Avatar Takes Box Office By Storm
December 20th, 2009 - 9:00 pm ICT by GD
- By Ranjan Bhaduri
Dec.20, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Despite the criticism about its plot, the James Cameron magnum opus “Avatar” is doing exceedingly well at the box office in USA. On the opening day itself the sci-fi flick which has been touted as the ultimate CGI entertainer, has grossed a whopping $27 million. However, the weather woes can have an impact on the movie’s collection in some parts of the country as these areas are reeling under harsh weather. Will Smith starer “I Am Legend” had grossed $77.2 million last year in the opening weekend itself. In fact, Avatar’s business in the opening weekend can be compared with that of James Cameron’s earlier hit “Titanic”.
Avatar tells the story of a human-alien clash in 22nd century, in a distant planet named Pandora. After the wooden and critically panned Terminator Salvation, Sam Worthington gives a powerful and convincing performance as Jake Sully in Avatar. He is ably matched by Zoe Saldana. Before the release of this much anticipated movie, James Cameron said that it will redefine the film viewing experience of the viewers. However, the critics have given mixed reaction to the film after its release.
While no one has tried to say anything against the jaw dropping and life like animation and CGI effects, some viewers feel the plot is not so mind blowing. The landscape of Pandora and its big blue creatures are a treat to watch and thanks to excellent motion capture- their expressions seem lifelike. However the plot of the movie may remind some of the man-alien conflict based movies, albeit with enhanced visual effects.
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- alien conflict- - cgi effects
- - clash
- - convincing performance
- - distant planet
- - flick
- - harsh weather
- - james cameron
- - magnum opus
- - opening day
- - pandora
- - ranjan
- - sam worthington
- - sci fi
- - sully
- - terminator
- - visual effects
- - weather woes
- - will smith
- - zoe saldana
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December 20th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Avatar is a classic scenario you’ve seen in Hollywood epics from Dances With Wolves, Dune, District 9 and The Last Samurai, where a white guy manages to get himself accepted into a closed society of people of color and eventually becomes its most awesome member.
If we think of Avatar and its ilk as white fantasies about race, what kinds of patterns do we see emerging in these fantasies?
A white man who was one of the oppressors switches sides at the last minute, assimilating into the alien culture and becoming its savior.
These are movies about white guilt. Our main white characters realize that they are complicit in a system which is destroying aliens, AKA people of color - their cultures, their habitats, and their populations.
The whites realize this when they begin to assimilate into the “alien” cultures and see things from a new perspective. To purge their overwhelming sense of guilt, they switch sides, become “race traitors,” and fight against their old comrades. But then they go beyond assimilation and become leaders of the people they once oppressed.
This is the essence of the white guilt fantasy, laid bare. It’s not just a wish to be absolved of the crimes whites have committed against people of color; it’s not just a wish to join the side of moral justice in battle. It’s a wish to lead people of color from the inside rather than from the (oppressive, white) outside.