James Cameron Understands What Most Filmmakers Don’t

[@LikeStoriesofOld]

Hey everyone! Seeing as Avatar: The Way of Water is still playing in theatres and I don’t have direct access to the footage yet, this is more of a structured first impression rather than an in-depth breakdown. But I wanted to get this out sooner rather than later because, as cliché as it might sound, I do feel this is a movie that’s best experienced on the big screen, and I’d love for people to be able to (re-)watch it with a better contextual understanding than the one that, in my opinion, is currently being offered by a lot of critics. Also, be sure to check out my new Nebula Class at: nebula.tv/how-to-analyze-stories I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts!

[@LuchM]

How do you typically get access to footage? asking as someone who would like to do film analysis/re-edits myself Do you just buy/rent the film, then screen record? or is there a software/resource you go to?

[@johnwolf2829]

I dunno, this series seems like yet another attempt to trick humanity into hating themselves, and (therefore) each other. I agree with the points you made, altho.... a 3-hour movie would be a lot easier to deal with if it had an intermission halfway through. Until that happens I will wait for the Disk and watch it at home.

[@tombliss1324]

Brilliantly articulated review! - be present - enjoy the layers of the story to whatever depth you care to enjoy - reflect ❤Wow❤ Thank you for this.

[@tombliss1324]

@@johnwolf2829 It is definitely worth seeing in IMAX 3D. I have seen it 7x and will probably go again because it is so immersive, it is like taking a trip to Pandora. I even found myself involuntarily moving my arms like I was swimming!

[@blackberrydreamsz]

The critics you disagree with have a valid point. You can make a movie with sense of adventure AND have a sensible plot, know when it's time to hang up the story AND ESPECIALLY employ good writing/acting/etc. I get that you want to be as subjective as possible, but when the producer has that kind of money and power at his fingertips, there is really no excuse for film making that appears to be the symptom of previous success. Spielberg and Lucas are also guilty of leaning on their laurels as success made them lazy. I learned to analyze movies by watching them on DVD, then re-watching with the commentary turned on, and through critics like yourself or like one of my favorites kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4Cnd5SKgLWghqM

[@ganjamozart1435]

I walked out of Avatar 2, feeling as if I had spent a holiday in a real place called Pandora. It was incredibly immersive.

[@michaelpetrie14]

What’s awesome however is that it’s all around us in our world, that’s what James Cameron wants, for us to wake up to the beauty of this earth instead of wishing for a convenient answer/alien world to just make everything okay, be an earth warrior for our nature my friend. (I’m sure you knew this anyway just getting it out there for anyone else too)

[@ganjamozart1435]

@@michaelpetrie14 Yeah, I found the whale hunting scene pretty harrowing. Appreciated the smaller details though like the Japanese characters on the harpoon launcher 😂.

[@wattsnottaken1]

I Walked out the theater trying to not to cry out another gallon of water from my eyes In front of my little cousins. I grew up in a family of 4 kids and my older brother was the first born and he unfortunately passed away in 2016 from a fentanyl laced hydrocodone pill. So when Jake and Neytiri’s first born son Neteyam dies I couldn’t help but think of my older brother and how everything he would ever be was snuffed out by greedy China and Mexico flooding American streets with lethal fentanyl that does nothing but kill kids and adults.

[@powerbadpowerbad]

Me and 2 of my neighbors ( which I had to convince to watch this film ) went to see this film and we all LOVED it.3 hrs seemed to float by,plus it's good to see something besides another super-hero movie.

[@zsoro9300]

Great video as always. Regarding Avatar 1 + 2 - maybe we NEED more "simple" stories *powerfully* told.

[@piotrd.4850]

Then watch Zulu, Waterloo, Predator, Patriot, Gladiator, Terminator 2 or Aliens,

[@TheBfutgreg]

@@piotrd.4850 Note that all of those movies are at least 23 years old, OPs point still stands

[@robertchmielecki2580]

@@TheBfutgreg Then I recommend Fury Road or Dunkirk.

[@mandeepkumarray9050]

story is good but their are parts where it doesn't move at all. the movie is telling us to look at the visual and forget the story. . it was boring.

[@zitronentee]

Hmm, like Studio Ghibli?

[@PierSuperTramp]

You saying that in Avatar "the world is the story" really clicked with me. To me, Avatar is not only a movie whose message is the environment preservation, I feel like the whole meaning is actually more about empathy. In Pandora everyone is BIOLOGICALLY able to connect with all the other beings through this weird connection organ, in this way becoming able to feel and "see" the other being's thoughts, memories and emotions: it's like everyone is biologically designed to respect and live in harmony with everybody else. Looking at us humans, we are also able to feel the other person's and animal's emotions through empathy - which is a MIND stuff and eventually even weirder, - but we just don't use it as often as we should. Just by looking at the world of Avatar you can get this fantastic message. Also, in the second movie you have the antispeciesist message too, together with the environmental one. I absolutely loved the tulkuns and their cultures and philosophy, so damn good. I didn't get the Collective Responsibility vs Personal Preservation message, thanks for pointing that out! I was just thinking that Jake changed and started running away out of fear for his family. There's also another aspect in the movie that I found quite interesting. I'm no immigrant, I was born and raised in the same country, but I think that Jake's family escape in the Metkayina clan territories is a quite good representation of how it works when a family moves to another country (or another tribe) and they all have to learn how to live and get by from the start. It's the Sully sons and daughters that learn how to swim and hunt best, it's them that - in one of the final, and most touching, scenes - have to take care of both Jake and Neytiri, tell them how to properly breath and ultimately save them. Finally, you are right, I totally fell in love with the big forest in the first movie, and now with the ocean and all its inhabitants in the second movie. I would have watched twenty more hours of them just swimming with the fishes, discovering the riff's secrests and just enjoying themselves. There's no need for a revolutionary plot, an immense beauty is just enough.

[@chrisbarnett5303]

"I see you", the central thesis of the movies is all about empathy.

[@sonkeschmidt2027]

