American Morning
Tune in at 6am Eastern for all the news you need to start your day.
January 26th, 2010
10:00 AM ET
Critics: 'Avatar' is anti-military & anti-religion
20th Century Fox says James Cameron's 3D epic "Avatar" has officially sunk "Titanic, taking the crown for the biggest movie ever.
It has topped more than $1.84 billion so far, but some critics aren't too happy about that success. Our Jason Carroll has the report.
About this Show
Welcome to the American Morning blog where you can get daily news updates from American Morning's reporters and producers. Join us for "the most news in the morning," weekdays from 6-9 a.m. ET, only on CNN.
On Twitter
RT @EarlyStart: Ten people, including a police officer, were killed Monday after a gunman opened fire in a grocery store in Boulder, Colora…
RT @calebsilver: On the @Investopedia Express podcast this week, my pal and former colleague, @ChristineRomans from @CNNBusiness and @CNN j…
This is amazing for us, Meredith! twitter.com/mbennettsmith/…
Derek Chauvin's trial is a chance for the justice system to prove it can actually work msnbc.com/opinion/derek-…
RT @ConstitutionCtr: #WomensHistoryMonth is a time to reflect on the women who have shaped America’s story.@RosenJeffreyey an@MSNBCBC's @Al…
RT @centralbanks_: The Exchange | Conversations for a Better Future One-on-one conversation with IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva and Micros…
'Avatar' is anti-military & anti-religion ....
and? so what? This world needs more of that.
What I find extremely humorous about Avatar is the huge anti-corporate message combined with the fact that the movie was made for the NewsCorp mega-conglomorate. LOL!
For those of us who have lived in countries which have suffered multiple invasions under the false pretense of "saving american lives" this movies makes perfect sense.
It's a piece of fiction people. Enjoy the ride. Not everything has to be so serious.
Who cares about whether it's anti-military or anti-religion? Why not focus on the fact that the story is a complete yawner?
The thing that I find a lot of people miss is his comment that these are not even Marines any more, they are mercenaries. It made more of a comment on Blackwater and those types of corporate security teams than it does the military.
In the end is speaks to corporate greed and their consistent destruction of anything necessary in pursuit of the all mighty buck.
It seems that others took a different view and to those I have to ask that they look inside themselves to find out what caused them to be so angry. Is that truly the message of the movie or just your perspective?
Ferd don't forget the ones who listen to songs backward looking for satanic messages.
I had not intended to see this movie right away but now that the conservatives are objecting I have to see it ASAP. How on earth can something so outlandish be said about something which is obviously a fantasy projected to the screen? What next, pants required on Donald Duck?
I am a 60 year old women and here is my take – anyone who says Avatar is anti-religion needs to see it again and this time pay attention :). The entire concept presented by James Cameron regarding the way the Na'vi live is in complete agreement with the concept of there being a higher power. This higher power is known across our world via many names so why not "Eywa"? Or are we so arrogant we feel we get to dictate another world's concept of God?
Regarding the anti-military stance – the movie focused on one over the top psychopath and company spokesperson not the military or corporate (America/World) as a whole. Unfortunately, it is true we could find actual counterparts in the real world by reading history books but I didn't feel it was blanket condemnation.
The bottom line – "It's a movie, get over it!" I personally loved it.
This movie doesn't portray "our" god and "our" country in the fairy tale 5th grade version which "we" find acceptable..."We" must somehow shame and bash this movie to prevent ideas different from "ours" from ever being seen by the general public.
So far this movie has been called racist, anti-military, and anti-spiritual. Wow!
Okay, you have a handicapped Aussie with a Hispanic girl (Michelle Rodriquez) saving a race of blue natives from the nasty company guys with guns, so much for racist. These are actually mercenaries in the company's payroll, there were no salutes or proper military ettiquette, especially when they went out fighting in their civies, so much for anti-military. As far as anti-spiritual, the Navi were as spiritual as our Native Americans are.
I did notice that nobody called Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side" racist. So somebody has an axe to grind.
Historically, the story is very close to what happened at Jamestown. But then you can also go back to the Spanish, French, and other British Conquests of the World.
Please see this movie for what it is, a beautiful piece about needing to work together and loving life in a simpler way and taking care of the World that we live on.
