A 3-D CGI cinema experience, $300 billion dollar budget, and 3 hours of “revolutionary, Hollywood-blockbuster, visual eye-candy…” well, here are three reasons why I think Avatar was a bad movie. (And further, that it was deceptively bad, because it looked so good):

1. It is anti-human. (forget mere claims of anti-American, anti-military)
2. It offers no avenue or inspiration of hope, and instead offers a cynical, sparkly, appeal-to-the emotions message that we are doomed
3. It is artistically and creatively irresponsible

If anyone reading this has talked to me in the past two weeks, you have probably witnessed my bizarrely indignant, and deeply disturbed reaction to James Cameron’s Avatar. I have read my fill of reviews out there of the movie, trying to synthesize what about it troubled me so much. If you haven’t seen the movie, I encourage you to read some reviews (good and bad) to get a sense of the plot. (Spoiler alert)

Perhaps what I am angry about is a bigger issue of the movie industry in general, but stories have a profound impact on us as people. Those who write stories should be held accountable for the messages that they send and the commentary that they make about the human condition. Many have argued that Jake Sully is just choosing a different life– one that is more suitable in his eyes than the way the humans in the movie are living–and that when he becomes his Na’vi avatar-self, it could be likened to someone embracing a new culture or race’s lifestyle.

Even if that is true – the metaphor is a poor one and one that will be missed by most people. Reality and fantasy are too intertwined to actually send the message of embracing a “new lifestye.” We will constantly be asking ourselves what is the best way to be humans–and this is a good thing–yet the movie is offering that the best way is a way completely other than our own.

I disagree. The movie is a projection of human life as we know it, and his disowns his human self. He completely renounces his humanity. I argue that this is fundamentally different than our struggle to discover the best way to live as humans and has a tragically hopeless and irresponsible undertone. I know that it is fantasy, but you cannot separate your human understanding of a fantasy world. This allegory about two cultures will have an impact on people viewing the movie, whether you want to admit it or not, and the human being in the story disowns his people, changing his essence. (and here I am not even going to go into the tree worshiping religious aspect that completely plays on people’s spiritually emotional side…but I encourage someone else to take it up)

The movie is not merely an attempt to discover a better way to be human, it is offering the solution that this alien people have life figured out better than we do. This offers no hope for the current state we are in, because we are human and cannot renounce that. Again, maybe I am being too ideal, but our stories–even ones for entertainment–need to offer hope or commentary that leads us to something better and this movie does neither.

Artistically irresponsible? James Cameron has drawn upon some of the most creative minds and sources of human ingenuity to make a piece of widely acclaimed eye-candy, that cynically comments on the way we are treating the earth, (how much better off we would be if the creative ingenuity had been directed towards a productive innovation that serves society) and offers no solution for harmony or hope, so leaves the viewer 3-Dimensionally delighted and… uninspired.

Please friends, comment!