The interesting thing, that some people might consider shallow, is how on touch with the human mind he stays even in his spiritualisation. As much as the movie is about empathy and love as much is it about fighting and killing each other... And even finding enjoyment in it because one feels justified to do so. It brings this age old problem to the forefront, how to deal with those who lack empathy? You can go the full Jesus road and say you sacrifice yourself and become a literal avatar of goodwill. But as history demonstrates, people still manage to twist that idea towards serving their selfish interest. How much pain people caused in the name of god and jesus. Because that's what unconditional love is, it doesn't take a stance, it loves Hitler as much as Gandhi. But the ecosystem that we inhabit is not unconditional love, nature is not unconditional love. If you fit into your environment you thrive and you are in harmony with it. But if you are unfit you will suffer and die eventually. And that's not nice, it is painful. Even in that paradise of pandora, they still have animals who eat each other and get banned from the community like that whale. And this show's an interesting truth about life. We can easily emphasize with the humans as we are like them. The Navi represent an ideal that is foreign to us, from the perspective of the movie literally unnatural as we couldn't even exist in Pandora without a breathing mask. And still we side with them over our own species as we recognise humans as the Invaders, as the pathogens, the cancer that need to be erased by the planet's immune system. And there are some real world implications there. Because what do we do with those who don't fit in? Those who are selfish and therefore destructive because they want to survive in a world that is not in their favour? It's not just the rich who cut down the forests on our world, it's also poor people trying to feed their families. And no matter how much we know that they need to stop, who is going to feed those people? And if no one does it, who is going to stop them from cutting down trees and how? That is the uncomfortable question we avoid in the debate about climate change and why we still cut down trees. And here avatar brings up the question, is war, is fighting inevitable if we want to survive collectively? Do we have to identify the "cancer" and kill it off before it takes over the entire body? We don't like these questions as we have developed the understanding that these thoughts are bad, they create the mindset that becomes what it tries to get rid of eventually. Every good guy that starts to use violence eventually becomes what he is fighting against. And still aren't we glad that the allies won against the Nazis? To bring my point back home, what do I do when society abandons me and I end up on the streets with no future and no hope? What will I do when I become an environmental refugee trying to survive and maybe keep my children alive? And what will I do with the people that try to survive and take resources away from my family? How much can I sacrifice to remain compassionate and empathetic and where is the limit where I have to set boundaries? And what will I be willing to do to defend those boundaries? Pandora belongs to the Navi and yet we can't help but want to visit it and live there and if it's just for a couple of hours. So what do I have to do to turn this earth into a paradise? What sacrifices will I have to make?

[@jared3047]

That's a cop out. If you r so enamoured with this production, then you clearly don't watch a lot of movies. Because it was basic as it gets. You can defend the movie but what's worth defending. If the movie has this powerful message than convey that in the story. Give us something really to chew on, because the movie didn't do any of that. It left us with little achieved and little to care about. Stories r driven by motivation, there's just not a lot here.

[@sonkeschmidt2027]

@@jared3047 nope you are alone in this. I'm a fanatic when it comes to story, I hated the new Star wars movies for that reason or the Witcher series. But avatar? The atmosphere is more than enough, was one of the best 3 hours I ever had in cinema. Gorgeous movie, once in a lifetime event.

[@jared3047]

@@sonkeschmidt2027 ok but you don't have a lot of cinematic experience then. Most of everyone I know agrees with me on this. The atmosphere wasn't that good if you compare it to dune, blade runner or mad Max. It's sub par.

[@corican]

Your videos always start off as media critiques and end with me questioning my place within the world. You have a real talent for messaging.

[@rei6249]

ikr, plus his voice just has that ethereal, sage-like quality to it, but also very gentle. Like "yeah i just flipped your POV on its head, sit down, tell me how you feel" vibe 🤣💛

[@rjfink]

He could be narrating a cooking contest and I'd be welling up a bit.

[@TwistVisuals]

The best media should be making us think about our place in the world.

[@houndofculann1793]

@@rjfink cooking contests don't well you up otherwise?

[@pixxelwizzard]

You hit the nail on the head. I've seen Avatar TWoW 6 times now, and every time they get to the scene where they're exploring the ocean, I have a HUGE grin on my face. You'd think I'd be over it by now, but I adore seeing the characters so immersed and filled with wonder over their new environment.

[@Adam-xg1ch]

you’ve spent over a hundred bucks on this trash?

[@pixxelwizzard]

@@Adam-xg1ch I take it you didn't like it? :P Well, I have A List, so it doesn't cost me extra. I saw it tonight again for the 6th time, and 5 of those have been IMAX. A List is awesome. Sorry you don't like, it though. I've been in your shoes before, where I didn't like something that's really popular, and I'm sure I'll be in your shoes again at some point in the future. But for now, I can't get enough of this movie. I love it.

[@pavanjotsingh1578]

@@Adam-xg1ch i enjoy the movie so ?

[@Eudomac99]

I think that Avatar's "the world is the story" framework is the reason why Pandora-land in Disney's Animal Kingdom was such a brilliant idea. It, to me, is the most effective piece of Avatar storytelling because it is **actually** real. On my first visit to Disneyworld, it was World of Pandora that blew me away the most, despite being most anticipated for Galaxy's Edge.

[@jul3249]

This reminds me of a common criticism against my favorite book, Foundation by Isaac Asimov. Some claim the characters are not well developed but in Foundation, HUMANITY is the main character, and its evolution through the millennium the books cover is it's story arc. Once you get that, you understand it is a masterpiece.

[@alanlmsca]

You get it. You get it! A simple story that allows us to to connect with the characters and the environment - see it literally through there eyes. It pauses to allow us to absorb whatever we want to explore in the story and reflect on our own being and behaviours. This is what Jim Cameron has mastered. It has given me an unbelievable life experience from 21st December 2009 and continues to do so. 'Irayo' - Thank you for sharing your take on the Avatar and The Way of Water.

[@pterodactylpie8825]

I couldn’t articulate why I liked this movie so much or felt invested despite the many critiques. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I do really love escaping into this world

[@hellomate639]

In addition, the movie also reconnects us with a sense of meaning, community and myth, and harmonizes that with nature. That is, what it does is show us our true nature as humans and calls us to reconnect with that. I actually teared up several times during the film because this is something that I believe is important that I've been working on figuring out how to recreate in life in this insanely unnatural modern world. That is something not many movies have done, and Avatar 1 didn't do that in the same way. If you can also take a moment to laugh at James Cameron's heavy handedness and see past it, this is actually quite a good, meaningful story.

[@blitzgirl6522]

I've seen this movie twice, and I love it so much. So many great messages and themes, and the visuals are of course amazing. Stephen Lang stole a lot of the movie for me, however. I'm so fascinated by where this is all going to go!

[@tombliss1324]

Agree! It is a crime that Lang isn’t on the Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor shortlist. His character is so scary and complicated. One day, the so-called experts will realize how wrong they were about these performances.

[@ChronicallyCurious]

I have chronic pain and I went on a day that I was hurting a lot. I just didn’t want to miss it in theaters. But… I was actually able to forget my pain (not quite, but not focus on it) for three hours because of this movie. I even watched the beginning of the credits that’s just ocean life, because it was beautiful and entrancing. I hope somewhere I’ll be able to find a compilation of just the pure beauty for when I’m really struggling. It’s hard to feel peaceful when your body is tearing itself apart over the smallest stimuli, but I felt it with parts of this movie.

[@gergelygaal1456]

Thank you for putting my emotions about this movie into words and sharing it with a wide audience. I think most of the critics are focusing on the wrong thing, and they also fall for the misconception of a movie being empty without a ground breaking plot, even though we know and love lots of films which have weak plots, but they are perfect anyway, because of the sheer uniqueness of their spectacle. With this film I actually loved the most the part with the world building, which felt like a documentary about an alien world. I was mesmerized by it and I didn't want it to end. For me action was absolutely unnecessary about this story. I would have watched another 2 hours of them swimming with the sea creatures. So I think I captured what Cameron wanted to say with this movie and I thankful for it, it was an amazing experience.