I just wish the actors, like Zoe Saldana had received more recognition at the awards ceremonies. Watching how this movie was made, makes one appreciate their work even more so.
So sit back, relax, watch a good movie, and eat your popcorn!!
*ahem*
The "marines" in Avatar were MERCENARIES, hired by a fictitious future mega-corporation to protect a mining operation.
Think "Blackwater".
Conservatives identify themselves with the villains of the piece, and it makes them uncomfortable.
Maybe, underneath all that greed and contempt, there is a spark of a conscience after all.
Well, if the conservatives see themselves as the power-mad creeps in this movie, then it isn't a big step to see the heroes as liberals. But it's more like evidence of mental illness IMHO. Just a movie, grampa, go back to sleep.
Saw the movie with the wife and kids, and loved it. I am in the U.S. Army and a Christian. I saw nothing wrong with it. It was classic good vs bad. It was not anti military. The goons in this were all ex-military Blackwater types working for a corporite goon.
The end result was some of the hired goons saw it was wrong to take something from someone else just because they could, and switched sides to help save them. If that is a bad message in today's world then we are in a lot of trouble.
How was it anti-US and anti-military? This was about a corporation using mercenaries to mine ore from another planet. The former marine (notice "former"), telling the story, even stated that fact. Although, if you want to compare it to something, it is pretty close to what was done to the native Indians. And if you think companies wouldn't do something like this to make millions or billions, wake up!
You got to be kidding right? Anyone reading that deep into the movie is late for their therapy. People need to learn to unplug and relax.
Conservatives have anti semitic, drunk driving, alcoholic CHRISTIAN, Mel Gibson and The Body of Christ. Liberals have radical ENVIRONMENTALIST, workaholic James Cameron and Avatar. Now everyone can pick the movie propaganda of their choice and enjoy. Me, I'll take Citizen Kane.
Pointless discussion.
Just shows you that right wing nutjobs are paranoid. Everyone is out to get them and their religion...be vewy afwaid!
and one other point...."Un-obtainium". Millions of dollars and that's the best they could come up with? That should tell everyone that there isn't really a deeper meaning to this.
And how can this me anti-military? The military was not part of the movie. This was privately hired help/security by a company with incomptent management.
For the record...I'm a conservative and know IT"S JUST A MOVIE!
Mercenaries!! People need to pay attention to movies they plan on maligning. I also have a hard time seeing how the movie is anti-religious. The natives are very spiritual. And besides, how many movies are actually pro-religious anyway?
Haven't seen the movie yet, but cannot wait! And NO I am not going to worry about anything other than was it good or not! All these "feel good" groups that want to preach THEIR own views & attempt to influence others need to get a life!
Newsflash!!! IT"S JUST A MOVIE!
I wonder how much critics, conservatives, people on the street got paid to strike up this huge controversy to pull in more money for this movie? Conservative undertone, Liberal undertone, pro-religion, anti-religion, pro-military, anti-military, whatever it's a movie and people are taking this way too seriously. Man, if people get this riled up over opinions on a movie, I wonder how they manage in real life. Probably a good reason the med companies are making so much loot, everyone needs blood pressure medication to calm them down whenever anything happens, I'd hate to see the collective blood pressure of a town when something as serious as a new stop sign goes up.
Our country is the one of the most warlike nations in the world- but unlike the Spartans or the Romans, we always play the reluctant warrior/victim card that allows us to take responsibility for our impatience with (and sometimes outright contempt for) diplomacy. We've been fighting elective wars now for the past 50 years with very little reprieve. So it's to be expected that some of the art our culture produces will reflect an exasperation with this kind of approach. As for the Conservatives who see this as an attack on them- go make your own movie then and then you can all complain again if it gets passed over for an Academy Award (e.g. The Passion) because I'm sure God hates not getting the graven gold idol He's due (God LOVES little gold idols!...see Exodus).
While I strongly agree that the military was painted in an entirely unrealistic and wholly perjorative manner, I disagree that Avatar presented a challenge to spirituality. Its depicted environment is entirely fictional, with representation of a native biological integration based on biological features shared by none of our own planet's primary species.
Some may identify parallels between the fictional storyline and non-fictional displacement of indigeneous peoples to gain access to discovered resources of value. This is a useful message, though not one that is directly associated to any particular terrestial action from our own history.
