Some see racist theme in alien adventure 'Avatar'

Jazzy · Post by **Jazzy** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 7:23 am

Near the end of the hit film "Avatar," the villain snarls at the hero, "How does it feel to betray your own race?" Both men are white â€” although the hero is inhabiting a blue-skinned, 9-foot-tall, long-tailed alien.

Strange as it may seem for a film that pits greedy, immoral humans against noble denizens of a faraway moon, "Avatar" is being criticized by a small but vocal group of people who allege it contains racist themes â€” the white hero once again saving the primitive natives.

Since the film opened to widespread critical acclaim three weeks ago, hundreds of blog posts, newspaper articles, tweets and YouTube videos have said things such as the film is "a fantasy about race told from the point of view of white people" and that it reinforces "the white Messiah fable."

Story Link: Some see racist theme in alien adventure 'Avatar' (AP) - Yahoo! Movies

Question: Did any of you who saw this movie agree with this?

mikeinie · Post by **mikeinie** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 7:38 am

Ya, once again some small group manages to dig out something to complain about.

Would the small group be happier if no one helped and the bad humans wiped them all out?

It is not an original story line, sure the characters and situation is different, but how many movies are there with this Romeo and Juliette kind of theme?

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 8:45 am

mikeinie;1281547 wrote: Ya, once again some small group manages to dig out something to complain about.

Would the small group be happier if no one helped and the bad humans wiped them all out?

It is not an original story line, sure the characters and situation is different, but how many movies are there with this Romeo and Juliette kind of theme?

yep that's it point me in the right direction and I will go talk to said small group...

I will flat out tell em....."Merry Christmas" .... ya then watch their jaws drop.:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

nothing is ever going to please everybody in the world is it.... honestly look at what we have become.

Post by **LarsMac** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 8:58 am

Most of us see the world through the lens of our own ideals and prejudices.

This creates interesting problems all the time.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:28 am

I saw AVATAR yesterday at I Max in 3 D. Good story, great graphics and filming. I'm not in that small group that would find fault with the dialog or story line.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:01 am

Whats wrong with examining a thing from all sides? Simply because some see racism in the storyline does not mean you yourself are racist because you enjoyed the movie.

The following write up by David Brooks is really quite interesting especially since Brooks is a conservative, though a reasonable one, which is very rare these days.

Op-Ed Columnist - The Messiah Complex - NYTimes.com

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:14 am

Well, that's what symbolism is all about, isn't it? Interpretation. Everyone will interpret from their own perspective.... even if that perspective is racist, or obsessed with racism.

My interpretation: Even in a corrupt culture, there are always those who defend the innocents.

Or even: Technological civilizations always prey on nontechnological ones.

Or how about: Don't stereotype people, there is good in everyone.

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:56 am

my thoughts are let entertainment be entertainment for entertainment sakes..... geeze I pity those who have nothing better to do than over examine everything to find some kind of fault gawd.... real life is full of fault why tear apart our escapes ????

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:23 pm

minks;1281612 wrote: my thoughts are let entertainment be entertainment for entertainment sakes..... geeze I pity those who have nothing better to do than over examine everything to find some kind of fault gawd.... real life is full of fault why tear apart our escapes ????I don't think anyone is trying to tear apart anything from anyone else, nobody is a victim here:). All they are doing is offering up their take.....So what!

those people did not bring this analysis to you, Jazzy did.

el guapo · Post by **el guapo** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:31 pm

both people who complained have been taken safely back to the institute

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:53 pm

Anytime you have Blue people, racism will follow.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:58 pm

YZGI;1281644 wrote: Anytime you have Blue people, racism will follow. :DGood point!

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 2:00 pm

I simply don't care.

I don't pay to get a message from a film. I pay to be entertained. and as an excuse to eat as much popcorn as possible.

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 3:36 pm

flopstock;1281648 wrote: I simply don't care.

I don't pay to get a message from a film. I pay to be entertained. and as an excuse to eat as much popcorn as possible.

exactly my point... it's a flick, it's an escape, it's entertainment, it should be seen just as that.

I am not saying anyone is doing anything bad my tearing apart was just a term of frustration. I don't understand why people have to delve so deep into everything to find some evil root.

Meh thas life I guess.

I will put my rose colored glasses back on now.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 9:41 am

flopstock;1281648 wrote: I simply don't care.

I don't pay to get a message from a film. I pay to be entertained. and as an excuse to eat as much popcorn as possible.

Well then clearly you completely missed the point of Herbie The Love Bug.

Did you sing lalalalalalalalalalalala when Herbie unfolded the secrets of a unified humanity?

Post by **spot** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 9:51 am

From what I've read about the film it was written as a discussion of racism from start to finish. How on earth could a storyline like that avoid it? The topic's inherent.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:30 am

Jazzy;1281541 wrote: Near the end of the hit film "Avatar," the villain snarls at the hero, "How does it feel to betray your own race?" Both men are white â€” although the hero is inhabiting a blue-skinned, 9-foot-tall, long-tailed alien.

Strange as it may seem for a film that pits greedy, immoral humans against noble denizens of a faraway moon, "Avatar" is being criticized by a small but vocal group of people who allege it contains racist themes â€” the white hero once again saving the primitive natives.

Since the film opened to widespread critical acclaim three weeks ago, hundreds of blog posts, newspaper articles, tweets and YouTube videos have said things such as the film is "a fantasy about race told from the point of view of white people" and that it reinforces "the white Messiah fable."

Story Link: Some see racist theme in alien adventure 'Avatar' (AP) - Yahoo! Movies

Question: Did any of you who saw this movie agree with this?

what that comment means is he chose to leave his race, meaning mankind, and stay with the alien race.

- it has nothing to do with race as is racism:rolleyes:

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:36 am

Odie;1281898 wrote: what that comment means is he chose to leave his race, meaning mankind, and stay with the alien race.

- it has nothing to do with race as is racism:rolleyes:

Son of a bitch is a traitor and as biased as they come.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:47 am

Nomad;1281863 wrote: Well then clearly you completely missed the point of Herbie The Love Bug.

Did you sing lalalalalalalalalalalala when Herbie unfolded the secrets of a unified humanity?
No, I didn't.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:16 am

Nomad;1281903 wrote: Son of a bitch is a traitor and as biased as they come.

:yh_rotfl

if you saw the movie, you'd know why!:yh_rotfl

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 9:44 pm

Well, finally saw the thing.

My only impression regarding any racial aspects is,

"why come alla white folks is evil?"

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:02 pm

LarsMac;1282069 wrote: Well, finally saw the thing.

My only impression regarding any racial aspects is,

"why come alla white folks is evil?"

Exactly !

Thank you.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:43 pm

Doesn't anyone else want to grow a long blueish ponytail which can merge your energies (but in a dominant way) with everything from large flying birds to plants and then go sailing through floating mountains or frolic under trees listening to the voice of your ancestors???