[@andrewlavigne44]

There is actually an interesting parallel to Jake's openness in the reborn Avatar Quaritch: there were some obvious throwbacks like the Banshee taming, but he is the one who suggests becoming like the Na'vi down to speaking and eating like them. His intention is very much not pure, but inadvertently he becomes closer to his own son - expanding outside himself, leading to his own fatal weakness in the climax. I'm not sure where they're going with him and I'm sure he will stay an antagonist for at least 1 more sequel, but I think it's likely to lead to a slow character transformation. There is also another parallel of how the humans want to plop down Earth 2.0 right over Pandora, not "embracing" it to the point where the facility from the first movie which we were meant to see as sort of an eyesore looks more pleasant. They also want to not just extend life and extend Earth as it exists but stop death entirely, messing with the natural order of life itself. But I think you can read from the price of "$80 million" that immortality will be for a select few. The mantra the Na'vi has is that life is energy borrowed and must be returned, but they do have a sort of immortality open to all: memories and how people are pieces of the community as a whole. The metaphor there is pretty clear even though it's presented as a literal thing that can be mentally entered into with a tree based neural network. It's the Pericles quote, "what we leave behind."

[@hellomate639]

Lets not reduce ourselves to "neural networks" by reducing the tree to a "neural network." Consciousness is something we can be more sure of than the external world, fundamentally. Such reductionism of conscious reality is part of the poison that leads us to not live the life that we see in the film.

[@alessandrocaviola1575]

I too find this new movie fare better than the First One, because of a couple of reasons. First, the father children relationship Is one of the best examples ive seen in recent Years, second because the true potentiality of this whole avatar project start to emerge: the exploration of a new world, awe and wonder are what Is given to US, more than ideas and good storytelling. Cameron tries to capture and show the feelings he feels when diving into the depth of the Oceans. Of course there Is more, and there are also a lot of weaknesses and cliches, and i find all his enviromental messages a bit shallow and superficial. But i think this movie had something to offer.

[@soakedbearrd]

Yeah I enjoyed this movie more than the first one. This one touched me on a deeper level.

[@Fractured_Unity]

What is shallow about saying we need to better understand the connections of the system that is our world? We are a part of that very system, it’s asinine to not try and learn as much as possible about it

[@diocre7446]

It is not shallow message if somebody cry about it.

[@bernardheathaway9146]

Perfect timing, just watched it yesterday. I loved everything about this movie, especially the seemingly mundane moments. Just seeing the Avatars, chilling in the grass and swimming in the ocean, was so satisfying. I was very jealous of them. Also, it made me feel the danger of the sky people, when they arrived and bring chaos to their lifestyle and their determination and need to protect it.

[@Markus-iu5is]

Yes and the movie makes me want to spend more time in the nature and connect with our earth, animals and people

[@dannyboy5493]

I honestly can’t explain why I love the movie so much and the first one as well. Just always a great escape for me if my head is in a bad spot.

[@arthurjames9807]

I loved this movie I’ve been trying to find someone who can put how I felt about the movie in words , I’ve not seen a film that lets you immerse yourself so peacefully and let’s you just take in the awe and beauty of the world , It made me think of Dune which Is another huge blockbuster with huge artistic care put into it and I do think it is a better film but there is a dread to that story, there are complex thing happening, it was just such a joy to be on Pandora, such a joy to see more and more of it , excited for what else James Cameron’s imagination has to offer

[@darkroomzen]

Peacefully? You mean during the extended sequences of trauma porn destroying said world and cultures?

[@JavierGomezX]

@@darkroomzen I think he refers to the fact you don't feel the burden to de-code a complex message. Peacefully may not be the word for it, as there obviously need to be conflict, but it felt simple enough and not too disturbing, considering it was predictable.

[@sticks7857]

Personally I had trouble immersing myself in this one due to a glaring plothole, spoiler warning for anyone who hasn't watched it yet. It felt like the entire resolution and climax of the last movie was forgotten just to create conflict in this one. Where before the collective consciousness of the wildlife rose up to turn the tide against the humans and win the final battle, in this one its like they realized they wrote themselves into a corner with that and just totally forgot about it just to make things interesting which just took me out of the movie constantly.

[@LooseCampbell]

@@sticks7857 The RDA aren't actively trying to destroy the Tree of Souls in TWOW. The fight is smaller and more personal. Some inhabitants of the world are put in terrible situations by Quaritch, yes, but the fight is heavily focused on finding Jake and not weakening Pandora in its entirety by cutting off a stronghold of Eywas power.

[@moostermcmoosterpants817]

Yesssss!

[@faqrullahbakri5926]

I remember the first time i saw the way of water, everything just chefs kiss.. the slow tempo, the depth, the beauty, the messages. I get teared up watching your video, and now, feel like i need to watch this movie again. Beautiful.

[@zenithquasar9623]

This is exactly the reason why I was meh about the first one and yet really loved the second one because I feel like the world felt bigger and we got to stay in it, explore it even more which made me connect to it. Having said that, Cameron's world building is always soo good that I have never not been convinced with the presence of place in his movies within as short as 5 mins!

[@benhey10]

I think this movie will be remembered as far greater and more important/impactful than how many people portray it/criticize it. Yes, it' can be tough not to see it as an excessive self-indulgence in CGI technology being used to create fantasy worlds for people to escape into, but I actually think there are many elements of this film and its predecessor that show us something about ourselves that we have lost in our current iterations of society. Brilliant work as always. Looking forward to more of your videos and more avatar!

[@louissivo9660]

You summed up perfectly what works for me when watching this movie. I love science fiction and finally there is a movie that slowed down and gave me time to appreciate the ecosystem. I loved the creatures and plant life and honestly, just looking at them and enjoying them as if they were real. Other movies will quickly show an interesting world, but then rush along to get to the next explosion or chase. They will show one or two animals maybe, but there is action to get too, so they just skip along. Maybe it's because I'm older (64) but sometimes a slower pace can do wonders during parts of the movie. Cameron still can create exciting actions scenes, but he also knows when to let the audience breath. And as you stated there, we needed to know and get connected to the world of Pandora as it becomes a character that is under assault and we need to care about that. Great analysis on your part. Thanks for sharing.

[@emmao6578]

I agree so much, there are several sci fi or fantasy films I love but was left wanting to know so much more about how the world worked and would've loved further exploration into them. The way avatar gives time to focus on creatures and their interactions in different ecosystems reminds me of some of my favourite books from when I was younger, I reread them recently out of nostalgia and part way through the second book realised how differently I approached reading them as an adult vs a child. In the moments when it would slow down to focus on exploration and descriptions of the world I was searching for more plot points or character progression when my younger self was just immersed in the sheer joy of discovering a new world. Obviously thats partly because the world was at least somewhat familiar to my adult self so it's only natural for it to be slightly less interesting but I think there is also something that changes in our expectations of films/books as we grow older that sometimes prevents us from fully immersing ourselves in these kinds of stories.