The story challenges viewers to enjoy a vast spectacle of vibrant color and impossible beauty, encouraging identification with the blue-skinned giants with carbon-fiber bones and tails inhabiting this fictional realm. Those that complain that the movie presents a racist message obviously have issues of their own, as there are no terrestrial peoples who share any of these chanracteristics.
Avatar's very success appears to be the sole factor in the many complaints raised against it, as the numerous sanity-challenge failures in the human race try to catch attention to their own brutally sad issues by claiming to have discovered them in the fantastically popular movie.
This is a work of fiction, beautiful beyond belief. If you can ignore the cardboard depictions of a ridiculously simplisitic caracature of military stereotypes, it will provide wonderful entertainment value.
I find it hard to believe that anyone that has a soldier in their family would not have had a hard time watching this movie. Watching the sensationalizing of killing american soldiers was not fun for me. THEY ABSOLUTELY did send a liberal message in this movie that the U.S. military is the bad guy. You can argue whether it is a correct assesment or not, but you can't argue that was the message in this movie. Bunch of atheist – Benedict Arnolds is all you worthless people here are.
This is as bad as the fake crisis over the purple tele-tubbie.
We have real issues to face as a Nation and people are upset that Avatar teaches respect for a planet? Some people really need to re-evaluate their priorities.
It's not bad enough that business wants to shape the way we spend out money, but they want to shape the very essence of how we believe, our opinions about their ruthless methodologies, and the fact that there should only be one religion.
Get real people. The only thing that is real about the conservatives and their ilk is that they want to rule the world and control your every whim.
The Naa'vie are a 'primitive', aboriginal people, who have (in the imaginary world of Pandora) a strong bond with their natural world. That alone is something that the White Man has never been tolerant of. It presents wholesale destruction and sale of the resulting stolen goods.
It is just a movie. I do not see the point of trying to debt its point of view on military or religion. There are better things to debt about than this. Seriously, if you judge every movie you watch this way why even bother to go watch it in the first place. It is called entertainment. If you are not entertained then find something that will do the job.
Who cares what these troglodytes think, besides the ones who attend Sarah Palin rallies?
This is hilarious. First of all, it is just a movie. Second of all, I find it funny how only Conservatives took peoples land and killed people in general. I'm pretty sure there were Liberals involved in the killing of Native Americans and enslaving Africans. I doubt the Liberals of our forefathers age were protesting getting their own pieces of land and having someone till it for them. It's a movie and it's Hollywood creating some sort of B.S. fervor so that more people will go see the movie. Cute that people want to make more of this crap about a movie than is there though. I wonder what underlying tones Ferris Bueller's Day Off had to offend Conservatives which would then go and set off Liberals?
The right wing is not so much threatened by the spiritual aspects of the movie. They just hate anything that does not conform exactly to their own narrow minded definition of fundamental christianity.
Anything that would cause people to think and decide for themselves is anathema to them.
I'm a born again Christian, and have a growing disdain for the Religious Right. It's the idea that if you meet a certain moral standard, you can be as self-consumed and self-centered as you please....not to mention racist and xenophobic.
Avatar in some ways is a reflection of how God intended our Creation to be before we decided our way was better.
Why can't people just watch a movie and enjoy it. The movie was fantastic. It wasn't anti-military. It was about Jake preventing what would have happened had the "bad guys" succeded. Basically the native race of that planet would have been wiped out. Remind you of anything? Native Americans maybe? Yeah thought so. Heart wrenching to know we have what we have today but our ancestors had to wipe out a race of people for us to have it. Makes me sick. Loved the movie though. James Cameron is a genius!
How about this!!!! It is a MOVIE!! It is ENTERTAINMENT!!! If everyone would stop complaining about a movie and get to the real issues in life, like....lets say......EDUCATION....Then maybe our society will not be off track! This debate is foolish!
It's a movie people! Stop with the "hidden meanings" and other BS. It's a great story and is very entertaining. Enough already!
Well, Larry From Cleveland, those who beat their swords into plowshares will always be ruled by those who don't. Get used to it.
