and fulfilling experience.
@Nicholas:
Hmm, not being able to stomach any movie with Leonardo DiCaprio in it, I loathed Titanic (and to top it off, they had Céline sing the theme song, *shivers*). The only good part in the movie is when DiCaprio’s character dies…and maybe the CGI scenes of the ship sinking, but other than that…meh. I still can’t believe that movie got the Oscar for best special effects over Starship Troopers (also nominated), as the only special effects consisted of the ship, the iceberg and the ship sinking in the ocean.
As for Star Trek… sucked. Nero did not possess any of the traits possessed by Romulans(arrogance, subterfuge and self-importance) young Spock has black eyes while old spock (Nimoy) has brown eyes, which makes no sense… R2-D2 shows up in two quick glimpses (wtf is Star Wars doing in Star Trek???) and the only “Kirkish” thing about the actor who played him is the position he has when he sits in the Captain’s chair… Oh and they redid the Enterprise, which even though it is in an alternate universe, shouldn’t have. Where’s the cream-white ship with red-tipped warm nacelles??? They could have simply added detail to NCC-1701, instead of making a lookalike.
As for Star Wars Ep-1-3:
I have three words to convey my hatred of those three movies (especially the first):
Jar Jar Binks.
Episode I was much too “kiddy” and Jar Jar is clearly a racial stereotype. Yes, Darth Maul was cool, the fight between him and the two Jedi is interesting and the plot elements begin to form, but the useless comedic elements, Jar Jar’s seething stupidity and the lack of credible main characters (i point my finger at Queen Amidala/Padmé and Obi-Wan) ruined the experience.
Episode II was interesting, but obviously to get rid of the “kiddy” image they got from episode I, they sexed it up so much that it went from “kiddy” to “romantic-sci-fi teen movie” The story elements unfold somewhat and of course, the main backstory of Star Wars is very interesting, but again, bad acting by some of the main characters (Natalie Portman has no talent whatsoever, even her scream when she gets slashed by the hyperactive cat thingy sounds fake.
Episode III was the one which most disappointed me, but I had expected disappointment in the first place (given the experience the first two movies gave me, and the fact that I knew the events that were to unfold beforehand). Anakin’s slow conversion to the Dark Side is credible, but the way in which he fully converts (by attacking Mace Windu who is deflecting Palpatine/Sidious’s Force Lightning with his lightsaber) made it look as if they had run out of ideas and were saying: “Damn! We need an event to trigger Anakin’s switch to Darth Vader. His instanteneous turn to absolute evil after weeping over his actions makes absolutely no sense. The only enjoyment I got from this movie is the fight between Obi-Wan and Anakin, which I had been waiting to see for 15 years (hey, i’m 26, I was barely born when Return of the Jedi came out in theaters)
As you can see, I am not moaning about phantom reasons.
Episodes IV-VI were far superior, in spite (or maybe because) of technological and monetary constraints.
brandon..
A) STAR WARS Episode 1 was fantastic as well as 2 and 3
B) said films were MUCH better than “Avatar”
to continue to moan about phantom reasons to hate SW: Episodes 1-3 is like looking for phantom reasons to hate Sarah Palin
C’mon on man..
I whole hearted disagree, Rex. I loved “Titanic” (being a TITANIC history buff that I am, among other historical topics) despite the awesomely bad theme song. anyway, I guess the thing to do is to pick up STAR TREK and watch that again in PLACE OF ‘Avatar’. I’m also not surprised (and if Cory has played Movie-based video games as well), that the “Avatar” game SUCKED
Titanic Sucked
I bought a game some days ago from Big fish and through the game you shall find secret stuff and surprise every time you do you get a message saying . There are fifty (50)secret stuff to find. Fifty times you get the message . That’s what I call brainwashing. I am done buying game from Big fish. I bet the same people that made this game are first in line to complain about cameras on public places.
So it’s kinda like Star Wars: Episode 1?
And, armed with the knowledge that Cameron is the Producer, and having seen the trailer for the movie, I’m not going to waste bandwidth or money to go to it.
Pity. The CGI looked pretty… But CGI lipstick on a dog still gives you fleas.
Igor