[@anubratoroy749]

Jake's character was definitely improved upon in Way of Water and it would be interesting to see how his character fleshed out over the next installments!! It was a great detail how at the first sign of danger he reverts back to his human instincts to save his family first, instead of caring for the community's well being

[@powerbadpowerbad]

Yeah,you're right,Jake has a FAMILY now ( wife and kids changes a man,at least most men )like you said,it's natural to put family first and roll out !!! ( saving your family also doesn't put your clan at risk ) unfortunately he puts another at risk and at war. OOPS. LOL.

[@Oveyz]

THANK YOU. Honestly. It's so refreshing to see youtubers I follow and respect turn to Avatar with their brain on, and do actually thoughtful reviews of it.

[@rei6249]

I totally agree, it was definitely a breath of fresh air

[@rocksvelte5760]

I'm glad I found this video. This is an excellent analysis that really articulates what I felt watching the movie after reading a lot of reviews that praised it only for its visual spectacle. I, too, felt that these critics were really overlooking the sheer amount of creativity and worldbuilding that went into it, and how this had so much value in and of itself. I felt that perhaps I was just overthinking it, but it's nice to see that I wasn't alone.

[@jv.xavier7434]

People usually misunderstand what story and plot mean in relation to films, mainly because motion pictures are the realm of image, and that's what Avatar (and others alike) understand and explore perfectly! I wasn't expecting, but since the first watch, The Way of Water became one of my favorite movies of all time for that reason!

[@drkim4077]

Avatar got popular because of the immersive beauty of Pandora. Loved the forest and now loved the oceans. Can’t wait for Volcanos in Avatar 3

[@d.sfilms7677]

Once again, an impeccable and masterful analysis that leaves me speechless

[@rei6249]

ikr, he's one of the best i've seen on YT

[@navylaks2]

13 years in the making, yet he couldn't even come up with a decent story nor passable dialogue. How the once mighty James Cameron has fallen so deep. Unbelievable to think that this is the same guy who once gave us Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

[@idanlewenhoff2295]

the creation of different cultures with their own believes, creatures and languages makes the world building much more fascinating. you feel as you understand what is the motivation for each character. the visuals and sounds are amazing and it truly shows why Cameron keeps building the world of Pandora.

[@biggiezsnack]

The adventure of Avatar is a metaphor for itself, it’s cgi technology is the new world and we are exploring it with the characters as we watch it ourselves. Just like the humans in the movie who are vicariously living through their avatar bodies we are vicariously living through this new cinematic technology as we watch.

[@rowbeans-l1n]

So glad we’re getting Avatar love again after a decade of “so forgettable- name one character, quote one line 🤪” and me having responding with the entire cast list and script

[@konradvonschnitzeldorf6506]

It still is a movies for the lowest common denominator. Just like the first one.

[@rowbeans-l1n]

@@konradvonschnitzeldorf6506 or people who enjoy good visuals?? Or any other reason. Someone liking something you don’t doesn’t make them the “lowest common denominator” that’s lowest common denominator logic.

[@konradvonschnitzeldorf6506]

@@rowbeans-l1n I am not taking away anything from the VFX artists and world designers lol. I am talking about the plot mostly. It being one of the highest grossing movies without having any clutural impact (or barely any If you prefer) makes it kinda obvious right? It's like bread or toilet paper. Everybody knows it, everybody uses it but we don't think about it too much.

[@rowbeans-l1n]

@@konradvonschnitzeldorf6506 it had not cultural impact **for you**, for screenwriters, movie artists, etc. and many other groups. Just because something isn’t quotable or memed across Twitter doesn’t make it bad. Name one character from Gone With the Wind. That’s the highest grossing movie of all time adjusted for inflation. I’m willing to bet the only line the average person can quote from that is the “frankly my dear I don’t give a damn” and that hasn’t been used for a hot minute by anyone. By your described measure of cultural impact, that’s braindead slop too. Quote one actual line from any of the top 20 that isn’t a meme or marvel. Twitter traffic=\= cultural relevance.

[@konradvonschnitzeldorf6506]

@@rowbeans-l1n I am not saying it is bad. Just bland. I also don't like Marvel movies they did enter the general consciousness more than Avatar you will have to admit that.

[@inazuma3gou]

I feel like the second part of "you cannot turn away from collective problem ... the world is no longer worth living in" was somewhat diluted because we never saw what happened to The Omatikaya people that Jake left behind. Perhaps that is the story for Avatar 3, but I kept wondering what Quaritch and his people were doing the whole movie (were they just touring the forest and playing with the dragons?) The reason General Ardmore summoned Quaritch was because the forest people was putting up strong resistance with Jake as their leader. With Jake gone, I'd imagine the Sky people have a better chance of conquering the forest.

[@inazuma3gou]

To add, we would have had a more effective movie if General Ardmore filled Quaritch's role completely.

[@ravignir]

@@inazuma3gou i think quaritch might eventually betray humans... which does not imply he will join the na'vi.

[@pandorantourist8907]

Omatikaya had to negotiate with the RDA’s operations. However, the RDA still need to execute the biggest potential threat, Toruk Makto. For them, it’s less expensive to eliminate the biggest potential threat as soon as possible before it becomes real. Sooner or later it must become real.

[@ElectricAlien577]

This is also only the first of 4 movies. We cant draw conclusions about what they left out until the story is finished. Just like you wouldnt judge the lord of the rings trilogy based only on watching the fellowship of the ring.

[@LeandroCapstick]

There's few films that have completely immersed and swept me away like the Avatar films. I think you summed up what these films do masterfully very well in this video. Keep it up!

[@duta6388]

It's amazing how many people are missing the simple storytelling truism of "show don't tell" good novels and movies spend a huge portion of their text describing scenes, feelings and motivations.

[@lawfulchaotic8926]

I loved this analysis. I cannot wait to see this film again and view it through the understanding you shared in this video. So digestable and impactful!

[@professorkatze1123]

this movie should totally have won best directing. it's so masterful that you don't even notice it.

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

Just recently watched this film because my city's local cinema permamently closes tomorrow January 18th, 2023, and I am pleasantly surprised with it. Might be because it's set in the sea which I am fond of or because a lot of the scenes have real-world parallels to our own. Or maybe because my tastes in films includes "adventure films set in fantastical worlds" that appeals to me. The film is a great thing to watch. It's one of the better ways to show casual audiences the wonders of xenozoology and anthropology (I remember when I was watching this I hear many in the audience coo in wonder about the various creatures of the water and imitate the calls of their aquatic steeds). The visual differences between water-livibg Naavis to forest Naavis is striking, and would make Charles Darwin smile with fascination. It's also a great allegory of the effects of colonialism as the whole thing feels like a retelling of America's history of expansionism to the West Coast (not helped that the actors playing the military's role are American) and the insurgency a SciFi equivalent of the Indian Wars. The way the Naavi tribe integrates Skypeople tech, practices, even peope (to an extent) is also a great allegory of the irreversible effects of the introduction of foreign things into a normally isolated community. Overall it's a nice film that while is PG can be watched with the family. Or be used as a study of world history and biology...