We are a sad, sad race when we can't even go to the movies and enjoy it. We are always looking for hidden meanings to everything, so that later we can come back and criticize. This is the reason for some of us being so unhappy most of the time. We don't know how to open our minds to new things and relax. Why did we bother going to the movie in the first place? I saw it and will go back again and again to see this beautiful, breathtaking movie. And, no, I was not depressed after I saw the movie. I can tell real reality from a made up one. So for all you people that say that you are depressed after you saw this movie, go see your doctor, obviously there has been something wrong with you for a long time.
SH: Right on, Richard: persucution of Christians. You need to go back to school. It's the Christians who persucute others. The christian way to make you yes MAKE you believe in thier so called god is to beat it into you. If that dosen't work they just kill you (witchs) take away your land and put you in concentration camps (the Indians) or bomb abortion clinics(thou shall not kill, unless it's an abortion doctor) Yeah the christian way is real compasionate.
Neo-cons, with their religionism, imperialism, intolerance, insensitivity, glorification of Big Business, and hatred of civil liberties and our Constitution, give real conservatives a bad name.
Gee, maybe these pro-military and pro-religion type people are maybe feeling guilty about their beliefs. And they should be.
Those in the "Churches" that are crying out against this movie are just like those in the "Churches" that began driving out Native Americans and enslaving Africans and forcing their beliefs on anyone and everyone they came across, and for what? PROFIT and POWER. Similar to the storyline of Avatar. We have seen their kind do it before and I believe many of them would walk the same path again if the opportunity arose. So this movie reminds them of their dark past and the nature they still have inside them, and that offends them. They don't want people to remember the atrocities that their kind was responsible for. They don't want to be reminded that God is Love (1 John 4:8) and He certainly would not condone anyone who worshipped Him to act in any such manner.
Boy oh boy - a simple silly story about how an Al Gore inspired Romeo and Juliette slay the evil enviormental exploiting and destroying dragon big business and people get their intestines twisted up thinking it is all about military and religion. Get a grip....
Avatar is not a smart enough movie to be anti-military or anti-faith. I am a veteran, and I found Avatar's depiction of the military to be another boring example of how hollywood's otherwise imaginative elite use the cinema as a blank canvass onto which they project their own ill conceived stereotypes. And you know what? I didn't care, 'cause the visual effects were worth the ticket. It is too bad they could not afford a decent script, but if you want thought provoking substance don't go to a movie.
Anti Military? Anti Religion?!?!!?? In fact I would say it's very PRO-BOTH. It's anti-human. The military of the Na'vi are very much protagonists and the religion of the protagonist Na'vi is also very much part of the story.
I think it is great that this is what we spend our time worrying about not actual problems we face.
Hey Rick Grenell, make your own movie!
I have to agree with ode2amudpuddle and Danny: "Can't anyone just watch a movie for the entertainment value anymore? Someone always seems to be offended by something." "I'm still trying to find out why people are having such a fit with a movie. It's just a movie, it's fiction. More proof that people can't differentiate Fiction and Reality."
Why can't people take a movie for what it is? Entertainment. Simple.
The 'military' in the movie, is actually a bunch of MERCENARIES hired by a BIG CORPORATION.
That, after all, is the right-wing agenda. Just look at the Iraq war and how well that one went.
That conservatives would criticize "Avatar", proves what a bunch of clueless schmucks they are.
Only a braindead, heartless right-winger would think it's OK to invade another people's lands, kill them and take whatever they want from them.
What upsets conservatives is TRUTH and FACTS.
I am about as conservative as they come. Yet, I came out of that movie and didn't even cross my mind that it would have any liberal implications.
Note the clip, it says "some conservatives" without naming even one well known conservative. This is no more than an artificially generated.........I don't know......publicity for the media, to the movie, to who knows what and why. Certainly not a valid accusation of conservatives.
I don't bother with any of the details, several comments dealt with those.
I just don't get it......the movie was entertainment. It is someone's imagination. If you dig down close enough into just about any movie, you will find something you don't agree with....so what? Quit going to the movies. Read a book, if you can find one you don't find something wrong with.........There was nothing that led me to believe this movie had more anti anything than say, First Blood....military,,,,,or maybe Exorcist....religion. Everyone sees something different when they watch a movie......for me, I absolutely loved Avatar. Movies are probably the least thing I would gripe about, there are worse things. Our homeless and hungry people in the U.S. having to watch all the "stars" on TV asking for money for Haiti........does not compute.......
