The Politics of “Pandora”
I don’t go to the movies much, maybe once per year. I hate standing in lines and can never seem to get comfortable in a theater full of chatty people. Instead, I rent DVDs or watch movies “On Demand” in the privacy of my own home. People like me are not good for the box office, which is why James Cameron got my attention several years ago when he warned Hollywood that they’d better change the “theater experience” or risk losing movie-goers forever. Enter Avatar.
Cameron (no stranger to box office innovation) spent years developing the technology required to pull off Avatar. The result is nothing less than complete immersion. I expected to be engaged and impressed with the experience, but I did not expect to be blown away. The movie is fantastic from start to finish and I couldn’t help but think of the endless applications for this new technology. Pilot/driver, law enforcement training, and language/culture acquisition came to mind immediately. Then, I reminisced about seeing Star Wars on opening day back in 1977 and wondered how long it would be before we look back at Avatar and chuckle. Regardless, if Cameron’s goal was to create a theater experience that cannot be replicated at home – mission accomplished. However, there are two things worth mentioning:
(1) The movie is best viewed in an IMAX theater. I’m sure it’s still cool on the thousands of “other” 3D screens currently showing the film across the country but, if you’re lucky enough to live near one of the 179 IMAX screens, I would highly recommend watching it there.
(2) Leave your politics at the door. The story (which is quite good) has all of the standard components – love, conflict, cool characters. But it also revolves around a strong theme of anti-imperialism. I have absolutely no doubt that talk show hosts, bloggers, and pundits from the right will jump on this and declare Avatar “anti-American.” Don’t let that ruin your experience. Just sit back and enjoy the show.
On a scale from 1 to 10, I give Avatar a 9.5. In fact, I already plan on seeing it again, in IMAX of course. See the full trailer below and please share this review with others if you found it useful.
About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
Frank the Tank | Dec 20, 2009 | Reply
I have heard it was a great movie. I would like to go see it. I just have one question, can’t anyone just make an entertaining movie without injecting politics or their own views into it? Merry Christmas Randy.
gpalmer | Dec 20, 2009 | Reply
I went yesterday with my son, and saw it in IMAX 3d… Immersion is exactly the right word.. I was blown away.
Maxwell | Jan 9, 2010 | Reply
Avatar=AWESOME!!!