[@Stark7Ghost]

I've studied literature, and I've always said that there's far more happening with Avatar than the core story. It seems that those who criticize the movie are the type of people who are unable to understand or see this. Cameron's world building is impeccable. The expansive yet subtle lore is very smartly placed. Then, there's the deeper meaning/message with our the real world comparison. The story telling cues are quite subtle and leave one to think a bit deeper.

[@AdinaIspas]

the storytelling *cues* 😉

[@Stark7Ghost]

@@AdinaIspas Thanks mate

[@DamonCzanik]

I watch these movies to visit an alien world. For 3 hours, it feels like I'm on Pandora. It's not the same watching it on my TV or my phone. I do find it interesting that James Cameron's loving embrace of the natural world is almost completely devoid of nature. It's not nature we're seeing, but technology. Everything is fake. There's little to no nature in this nature movie. Even humans are stripped to being motion capture data. The technology that is practically rebuked is the tool needed to convey his message. Not hating on the movie, I love it. I just find the difference interesting. And it's not technology that is that is driving this movie. It's actually the imagination and talent from an army of artists. That includes the software and hardware engineers. Their art is just practical art, but it's still art. The technology is just the tools to realize the vision.

[@BuenButter6211]

I understand the core message of the movie, hell, it feels like a passion project more than a movie made by Cameron, it's good I will not re-watch it any time soon but it's all right It's harmless, it's a great example of a 7/10 movie What baffles me is the "critics" that claim it's bad because it's not a revolutionary story, while I agree that the runtime it's too long for its own good just imagine if we demanded revolutionary ideas or concepts from every piece of media, that's just insane

[@tammygant4216]

Exactly! I accept that this is the minority opinion, but I felt it was too much walking around and looking in awe. Maybe it's because I already get 'the message' (7:20 or so). I don't know exactly what it was, but I didn't need 3 hours to convince me of this. I wasn't bored because there wasn't a revolutionary story--I watch, enjoy and re-watch stories thinner than this one. I was bored because there were too many shots of people (Naavi) standing with their mouths open at the wonder of it all. I only watched it once because a family member wanted to go for his birthday. I won't watch it again.

[@12classics39]

I think Eywa created Kiri inside Grace’s avatar as Grace died, granting Kiri the power to connect with her, which is why she senses Eywa so strongly.

[@rei6249]

way more people need to see this video. truly insightful and as an avatar fan, you opened my eyes to some new insights i didn't see before. wonderful work as always ❤

[@ExpiredPancreas]

Thanks for this. I hate on the first Avatar quite a lot, but your essay really helps me think about the movie (and the franchise as a whole) differently and more optimistically.

[@MrsTavington]

As a huge fan of Avatar, I'm so happy to see this deep dive into the meaning(s) of the movie. Thank you!

[@sash9249]

Soon to be in the top 5 highest grossing films ever made. That does not happen by accident. Thanks for your analysis. Nuanced and reasonable from someone who is as passionate about storytelling as I am. *subscribed*

[@rei6249]

same. he just earned a new subcriber :)

[@Adam-xg1ch]

so money = good art?

[@rei6249]

@@Adam-xg1ch I agree with u that not all high grossing films = great art, but I think the point @Sash and Like Stories Of Old are trying make is that Avatar gets alot of bad rep for being "shallow" and "all spectacle and no substance" and though its not like an Inception or Shutter Island levels of depth in terms of plot, it still has a storyline that does tell a compelling and great story - much better than most people who write it off as just eye candy think - just in a different way

[@markotts]

Another pearl of a video, I was worried with the hype going in to see it. I was expecting the amazing cgi and all the bells and whistles, but you are spot on, the cinematics didn't detract from the story and overall sense of wonder

[@aminakhan703]

I'm something of a refugee myself; I left my birth country nearly a decade ago... I've spent that decade dealing with the ethical and spiritual ramifications of that decision. I think this video understands why I absolutely love this movie.

[@atriox7221]

I always liked the parallels between the interconnectedness of the forest in avatar 1 and mycelium’s interaction with forests on earth, and how a planet (or large rainforest at least) wide system like mycelium that had been running such a large ecosystem seemingly for many millions of years and consequently evolving many new traits to better function can parallel with Mother Earth style human religions, this triple layer of overlapping things always made the mythically spiritual world of pandora feel much more real and believable, making the moral of the first one become significantly more intense for me which I definitely appreciate

[@davidfeltheim2501]

I like how this movie not only continued the story in a natural way but also was an improvement, vfx and thematically. While some of the interactions of the kids was awkward, Sully and Neytiri were better characters overall, and while bringing back the Colonel was a weird decision instead of introducing a new villain, the dynamic of avatars working for humans vs. the avatars that joined the Na'vi was interesting.

[@Adam-xg1ch]

they literally brought back the dead bad guy from the originally to go on a revenge quest for sully. how is that an improvement in storytelling?

[@mikebasil4832]

It’s good that the Avatar universe can reassure us all how other worlds in SF and the peoples of those worlds can still say a lot about our own. Thank you, Tom, for this very important review.

[@Breadcutter]

Was there ever doubt really doubt in that? many great science fiction stories have done that way more than avatar and many recent ones still do. If you count „children of time“ as recent than i‘d point to that, or from R. F. Kuang „Babel“ from 2022. Both are great science fiction stories that ask existencial questions about humanity.

[@mikebasil4832]

@@Breadcutter Thank you for those references.

[@Breadcutter]

@@mikebasil4832 I mean those are both novels so heads up for that, but if you are looking for something that delves deeper into these socially critical and existential aspects, then there is a lot more niche content out there that doesn't want to / needs to be a big blockbuster, which isn't bad, just limiting when it comes to those aspects. I don't know how knowledgeable you are so you've probably heard about the blade runner movies and the book they are based on (If robots dream of electric sheep) and like Fahrenheit 451 or some episodes of Love, Death and Robots.

[@mikebasil4832]

@@Breadcutter One novel that I would recommend is Kevin Ahearn’s The Milky Way Man.

[@tiffanypersaud3518]

Nicely put.

[@alexanderm3504]

Awesome, would like to see your thoughts on 3:10 to Yuma with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, it's an amazing movie I feel gets zero recognition. Thanks again and love your work

[@chrisbarnett5303]

Logan and 3:10 are some of the best movies about aging and legacy

[@rabidspatula1013]

Amazing movies, both

[@artemismoonbow2475]

Avatar is a crash course in Tantric Mysticism. For Shakti's sake, they pull Amrit out of the Whale's Ajna Chakra. I mean, "Avatar" is literally a fundamental component to Eastern Religious philosophy. BTW, the Col is an exploration in a soul's rebirth, hold over Karma, and journey to learn through lives. If they do a part 3, there is no doubt that he is on some sort of redemption arc. Oh, and to "live without a Why" is straight from Eckhart and is also an Eastern mystical idea.

[@jtgmr1]

Commenting for the algorithm and because this was a great video!