I see Avatar as more of a warning of what we could become. We are in fact already killing our "mother".
Neoconservatives need someone to call an enemy, make into a monster, so they can make us all afraid. They use name-calling to try to evoke an irrational response to hide the weakness of their argument. Fox and the Vatican try to control the discussion and avoid analysis of arbitrary and indefensible decisions and positions. If anyone really wants the truth, criticism and discussion of all possibilities are welcome. Only demagogues want to use fear and hysteria to muzzle discourse and the challenging of all ideas. Never trust anyone who says you can believe me, because I'm always right, and never make a mistake!
Honestly I am sick and tired of the church and military guys trying to constantly scare us with everything that is different. Basically they attack any new idea – be it pro-environment, anti-consumption driven or spiritually different – by saying it is against out basic values and will destroy our lives. Look around you people and check where these "values" have taken us!
It's a MOVIE fo God's sake!
My question is how can it be anti-military when the force on Pandor was the company's security force. (Blackwater?) Mind you it was made of of former military personnel
This movie was anti-MERCENARY, not anti-Marine. Anti-religion? Not hardly.
Anti-close mindedness yes. What is the difference between "God" being close to follwers, asking one to respect and be at one with him versus the name of whatever diety they had in the move (I don't remember the name) ?
I suppose the hardcore bible thumpers should ask themselves, would Jesus disagree with the message that is being delivered by the movie? Don't destroy the world around you for profit and don't kill to support that profit.
What is so un Christian about that?
Anything that angers the religious right and gun nuts is a force for Good.
Avatar was one of the best movies I have ever seen! It is anti take what you want even if it doesn't belong to you, but anti military & anti religion, how ridiculous! I think those who criticize it have a guilty conscious!
As I see it, the movie is not anti-religious. It is however, an indictment of the way conservative American Christians see their place in the world.
The Old Testament tells Christians that God made them masters of earth and to have dominion over all the creatures living here. They are offended that Sully would go native and call an animal brother and to be forgiven for killing it to provide food for others. This concept that all lives here are inter-related and that we all depend on each other is very real to many native non-Christian cultures and is one of the reasons the Christians who settled the new world did their best to destroy all traces of the non-Christian cultures that flourished in the Americas before the Europeans came here. It is also one of the big reasons that the American government forced the Native American people they had placed on reservations to give up their children to the Indian Schools to be raised as Christians and not by their own parents.
If you know your history, you should also remember that Adolph Hitler mentioned in his writings that he was inspired to find his "final solution" by the successful way America solved its "Indian problem".
You should also be aware that military leaders are taught to make war, not peace. War is only a means to end a conflict but not a solution. A lasting peace depends on a political solution that is fair and acceptable to all sides. That is a concept that is universally accepted but seldom followed.
It's a MOVIE–it's NOT real.. what difference does it make if it's pro-god, anti-god, pro-military or anti-military. Since when do movies have to send a message??? People are so stupid... If you don't like it, don't go see it–yes, it really is that simple.
Greetings from Georgia. As anyone at CNN could tell you if they ever ventured past their front door, most people here recognize the subtle message of the movie that the true, white human beings were defeated in their struggle to find resources by the colored savages. It is that simple. That and the suggestion that there is some deity other than our Lord Jesus Christ offends many, many people. James Cameron is on a very well equipped crusade to persecute Christians everywhere. I realize these comments will not be popular among the fellow travelers of the persecutors of Christians.
Oh get off your soapboxes and paranoia
Avatar is not anti anything.
Private mercenary army hired by a corporation
like Blackwater that is off on some free agent
assignment that has nothing to do with
the official US Military.
I saw a lot of spirituality in this movie.
The natives were very in touch with spirituality
and all living things sort of like the
native American people 500 years ago.
Close minded people think everything is about
them.
Don't flatter yourselves!
Who cares about you and your prejudices
and bigotry??!!
It's not anti-religion. There's a Mother Goddess, and she's as violent and genocidal as any other deity.
The theology of the Mother Goddess is that nature is good. Except for the parts that liberals don't like – the part about how resources are scarce and so all creatures must compete, so that the strongest flourish? That is what keeps everyone strong and healthy, but liberals don't like that part, so in their jungle there's no competiton; Mother Nature makes exceptions for them.
