Thursday 18 February 2010

Avatar -

Ok, My attempts to review the film....
The 3d and CGI was ok, I've seen better, I've seen worse. But the STORY!!!!! wow. It had everything, (I'm not just talking about the fight scenes which were fantastic) but the story had elements of Scot cards Ender series, a touch of Heinleins "Starship troopers" (I'm talking of the book here, not the travesty of an adaptation that missed the point completely) a passing nod to Terry Pratchetts Wyrmberg, and various other influences from fiction. If you are planning on watching, stop reading here. if you have, or aren't going to bother, read on.
The idea of the Pandora, and the natural flora and Fauna, Including the Naavi ( of which more later) being interconnected has echoes of one part of the concept od "Wyrd" which is a large part of my own beleifs. also, that the Naavi were dependant on their land for everything, food, shelter and death, rebirth gods and goddesses in such a way that displacement goes beyond unthinkable, has paralells with, for example the the Matsés of the Peruvian Amazon, who are being threatend by advancing technology and destruction, but refuse to move because their land is more than a just a home, it is a sacred landscape, as well as providing their food and shelter, it is an ingrained part of their traditions, and culteral identity.
ALso, (Indebted to Gary Colcombe of celtic myth podshow for this http://celticmythpodshow.com/blog/2010/01/15/james-camerons-avatar-and-celtic-mythology/) The parralells between the tale of the Na’vi and that of the Tuatha De Danaan are too noticable to miss. The tall, beautiful figures who are obviously not human (to the Celts, they were Fey) who are invaded by humans, the Sons of the Gael, the Sons of Mil, and forced to retreat into the Hollow Hills.
Also as a Mother Goddess, read Eywa as the Mother Goddess of the Celts and the story and relationship is strikingly similar.
All in all, the story was brilliant, and I'm glad to have seen it, I don't want a sequel, I want prequels - first one before the humans came, second one as they arrived.

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