[@knl654]

i really loved tha avatar 2, it was immmersive experience, i dont usually feel like that with other movies, it was like i tranported to another world, movies rarely do this to their audience. the scenes i enjoyed this most was underwater sequnces where they explore the world rather than just action scenes. Avatar is close to 2billion within a months and there is reason its making that much money because people are loving it.

[@moalzaben5554]

I really don’t get it why many people say “animals don’t have feelings”. That is just wrong of them because even the largest whales are intelligent creatures with feelings like a bond between a mother and her calf, James Cameron even showed us that the Tulkun are capable of complex language, thinking, and emotions. My point is that all animals on Earth have feelings, this why we can get an understanding of what James Cameron is showing us of the alien fauna on Pandora and their connection to each other

[@anarchohelenism]

Yeah i agree, if you don't focus on the plot of avatar, it's amazing. truly a great analysis

[@MuhammadBey21]

You are a great Story Teller and have given me much to think about for my own story ideas.

[@Bit2bi]

I love Avatar. Watch the way of water three times in the cinema! Truly one of my favorite movies!! 💙

[@soakedbearrd]

Thank you, finally someone that gets it. To me it’s a man in the mirror moment, what are we doing? How far have we’ve been disconnected from life, and ourselves. We live in a system of total exploitation that’s totally out of balance. Technological “advancement” and focus on material hasn’t brought us happiness in fact the opposite. The controllers of the world know this and are trying rebrand exploitation and tyranny with a new green face. We must not let them sell us faux gold, and co-op any real movement, but that is not to say that we shouldn’t start asking ourselves real questions on what is existence and our part it in, and the place we call home. And are we truly progressing as a society or are, if we continue this trajectory, heading towards self annihilation?

[@soundtransgender]

Soothing, informative, and engaging. Thank you

[@jadabazadaba]

You always make me cry.

[@greyseas8876]

Lots of love to you Tom! GOAT!

[@alancastillo7932]

I'm actually one of the few people that prefer the original to The Way of Water mostly for pacing issues and, because for me, it tried to do too many things at once without giving them the proper time to develop even with a 3-hour runtime. But I can see how the execution has evolved and become even more ambitious than in the first film. James and his crew really gave it all when making this and it was such an out-of-world experience watching it on IMAX that I ended up loving it.

[@fellow_brethren]

It was astounding the level of emotion this movie conveyed from beginning, middle, end. All while delivering us with the ground breaking visuals that captured the story perfectly 👌 James Cameron knows how to translate motion into emotion. He doesn't mind putting his elbows into it while remaining consistently receptive with the cast teams point of view of there characters. James Cameron is a true gem ⭐

[@Jake-Day]

Way of Water was more about protecting the Family than protecting the Environment.

[@BraTalian]

And the environment literally takes care of us...if we neglect the environment, the family will suffer. The universal mother and father is the earth and it's all connected. Meaning that we are sharing the land and the natural resources which source from the environment.

[@jebes909090]

@@BraTalian the environment literally does the opposite of take care of us. Its human technology that takes care of us. The environment is just the environment . It has no will and just describes the activities of various flora, fauna, weather ect ect. Thats why we have to wear clothing. Makeedicine. Raise crops. Build houses. Because to humans, the environment is pretty deadly.

[@vodkaboy]

perfect reflection of the mentality often present (at least unconsciously) in so called "middle class" : fuck you got mine. reminds me of that Brad Pitt zombie movie with planes crashing, the more you think about it.. hey at least james will be able to tell his grand-kid that he pretended to care you know.

[@nicomal]

The way to really protect his family was to face the threat, not hide from it. Bottom line environment needs to be protected for families to be safe. Without environment there would be no families.

[@thomasmeldrum6238]

True, but I think as mentioned in the video, the two are one in the same. *spoilers* They went into hiding when one of the sons almost lost his life, but by the end of the movie, they lost him anyway. I believe this video suggests that threats to the environment and world are also threats to the family, and they must be fought and dealt with for the family to be safe.

[@brijrajchauhan5966]

Please cover Disney +series Andor, it is much more than sci fi show. It is just perfect. Please cover it's theme of rebel and intelligence agency

[@abdifatahelmoge4118]

I absolutely love avatar nd its graphics, good video as always

[@Hildervinge]

I dont understand why people say its not a deep story? Like what? Did we see the same film? I was in my dept emotionally for hours. Still feel it to my bones. And the story might have been simple, but the script where absolutly terrific with all the little nuggets and realistic approach. It was so empatetic and emersive. Last time I enjoyed a movie like this was the first Wonderwoman and the first fantastic beasts movie. You cant be to complex in the storystructure without sacrificing realism in psychology, reaction and relationship when you work in movie-format. I can only think of two writers who have done that well in fantasy, and that is GRR Martin and Tolkien. Id rather it feel real than chew over a story that is to much to hold. I am sensitive though, so I hate it whenever something feels plotdriven and forced

[@tejaswinirakhonde5670]

I felt the same!

[@esyphillis101]

The thing about that took me out was the awful dialogue and the utterly annoying kid characters. I started counting the number of times a character said “bro”. It sounded like an old guy who had no idea how teenagers talk trying to write teenage dialogue. It was cringe worthy.

[@Hildervinge]

@@esyphillis101 guess I am old enogh to give that a pass 😂 and the fact that they would have learned that from Jake, which is older than me so ..

[@diocre7446]

@@esyphillis101 that's how annoying teenagers. You always hear them say the same thing over and over and they don't think how serious things are. They just thought its cool. I think it is a conscious decision. I assume next Avatar will focus on Loak growth.

[@ElectricAlien577]

@@esyphillis101 This is how a lot of teenagers talk. Also, i unironically say "bro" all the time. Different people, different cultures, different behaviors.

[@LukeLovesRose]

This can be said for Avatar 1 and 2. James Cameron is the master of 3D cinematography and Avatar is the purest and simplest example of his craft. No one else in Hollywood can do what James Cameron does so well. He has been immersing audiences the same way since 1984 with The Terminator.

[@niklashbg]

Walking out of the cinema after having seen Avatar 2, felt like Neo being yanked out of the Matrix and flushed down a sewer drain.

[@williambryant5620]

This movie overshadowed a movie I find highly underrated; Babylon, which I would love to see you speak on at some point. It is an extraordinary movie written and directed by Damien Chazelle, who may deserve a video essay on his work (Whiplash, La La Land, First Man, Babylon). He has a refreshing perspective and style.

[@perryrobert6336]

Incredible as always from LSOO. Have you listened to the podcast episode "World Tree Center" by Chapo Trap House? If you, or anyone reading this comment, haven't - I highly recommend it. It's a humorous but deeply thought out analysis/discussion of the deeper themes of Avatar and the accusations that it had "no cultural impact". Changed the way so many people I know see that film.

[@maxmuss4969]

How do nebula class structures work? I love your videos and how you engage with and analyze films and their connection to our lives so I’m super interested in learning how you do it. Is there a free trial?