And that's really IT, isn't it? Mother Nature makes exceptions for MEEEEE
About the last place I would turn for anything of a spiritual nature is organized religion. I gave up Christianity at age 15 and never looked back. I'm not surprised that churches, temples, *whatever* feel threatened. Gotta keep those sheep in the pen. LOL You will all forgive me if I turn down my hearing aids. I heard all the preaching I care to hear when I was a kid. I'm in no mood to be dictated to or advised by those blinded by, ummmm, dogma. Yeah, "dogma" is a better word than some others that came to mind. 🙂
First off, I am a conservative and I have no issues whatsoever with this movie. It is a classic story, a hero myth, of a warrior who has lost his ability to be a warrior, and finds it again spiritually and physically in defending others. It is not anti military in any fashion, though it is against the misuse of military power. As far as religion goes, good grief get a grip people. How is it that an alien race is supposed to have any conception of the human conception of a divine being? I am tired of a small group of reactionary, religious zealots defining what it is or is not to be "conservative." I was taught that the core word in conservative is "conserve," to protect and build upon the best that we have, but not to ignore those things that can make the world a better place. Too often, the people chosen by the media to be the supposed voice of "conservatives" are simply nut jobs who have watched too many reruns of 1950 and 1960s TV shows and think that "Father Knows Best" and "Leave it to Beaver" was reality TV.
Solo75 January 26th, 2010 3:03 pm ET
So? Religion and Military are the problems in this world. Tell me something new
Religion is the only problem. If there wasn't people killing in the name of God, there wouldn't need to be a military to protect it's people.
Actually, the military is not responsible for the plundering of Pandora in Avatar. It is a corporate entity that has taken over and it is far more relevant to issues recently addressed by the supreme court. The military aspect of the film is akin to Blackwater, not the true brave soldiers of the US forces. I am not surprised people did not get this obvious parallel since our educational system has long abandoned critical thinking and analysis in what we see and read. If we can't collectively read into the obvious plot points of a common denominator flick by James Cameron, then we;re truly screwed.
What bothers me about this movie is that it's the same ole theme as in previous movies like Lawrence of Arabia and Dances with wolves. That being: The natives have some kind of useless intrinsic worth, but are too stupid to fight their enemies so in comes some WHITE boy to save the freakin day. Just like an American director to the make the hero of the movie a whitey and not an actual native. The american, missionaristic motion picture nonsense continues, but what the heck, the graphics were pretty cool
K
I would just like to say my two cents on the topic posted, but I never saw any anti-military or Marines killing Marines. What I understood from the movie, was a PMC (Private Military Corporation), with an old colonel who was set in his ways. Now, when a corporate slug is ordering that former colonel everywhere, and providing bonuses and "hey, I will get your legs back", that's not military. Just my two cents, take it or leave it, but from what I saw, that was a PMC.
Jesus was a real Avatar. This movie is religion! It is based on humanity's first religion, Hinduism. Avatar is a sanskrit word meaning a divine being which takes human form for the enlightening of the masses. Yes, Jesus was a Avatar. Hindu Gods are blue and beautiful just like Cameron's Navis. Hinduism believes everything is one energy a interconnected web of God the Divine. The Navi's saw that web directly as a few humans do. We humans(conservatives and democrats) see through a dirty screen of unchecked sludge, never perceiving Anything as it really is, clean and direct. That is why many people didnt recognize Christ and Buddha. That is why this earth is a God forsaken mess of war and war. Cameron admits the hinduism connection. The Masters of the east have a pure seeing of reality, just as the Navis did. This is something beyond intellect which is why the west is so far behind. Too smart for their own good and it will lead to our undoing just as Cameron suggests. Our frustrated intellects will destroy the self created enemies and then their collective selves. "You cry Lord, Lord and do NOT what I say." LISTEN to what He said not your interpretation. See through His eyes
It's ironic that the conservatives who see Avatar as anti-American, etc., miss the basic property-rights issue at the heart of the movie. If Tea Partiers today had their property seized by outsiders I'm sure they'd raise Cain.
the people in the movie weren't marines. They were mercenaries hired by a corporation to strip mine a planet.
