Briefly, plot of the movie spins around binary opposition:”we”-”they”. Former marine Jake Sully (acts Sam Worthington), who cannot use his legs, comes to the planet of Pandora, inhabited by Na’vi – blue-skinned humanoid race. Perhaps twice taller than people, tailed-end, but fairly attractive creatures day and night are wandering through the splendid and unearthly (in all senses of this word) beautiful jungles of Pandora and are trying to feel unity with all living creatures around. But the people in iron vehicles have invaded world of Na’vi and want to rob valuable minerals from the profundity of the planet.
Arrivals can breathe the air of the planet only with special masks, therefore human scientists created a hybrid of mankind and Na’vi, called avatar. These creatures look and can live like Na’vi, but their minds is being controlled by human. Jake also comes to Pandora to control and avatar but soon he gets another mission – to infiltrate into the Na’vi world, to become one of them. Then Jake would be able to persuade them to leave the gigantic tree on which they are living cause people’s desired minerals lie underneath it. Is it promised to the soldier that after successful mission he will get the medical operation which will enable him to walk again.
However, Jake becomes able to walk every time he embodies into avatar. While living with Na’vi people he learns wonderful things, which, no matter how cynically it sounds, is in fashion to understand nowadays. Reaching for perfection mankind, at least Western civilization, has gone through the way of rationality, which in “Avatar” is embodied by superpowerful armored vehicles of human race army, which are flying and destroying Na’vi people and their nature. Unlike people, Na’vies had chosen different way – a way of heart. Every living thing is connected in their world and the greatest bliss is to merge with nature. There is no need to steal some wealth from nature, because the greatest wealth is to feel unity with it. Here I should notice that the nature of Pandora is wonderful indeed, especially if watching 3D “Avatar” version.
In any case, at first accepted as an alien by Na’vi people, Jake eventually becomes one of them. He falls in love with Na’vi tribe leader’s daughter Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). One day he himself declares that Na’vi world is more real than human race world for him. In this way the moment which is programmed in the “we-they” scheme arrives. At his point character must choose who he really is. Mankind is evil in “Avatar”, therefore Jake stands on the side of Na’vi. This break reflects the whole philosophy of “Avatar”, but also mocks it – people, the “bad guys”, who are searching for new sources of energy and destroying the harmony of nature, is so fashionable today, that step by step the sense of rejection naturally evolves. However, if “Avatar” would help ordinary viewer to understand that to pollute nature is wrong, let it be.
I won’t tell anything more, only will state the last remark: the end of the movie leaves an opportunity for the second and for the third part. The already gained huge profit forecasts the same.
Very good review. I agree with all the words.
Great review!
[...] The “Avatar” of fashionable thought [...]
[...] The “Avatar” of fashionable thought [...]