[@ReturnDesi]

Watch these below then thank me later. 0 EEGA - Telugu 1 Kantara - Kannada 2 Andhadhund - Hindi 3 KGF 1 & 2 - Kannada 4 TUMBBAD - Hindi 5 Killa - Marathi Movie 6 Sardar Udham- Hindi 7 Haider - Hindi

[@Shaddiewolf]

Great movie analysis, you made me think about this movie in ways I had not yet considered. Thank you!

[@allinthemind2006]

Avatar 2 was an exhibition and I absolutely loved it

[@ml3891]

I loved the movie. Yeah, it is not the super deep story, except some nice dialogues and some shared wisdom of that Indian Like Tribe --- Like, what to know about life, nature, soul and community. But as described, it is a story that allowes you to dive in, leave this world for some time, to experience wonder, colour and kind of hope for a world maybe existing somewhere sometime. A world we all would like to be part of. /// So: watch it! :-). And: it was my first movie since the big damn C, what an impression.

[@michaelwilliams949]

I think the best way to put it is that the film somehow reminds of another time and place which is beyond our memories, but it's in our hearts and souls. Call me dumb if you will, but you know this makes perfect sense and you already knew this, you just were fearful to name it as such because everything about our world today attempts to dissuade such a notion.

[@PatrickWDunne]

This videos show exactly why an open world Avatar game is a good idea. I sure hope Ubisoft can deliver.

[@swirlingchi]

The story may be straightforward but it takes ingenuity and craftsmanship to make you care deeply for and emotionally connect with a fictitious space whale! Or make you weep as a scene unfolds. From what we know, parts 1 and 2 laid the groundwork so that part 3 can take the plot up a BIG notch 💙

[@moostermcmoosterpants817]

I loved Avatar: the way of water like crazy! But I hear people saying “it’s only worth it in IMAX” and I hate that. It undersells how much the movie has to offer

[@alexafshar]

Thank you very good analys

[@GreggValue]

I don't think the movie is terribly deep, but it doesn't have to be. It's a competent story about the strength to be found in the family, as well as the fragility of the family and how the family and community are intertwined

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

But it does have parallels to real world events if you know where to look...

[@kenwhitfield219]

Lots of important points are made in this video that most viewers may not even have considered while, or after viewing the movies. Sadly, way too many humans have lost the sense of adventure that has always driven mankind to its greatest achievements, and also led to its greatest failures. Life on this, our home planet is still a big unknown filled with much that we do not know or understand. Just imagine what Pandora and the Alpha Centauri star system must be like. I hope the third installment does take us back to Earth so we can witness more of what is happening there. More than the momentary glimpses offered about Jake’s memories of his time as a paraplegic back on Earth. It would be interesting to see the writer’s vision of such a dystopian Earth and what it means for the future of Pandora and the Nav’i.

[@whytellmewhy]

i've watched it twice now and am considering a 3rd in IMAX again

[@avengedslipknot1000]

But Jake did think about the world around him, his people over his family in some ways by uprooting their lives to go away so their people wouldn't be targeted as well as somewhere they couldn't be found. Spider helped quaritch a lot, not that spider is a bad person for this, but it's something Jake didn't count on. And Jake doesn't know that this time around, humans are here to stay rather than a business/science venture. Jake was trying to de-escalate the situation by leaving. Not being so aggressive. Sure they had the guerilla strikes but it was aimed at stopping their further progress onto Pandora. Keep them in their little area. It wasn't all out war trying to take out the base. He moved his people in an area they couldn't be tracked or found. Being careful with his planning to minimize casualties. I don't think the environment or his people ever left Jake's list of priorities.

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

True. The fact that the story didn't have a climax invoving an attack in the base but rather on a whaling ship - and was forced to by circumstances beyond his control - shows Jake wasn't wrong in his priorities...

[@Hindriux]

As someone who focuses on stories, I am not sure how you can say that "the world is the story" and "We love adventures" when the plot is paper thin, unimaginative and straight up ridiculous. The movie is boring. I don't want to see a beautiful world. I want to see something happen in the beautiful world, not just mindless shooting and killing. I don't want to sound like I am smarter than everyone else in a room, but I think it's just coping to say that this Avatar is good. Apart from CGI (which is no longer impressive in 2023) this movie offers nothing else. The worst sin is that characters, and the Na'vi in general, act for the plot and not for what is the best in this "beautiful world" that you speak about.

[@federicouliseslopez406]

I agree. I expected more from LSOO

[@TheAngryHippie]

Back when AVATAR was released, there were news articles depicting a large number of people feeling depression and suicidal after watching the movie. As someone who felt this depression after seeing the movie for the first time in cinemas, I can tell you that the depression does not stem from the want to be on Pandora, the depression stems from the fact that this Earth IS Pandora. The depression settles in as more realizations begin to occur. Humanity is allowing itself to become a disease to the planet, all for the sake of material gain. In any movie review of James Cameron’s AVATAR, we are mostly told it is praised for it’s CGI and not for it’s story. Which for the most part, lacked originality. Comparisons are made to previous stories. Stories such as Ferngully, Pocahontas, and Dances with Wolves. Yet, what astounds me is that while people compare AVATAR to these films, they do not compare it to the events and situations that these films are focused on. Events and situations that are still ongoing to this day. AVATAR uses symbolism and imagery to portray the atrocities committed by the Corporatocracy. And, how our ignorance not only allows these atrocities to occur - but, also has halted our evolution. AVATAR is not only a social commentary on the Extortion of Natural Resources, Exploitation of Indigenous Peoples, or Aboriginal Genocide. It is a simulation of what life can be.. . The film not only shows that the planet we are from is the mother of all life, it shows an alternative form of humanity. The Na'Vi are representative of Neohumanism*, the next stage in our evolutionary path. The humans depicted in the film are clearly shown to be from the Western world. Working for Corporations that seek to maximize profits regardless of social or environmental loss. So, what we have here is a film depicting two possible forms of humanity, the old paradigm vs the new paradigm! Jake represents us.

[@josephk6214]

Honestly, I think the some people mistake simple plots for lack of depth or anything worth engaging with. It also doesn't help how cynical the nature of blockbuster filmmaking has gotten with the MCU's (and other similar films) overplayed use of bathos. Personally, I love the first Avatar and think its simplicity and archetypes helped audiences quickly attach themselves to the world of Pandora while being introduced to the main players. Thankfully, WoW takes the strengths of Avatar's simple story and rounds it out with more relatable characters, sincere emotional beats and genuine peril/consequences. It's easy to forget James Cameron's capacity to capture stories about the human condition amidst his multimillion dollar spectacles. At its core, T2 is a story of a surrogate family fighting for a better future. Aliens is no exception either when thinking of the Ripley, Newt and Hicks dynamic. And in WoW, Cameron fires on all cylinders in this regard -- of course, execution is up for debate -- when it comes to the movie's exploration of the Sully's family dynamic and struggles and Jake's sympathetic but faulty methods of protecting his family above all else. Neither movies are obviously perfect -- and tbh I do consider the first Avatar Cameron's weakest film on a narrative and character level despite his efficient pacing and decent character set up -- but I consider WoW a much needed passionate and earnest breath of blockbuster filmmaking alongside Top Gun: Maverick. It just felt good to listen and watch characters have genuine emotional conversations (at this scale) while engaging in action beats not diluted by studio demands or attempts of humor every other minute. Cameron's Avatar saga won't work for everybody, but it's a daily reminder of why I love films and why I keep writing

[@Paul-D-Hoff]

Seems that people forget that there are so many new people seeing this world and the ideas behind the movie for the first time.