And I thought the conservative christian right was something we deal with more in my country.
Avatar is anti-Religion but pro-Faith. Avatar is anti-Consumerism... hell, it's somewhat anti-Capitalism, but it is pro-Sustainability. And why not? Is the earth better off because of conglomerates, churches and the military?
Cameron meant for a clear message to be sent about how we actually fit into our own biosphere and how we (wrongly) think we fit into it.
But it's also a movie. Entertainment, capitalism at it's finest.
We should rather be exchanging heated arguments about how we are going to turn this disaster that is us, around.
Oh and the only thing we need to be conservative about is nature.
About the prices of tickets, the true price of something is really measured in the time spent working to earn the money for that specific good. For example, just because getting a burger used to cost just a few cents and now even at McDonald's it costs a couple of dollars, doesn't mean burgers are more expensive. At the time burgers cost that little workers earned less money per hour, and so a burger really cost several hours of work. now, even with minimum wage a burger costs less than half an hours worth of work, and the average wage is higher than minimum, so to compare the prices of tickets is simply not an accurate measure.
Also, any reputable measurement takes into account inflation to determine which movie raked in more money
This is an important movie to see and ponder. As W.C. fields said, "Anybody against death and destruction can't be all bad." Maybe I got that qoute wrong. I'll ponder a bit.
Its funny how liberals coaxed the conservatives into saying one thing negative about a huge blockbuster that everyone seems to love so that the majority will be mad at them.
The Republicans always tout the popularity of their radio and cable news audiences. Fox has the highest ratings of any network, which they use as self-evidence of support for the conservative agenda. O'Reilly especially does this all the time.
If Avatar is anti-military and anti-religion, how does O'Reilly and the others explain its unstoppable earnings power? Applying their own logic, this message is broadly accepted and popular among Americans.
Progressives should take notice: there is plenty of room for peace and prosperity, rather than war and fear. Obviously Americans are desperately in need of some real solace or they wouldn't seek it out in film.
Republicans have their polished machine. But they don't own the majority will of the American people.
A huge premise of the movie is how they are connected to their ancestors through the world they inhabit. Just because it's not a faith similar to Christianity, doesn't mean it's anti-religion. The people that think that need to expand their horizons a little bit.
I love when anyone tells you what you should think, aka "you SHOULD be offended by Avatar". It's hilarious that they're getting down on James Cameron for his "agenda" and at the same time aren't trying at ALL to hide their own.
And also hilarious to me is the idea that something SPIRITUAL can be deemed ANTI-RELIGIOUS. The whole point of a religion is to promote spirituality. HONESTLY, the Catholic Church's announcement that the films promotion of the worship of NATURE over the worship of GOD is unacceptable is ANTI-PAGAN, and if you are a pagan, non-christian, or an open minded human being you should be offended by the Roman Catholic Church for their intolerance of other peoples religious beliefs. NOT TO MENTION that if God is OMNIPRESENT and OMNIPOTENT, then you are worshiping him whenever you worship the earth, of which he is EVERYTHING. And since god is OMNICIENT, I think he'd accept the sincerity of your prayer over your lack of doctrinal understanding.
AND FINALLY, i'll also never understand why a group of people that supposedly identifies itself and its COUNTRY of origin so strongly with a faith whose spiritual leader is known as the PRINCE OF PEACE
..... thinks it is acceptable and the societal norm to have a militant culture?
It was a movie with common themes which have been used over and over again throughout the years. I enjoyed it because it took my mind off my troubles for 2 1/2 hours. If you really have this much time to analyze a movie please look me up because I have plenty of work to keep you busy.
One last thing:
" January 26th, 2010 4:48 pm ET
Hmm... The biggest movie of all time is "anti-military and anti-faith." This should be an indicator of what most people really want in life. In fact, it is war and religion that cause most of the world's problems."
That or they want stupid flashy movies with rather bland plots that don't directly criticize anything they identify with completely. Emphasis on the "flashy." People flocked to Star Wars I-III, and those things were horrible. No one pays attention to plot in sci fi movies.
It's not entirely stupid–the mercs use an emblem that has the globe, eagle, and anchor. I've seen comments from angry Marines about it around the net. Besides, one of the whines about the Iraq war was that our army was the hired gun of the oil companies who wanted Saddam's oil. It's criticism by parallelism (although the nuts in Iraq are probably less sympathetic than giant blue furries).
