Everything I've seen about the plot of Avatar so far is white man goes in to rescue natives and goes native himself (possibly for/with love of a fair alien maiden). Can your DH tell me it's not that, or it's more than that? Because I don't think the spectacle could get me over the hump.
Simon: I, uh... I never-never shot anyone before. Book: I was there, son. I'm fair sure you haven't shot anyone yet.
'War Stories'
Buffista Movies 7: Brides for 7 Samurai
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§ ita § - Dec 11, 2009 4:37:45 am PST #5481 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Jessica - Dec 11, 2009 4:38:22 am PST #5482 of 30000
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
Asking your DH to answer in a British accent doesn't count, silly.
He's the American, smartass. thppppppt.
le nubian - Dec 11, 2009 4:41:11 am PST #5483 of 30000
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."
I gotta say, I'm with ita. I'm very leery of seeing this film until I read substantive reviews of it.
I love things that go boom, but I have to say that I do need some decent dialogue and a plot that makes sense.
Daisy Jane - Dec 11, 2009 4:44:27 am PST #5484 of 30000
"This bar smells like kerosene and stripper tears."
I was able to deal with 2012, so that's how I'm going in with this thing.
§ ita § - Dec 11, 2009 4:46:27 am PST #5485 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
I didn't see any historical overtones with 2012 that squicked me. It just looked like it would bore me, even if it kept me awake.
Daisy Jane - Dec 11, 2009 4:51:17 am PST #5486 of 30000
"This bar smells like kerosene and stripper tears."
Ah. Gotcha. If I thought about it too much, there were some things that would upset my sense of right and wrong. If I thought about it.
Jessica - Dec 11, 2009 4:51:31 am PST #5487 of 30000
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
Everything I've seen about the plot of Avatar so far is white man goes in to rescue natives and goes native himself (possibly for/with love of a fair alien maiden). Can your DH tell me it's not that, or it's more than that?
I'll ask him, but I don't think he'll be able to reassure you.
Fone Bone - Dec 11, 2009 5:08:37 am PST #5488 of 30000
ita, what you described is more or less the plot--the pre-release comparisons to Dances with Wolves and The New World are on target when it comes to the basic narrative arc of the movie. What elevates the film--and what makes it worth seeing, especially on the big screen--is the richness and detail that Cameron brings to this alien planet. He really does create an entirely new world; there are sections of the film that are astonishingly beautiful and don't involve anything falling down and going boom. (Although the going boom stuff is incredible as well--the third act battle is extraordinary). But yes, the plot, dialogue and characters are pure B-level pulp that we've seen a thousand times before and I can definitely see that turning people off. As pure spectacle though, this is a major, major leap forward for sci-fi films.
§ ita § - Dec 11, 2009 5:23:11 am PST #5489 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Thanks, FB. Dances With Wolves was enough of a turnoff (never saw The New World) that I think I'll wait for the effects to percolate to a story that doesn't make me feel patronised to at a basic level.
Connie Neil - Dec 11, 2009 5:30:53 am PST #5490 of 30000
brillig
The book Dances With Wolves ends differently than the movie. In the book, the cavalry guy gets back to the tribe and is talking about running off with Stands With Fist, but the chief says, "No, we're off to the winter village soon anyway, and when the white men come looking for [whatever his American name is], we will say we know of no such man, we know only Dances With Wolves and his wife." I would have liked that ending much better on the movie.