[@KRG30001]

The concept of a moral obligation to protect the whole of the world for all and ourselves is so important at a time when those in power likely won’t live to see the worst of climate change

[@miaokuancha2447]

Thank you for addressing the matter of collective responsibility vs personal preservation. I would love to learn what you may consider about the underlying relationship of Jake and the other sky people who stayed behind to the indigenous peoples, beings, and place of Pandora. Also, what does it mean that the story is told through a sky person's perspective, as opposed to through the perspective(s) of Pandora and her peoples/beings? What does it mean when a sky person "goes native", as Jake has? What is the relation between a gone-native sky person, and the people(s)/being(s)/place to whom he aligns and assimilates? Does he assimilate? Or does he appropriate? Maybe some of both? (For that matter, what about the film-maker himself?) Why does gone-native sky person (Jake) lead and shape the Na'vi/Pandoran resistance, rather than holding the more subordinate role of informant/advisor on sky people's tactics and motives to a resistance that is led by, and defined by, the Na'vi and the world of Pandora? How does all of this work (in-narrative, and in the meta), and what does it mean? I'm curious about to what extent, if any, Cameron/Avatar sought world-building and story-building input from indigenous people(s) of earth to inform his narrative with THEIR experiences of the land they live in (both historically and in the present), and THEIR experiences of, and resistance to, colonization, displacement, genocide, and assimilation? What is being centered? And what is being left at the periphery? What are the consequences of these placements (displacements?) ...? I feel these lines of examination need to start by hearing what indigenous persons may wish to say on the topic. (Two examples for illustration only, and not intended to represent indigenous folks' discourse as a whole.) gizmodo.com/avatar-2-is-white-mans-fantasy-of-indigenous-resistance-1849918761 twitter.com/DrBlackDeer/status/1603884556020391936 But I think it is also good for non-indigenous audiences (like myself) not only to hear, but also to undertake such a line of examination (self-examination?) ourselves.

[@tronam]

How was Jake a "white savior"? He was duplicitous, trying to earn the Na'vi's trust in bad faith and this betrayal led to the destruction of home tree. It wasn't until Neytiri's mother cut him free before he truly realized his mistakes and fully committed to doing the right thing. Except, his plan ultimately failed and it was Neytiri who saved him. But even then it was actually Pandora herself who really won the day by defending herself. And Jake didn't just assimilate. He literally transferred his consciousness to an alien body who can never visit Earth again. He completely gave up his humanity. I think some people are overthinking these movies and projecting controversy where there isn't much to be found. James Cameron is expressing two extremes of human potential in a science fiction setting. The RDA represent our worst tendencies of thoughtless consumption for profit at the expense of the natural world and the Na'vi represent an idealized spiritual existence that lives in harmony with nature. They just happen to be 10 foot tall blue aliens. :)

[@s.m9206]

As an indigenous caribbean person at first I didn't like Avatar 1 because I did view it as a white savior type of story and also like who is a white guy (james cameron) to take my history and rehash it for white audiences? BUT with Avatar 2 I have changed my mind about the avatar franchise because I have realized if I can't have my history in textbooks (like K-12) then I'll take what I can get. The part where one of Jake's kids get shot really kind of bothered me (in a good way) because he was like "I just want to go home" and dies. Like yes, in a story about genocide take deaths seriously. Take forced relocation seriously. So it's not my favorite franchise (And I don't like Disney as a company and I don't really like the fact that it has a theme park) but I do appreciate Avatar a lot more now as a way for people to understand genocide as a whole and the visuals are nice. But my opinion could change depending on what they decide to do with the sequels

[@ElectricAlien577]

@@tronam This. Jake is neither the hero, nor the savior of the story in any way. He fails at every turn, and all he really contributes to the ultimate success at the end of the movie is his connection to the sky people and having inside information about their attack.

[@tronam]

@@s.m9206 Technically the Avatar franchise doesn’t belong to Disney. It’s fully owned by Lightstorm Entertainment, James Cameron’s independent company. Disney is just their distributor by proxy through 20th Century Studios after the Fox buyout. This is why A2 launched simultaneously on both D+ and HBO. They don’t even have exclusive distribution rights.

[@tronam]

@@s.m9206 Unlike IPs such as Marvel and LucasFilm, the Avatar franchise doesn’t actually belong to Disney. It’s owned by Lightstorm Entertainment, James Cameron’s independent production company. Disney inherited distribution rights by proxy through 20th Century Studios after the Fox buyout. That’s why A2 launched simultaneously on both D+ and HBO. They don’t even have exclusive streaming distribution rights.

[@carlklumpenhower6203]

Excellent as always

[@rga1605]

You had a very charitable opinion of the first movie. I feel the first movie was just a spectacle, the messages were there as filler. I watched, I liked and I forgot, and a lot of people I know feel exactly like that - we all remember more The Room than the first Avatar. But the second movie I could feel a great improvement, because, in my opinion, it forces the characters to have a character and deal with the consequences of their messages - Jake Sully and his family, Quaritch and Spider. Plus, it had Payanka, best character of the movie.

[@sammyrocks3633]

Avatar was a complete movie. The 2nd part laid the foundation for the sequels adding more to this franchise

[@jonathanskurtu7384]

I don't need to see this movie yet correctly, I need to see Hitchhiking the Event Horizon correctly.

[@Zog76]

6:27 "Without being too intellectually engaged" - Yep, you nailed it. And that's why I didn't like the first Avatar although some parts of it were fun. It was the movie equivalent of a very well made fast-food: you consume it, it's filled with salt and sugar, it's somehow enjoyable but it really leaves no memory other than a potential stomach ache. And this is coming from someone who loves sci-fi movies and blockbusters in general. I think the perfect anti-Avatar is Blade Runner (and its sequel, but let's not go there right now haha): fascinating world and a compelling story with complex characters (even or should I say "especially" the non-human ones) that doesn't take audiences for idiots i.e. "intellectually engage" them. And the world that Blade Runner created in '82 still shines 40 years later and has inspired countless works since.

[@GreggValue]

The problem and hard truth however is Blade Runner is severely boring. Harrison Ford eating ramen in the street while people yell Hungarian won't change that. There is something to be said for a movie being highly watchable, which, as the 3 billion dollar gross suggests, Avatar 1 is

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

That comment made by Bart Simpson about how he ignores Alan Moore's deep dialogue made by his version of Radioactive Man and instead focuses on the action is what I got from this...

[@Zog76]

@@GreggValue Box-office success is not correlated with quality. Regarding Blade Runner, that's like, your opinion man ;-) (and not a hard truth)

[@victoriadoney6598]

👍👍 I agree thank you so beautifully presented

[@birdsarcasm]

Well done.