For those that believe Avatar is anti religion and anti God, people you must realize that Avatar is just a movie, its a made up story with lots of characters, just like the bible. As with the bible, this story is not real. Why the hell do Christians think they have the right to choose what stories other people should or should not like and enjoy? Do they really think people will see this movie and start basing there lives on it? What kind of nut bag would worship a movie or any other story or book for that matter.
The film is not anti-religious. It puts in a strong plug for nature pantheism. But it is for this reason implicitly anti-Christian in part, even though it has some elements that are very Christian, such as forgiveness, awareness of sinful arrogance in the mighty. justice for the underdog, and universalism (openness toward all creatures). It is not anti-military, but it does reflect–to a biassed extent–the "ugly American" construal of US intervention in global affairs.
I find it weird that in the year 2010 that so many people believe that their is still an invisible guy in the cloud that passes judgment over them.
It seems every time anything becomes really popular some group gets their panties in a bunch because they want to be added to the conversation of said pop culture thing.
SPOILER!!!
The only thing that disturbs me about Avatar is that their hair braid is used to bond with another Na'Vi or an animal.....so to me this movie promotes bestiality and not anti-God or anti-military.
Hmmmm..let me sum it up...it is a MOVIE!!! It is ENTERTAINMENT!! There is no covert message, no anti-war, anti-capitalism, anti-anything. It is a MOVIE to be watched for ENTERTAINMENT!! Get over it people...sheesh..
The Vatican says it encourages "Worship of Nature over Religion", that says a lot; The Vatican would rather the human race forget its incredibly deep connections to nature, in favor of an artificial connection to industry and politics.
...Wow. There's a reason why one of the Na'avi says: "We will see if your insanity can be cured".
About 3/4 thru the movie it hit me ....
Custer had it coming.
Did these critics even see the film? I don't understand how Avatar can be construed as "anti-religion." The Navi have a very strong religious belief system – they believe in the existence of souls and a spiritual life beyond the physical. it's just not the "Christian" religion.
Nor do I understand how Avatar could be "anti-military." When confronted with a powerful military force determined to destroy them, the Navi formed their own military to defend themselves.
its a movie. sorry, its ONLY a movie.jeezz!
Stupid conservatives! Who cares if it is "anti" anything... It is a MOVIE.... anti-religion? the culture depicted in the movie was very much faith based... anti-military? as far as I could tell it was just showing how humanity has no regard for others once the all-mighty dollar gets involved... so i guess you could say that it showed how horrible we can be as a species, but I don't think that it was too far off of what some people are capable of.
It is a case of a movie making people stop and think about what we are truly capable of.... i.e. OIL
what a wake-up call for me. i live in the buckle of the bible belt and get this sick conservative agenda thrown at me daily. its so good to know that the majority of ya'll see through the shroud of crap raised in the name of religion every time people are required to think for themselves. god gave us reason, man gave us religion!!!!
Who cares really. It's just a movie. Get over it.
Anti-Military, Anti-Religion? Guess I should see this film after all!
Haven't seen the movie...stopped watching TV and movies a few years back when starting a business. Now my mind is so much more peaceful! But about religion starting wars...I had to respond. I once heard this sentiment in 1990. I agreed. I knew little about history, but it sounded right. Over the next 20 years, I started reading 20th century history, starting interestingly enough, with the Boer War, then the Boxer Revolution, WW1, Spanish civil war, WW2, Korea...etc. In every one of these war, fanaticism, fear and suspicion...not religion....was the root cause. Actually, it was usually outpouring from churches that led to ceasefires and hospitals, as the Red Cross as we know it didn't exist. I went back and studied other wars. Some had a religious basis, including the Spanish INQUISITION!! (sorry, I cannot help smiling), or or course the creation of modern-day Israel in a Palestine (though both cultures did live harmoniously prior to this). This won't sit well for those who've never heard this sentiment before, but factually, I cannot find many wars that were caused by religion. And though I am religious, I don't really think the core message of forgiveness, understanding and faith (in "mother earth" vs God) is incompatible with what most people seek. It's really the imperfections of people that create the aforementioned problem of fear.