Avatar: the most expensive piece of anti-American propaganda ever made

Telegraph Blogs (U.K.) ^ | December 25, 2009 | Nile Gardiner

[Schnucki]

There is no denying the breathtaking visual beauty of the $400 million 3-D sci-fi epic Avatar. It is already a global box office smash, taking in more than $200 million worldwide in its opening weekend. The special effects are simply stunning, and some of the action sequences are spectacular.

But Avatar is also a distinctly political work of art, with a strong anti-American and anti-Western message. It can be read on several levels – a critique of the Iraq War, an assault on the US-led War on Terror, a slick morality tale about the ‘evils’ of Western imperialism, a futuristic take on the conquest of America and the treatment of native Americans – the list goes on.

As I blogged earlier, director James Cameron has made it abundantly clear that the film is linked to both the war in Iraq and the War on Terror. In an interview with The Times he declared:

“We went down a path that cost several hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives. I don’t think the American people even know why it was done. So it’s all about opening your eyes.”

“We know what it feels like to launch the missiles. We don’t know what it feels like for them to land on our home soil, not in America. I think there’s a moral responsibility to understand that.”

The story is set in the year 2154, and centres on an attempt by a US conglomerate to exploit valuable mineral wealth on the planet of Pandora. In the background, earth is dying with limited resources, no doubt because a climate change deal could not be finalized at Copenhagen.

The American firm employs an army of marines to fight on its behalf against the Na’vi, who seem to be modeled loosely on native American tribes. Slogans such

[Truth29]

Well, having just seen Avatar, I can only add that the plot is the purest dreck of noble savage and Gaea worship vs evil capitalists cartoon caricatures who have despoiled the earth. The advantage is that the propaganda is so obvious and superficial. If any Freepers go, I would suggest it should be for the special effects, which are truly spectacular, and should see it in 3D IMAX for best effect.

[Yardstick]

Then you must think the whole issue of liberal bias in the media is unfounded. Because if you can’t see the bias in this film, then you’re not going to be able to see it anywhere. You’re kind of like Mr. Magoo.

[mrreaganaut]

Hey “Avatar”, my movie “Starship Troopers” can kick your movie’s ass!......Go Federation! Down with the Bugs! What do you wanna do? Live Forever?
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Starship Troopers was another of these anti-military films. It was sickening to see the moral inversion of the original story. My friend who saw it with me was as gung-ho as you, but had already read the original; I was so disturbed (it was obvious that the audience was supposed to root for the bugs by the end) that I read it later and confirmed that the filmmakers had made a movie AGAINST the book, not OF the book.

I’m not even going to watch this when it’s free on cable.

[Dahoser]

“We went down a path that cost several hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives. I don’t think the American people even know why it was done. So it’s all about opening your eyes.”

Thanks, Jim. Mission accomplished. I'll keep my $10 in my pocket and out of yours.

[Diggity]

I never see to the movies because for one, they just put out trash, but more importantly because I refuse to give those commie bastards in Hollywood one dime of my money.

[ozzymandus]

This fraud Cameron won’t even admit that he just ripped off “Dances With Wolves”. I saw “Avatar”; the effects were good, the message was garbage, the result was a leftist comic book. “Unobtainium”?? That’s what Uncle Scrooge was always after.

[Nachum]

So far, the worldwide box office earnings for Avatar:

$392,954,953

http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=avatar.htm

TOTAL LIFETIME GROSSES
Domestic: $137,268,000 34.9%
+ Foreign: $255,686,953 65.1%

Say all you want about this movie, but it a HUGE hit.

Politics aside, it is some of the best sci fi special effects I have ever seen.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

I want to see it but I having a hard time talking myself into paying to see an American bashing/idol worship/mother earth loving brainwash film.

[caver]

This movie is being hyped by the SRM like no other in recent memory. It reminds me when the SRM were talking about Bruce Springsteen’s Born In the U.S.A. What an anti-American jerk.

[aruanan]

Then you must think the whole issue of liberal bias in the media is unfounded. Because if you can’t see the bias in this film, then you’re not going to be able to see it anywhere. You’re kind of like Mr. Magoo.

On the one hand, there is nothing in Avatar which requires one to see it as a political allegory for it to make sense as a story. On the other hand, desiring to see it as a political allegory ruins it as a story. And, by the way, Mr. Magoo always ended up winning.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Exactly what I was going to say!

I saw Blind Side Side earlier this week and then took 1 of my liberal loved ones to see it.

Tearjerker both times.

Wonderful! Uplifting! Funny! And promotes healthy, conservative (American) Christian values without being preachy or political.

[Borges]

The film of Starship Toopers was a satire. An action film framed as mock fascist propaganda. If you know Paul Verhoeven’s previous work (Robocop) you wouldn’t be surprised.

[packrat35]

It cost close to $400,000,000 to make with advertising. It will need to make at least $800,000,000 to break even (double costs).

It probably will do so but it is not a big hot financially yet!

[mrreaganaut]

The film of Starship Toopers was a satire. An action film framed as mock fascist propaganda. If you know Paul Verhoeven’s previous work (Robocop) you wouldn’t be surprised.
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Surprised, no. Disgusted, yes.

[mrreaganaut]

On the one hand, there is nothing in Avatar which requires one to see it as a political allegory for it to make sense as a story. On the other hand, desiring to see it as a political allegory ruins it as a story.
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On the one hand, there is nothing in the Chronicles of Narnia which requires one to see it as a religious allegory for it to make sense as a story. On the other hand, failing to see it as a religious allegory is shocking ignorance or willful blindness.

[Borges]

Why not just appreicate it on its own terms? It was pretty funny and extremely well made as it manipulates viewer sympathy. The same way that his other films do.

[aruanan]

On the one hand, there is nothing in Avatar which requires one to see it as a political allegory for it to make sense as a story. On the other hand, desiring to see it as a political allegory ruins it as a story.

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On the one hand, there is nothing in the Chronicles of Narnia which requires one to see it as a religious allegory for it to make sense as a story. On the other hand, failing to see it as a religious allegory is shocking ignorance or willful blindness.

Thanks for proving my point so wonderfully well, albeit, perhaps, unintentionally. By the way, C.S. Lewis explicitly stated that The Chronicles of Narnia was not allegorical. Some have tried, unsuccessfully, to claim that Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings as an allegory of WWI and WWII (he claimed the LOTR was written with “no allegorical intentions …, moral, religious, or political”) or that Golding wrote The Lord of the Flies as an allegory of man's savage nature (though he claimed he did not).

That point aside, we can see that authors may have purposes behind their stories which can either add to or detract from their story. In C.S. Lewis's case, seeing Narnia, as he did, as a reflection of Christ in another world adds both to our enjoyment of Narnia as well as to our understanding of this world. In Cameron's case, seeing Avatar, as apparently he did, as a way of criticizing the U.S. in its war on terror merely prostitutes the story and fails to offer any enlightenment about our own world.

[jackibutterfly]

"Go see Blind Sided."

You mean, The Blind Side?

[Pharsalus]

[img]http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2005/10/11/image933296g.jpg[/img]
bwahahahahaha!!!

Here’s an idea, since liberals are still upset about taking the Indians’ land, they can leave. Go to Egypt, those people have been there forever. No troublesome stories of manifest destiny for which to feel misguided regret. You’ll feel right at home. The rest of us will follow soon... we promise.