I haven't the DVD and I haven't watched it once.
Why is that?
Am I coming off the high?
Am I feeling ashamed that I didn't join the camp that said it sucked?
The answer to both questions is no. I have not joined the camp that said Avatar sucked. I do however, as I do in watching many films, see the weaknesses of Avatar that could be corrected in future franchise entries by examining franchises such as Toy Story.
Ironically when the very first picture came out in 1995, it was a first in many ways. It was the first feature to completely have CGI rendering and it was the first box office hit to solidify computer-generated filmmaking as a money maker.
A story centered around childhood toys is not an easy thing to sell to a general public. Most films automatically that deal with talking animals or talking objects automatically get viewed as cute babysitters for hyperactive kids or something to do to get out of the house. Some parents are not up for an hour of non-human characters and tend to sleep through these kinds of pictures.
Why did Toy Story and it's sequels do so well with moviegoers? The answer is the story.
The movies are very complex in many ways. Of the many things discussed in the film are:
- Commercialism
- Egotism
- Human relationships
- Change
- Heartbreak
- Staying young
- Growing old
On the face of it, Toy Story's plot would look like something of an afterschool special about learning how to make friends. Woody (Tom Hanks) is the favorite toy of Andy, who owns Woody and a slew of other toys who talk and exist in their own world unknown to human existence. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) becomes the popular new toy in town thanks to his audacious straight-out-of-a-comic book personality and his gadgets.
Naturally as the two try to co-exist with each other, Andy becomes more infatuated with Buzz which irritates Woody. He finally manages to kick Buzz out of the picture, only to find that he is now on the outs with the other toys for being such a bully towards Buzz. Woody then goes on a mission to get Buzz back and be in good graces with the other toys before Andy and his family leaves.
Of course everything works out in the end, but in between alot of the themes I list make this picture far more weighty than Avatar which only dealt with military rule and the environment. Buzz Lightyear being told he is just a toy by Woody sounds just like the conversation that a parent would have to a child about how plain and ordinary the real world is. The opposite happens in the confines of James Cameron's story.
In Avatar, the plain, drab, ordinary humans of Pandora are joyless (aside from the scientists) who know only how to conquer and destroy all that is beautiful. As Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) becomes more entrenched as a Na'Vi and in a relationship with one of their own, he sees humanity as a stiffing prison. Basically, Jake decided that a childhood fantasy was better than the harsh reality he was born into.
Although the sequel has yet to be made, Worthington made a good point during an MTV News report during the film's initial release about what should happen in the sequel:
"I've said to Jim, 'I want Jake to be fat and up in the new home tree,
kicking it back, couple of kids coming around -- typical family -- telling
Neytiri to go get me a beer,' " he laughed during a recent interview.
"Neytiri then shoots me with an arrow!"
James Cameron didn't have this problem with Titanic. Since the story was centered around a tragedy, the ending to Leo and Kate's romance had to be tragic as well. That ending gave the awesomeness of the ship and it's history some reality to hold on to.
Although I preferred Jake and Neytiri's chemistry, their relationship is a bit twisted. He's not really a Na'vi (I don't count the transfer of his soul at the end) and she doesn't really know the full extent of who he is. James could work the angle about still having trouble with which group he belongs to, but much like The Doctor of Doctor Who, parts of who he was as a human should come through even as he lives as a Na'vi.
The suggestion that Sam Worthington gave to MTV News was intended to be something of a joke, but James really should add some conflict to their relationship to give some human connection to the story. I'm not referring to whether Neytiri should trust Jake after he nearly betrayed her kind, but more or less whether he can be in a committed relationship with someone who he bonded with because a God told them they were right for each other.
Woody's relationship with his owner Andy works in the same creepy sort of way. He seriously thinks that he, for as long as Andy lives, will continue to play with him for the rest of his life. With each Toy Story, the reality becomes more and more evident that Woody's life as a toy will have passed it's peak. It happened to some extent when Buzz came into the picture, but what about when Andy goes on to college as a young adult?
Knowing James Cameron, who will possibly write and direct the sequel to Avatar, he probably won't go so deep with the relationship. I believe at his much older age that it is within his power to put that to the script for the sequel. If he, between being obsessed with 3D special effects, can make that happen -- his critical acclaim will go beyond sci-fi nerds.
One can dream anyhow.
When it comes to story, I believe that Toy Story is ultimately much more resonate and real in terms of story and character. It's there in Avatar, but only in a few places. All the excitement of the movie really comes from the visuals. In Avatar's direction, that's not a bad thing for one picture.
It is bad when it's each entry in the franchise.
Let's hope that James takes some hints from the Toy Story franchise and brings his A game to the next Avatar film.
Filed under: Commentary, Movies
Tags: animated films, avatar, james cameron, pixar, sam worthington, toy story, zoe saldana
