AVATAR: Movie Review

Avatar has apparently broken the $ billion mark in ticket sales in record time and is on its way to becoming the highest grossing film of all time. For a film that is short on story and long on its running time, this is a truly Orwellian achievement; less has proven to be more. I saw some glowing reviews prior to the release of the film and decided to go see it with my 12 year old nephew, who had already seen it once but was gung ho to go see it again. I am thankful that I happen to be in India at the moment where the ticket costs only about $3 and the total venture including popcorn and all cost me only about $10 (for two); so the pain of having to pay to have my senses assaulted, both spiritual and intellectual was somewhat mitigated.

First of all the title of the film, ‘Avatar’ is a Hindu word that means ‘god incarnated’ or god in the flesh. ‘God’ is not capitalised in the previous definition since in the Hindu pantheon any number of creatures can be termed god. The film’s avatars are blue, genetically modified creatures that are feline / simian / satyrs or something and not at all not easy on the eyes to behold. They also stand about 10 feet tall and the best way to describe them is as not human. The whole movie is a high tech mass conditioning exercise to condition the masses to accept that ‘nature worship’ or pantheism is good. ‘Pandora’ on which the movie is sited is a moon of a giant Saturn like gaseous planet. It doesn’t seem to have dawned on too many movie critics who all seem to say enough good things about this movie that the name ‘Pandora’ itself is a reference to a mythical story of all the evils that have befallen mankind by the opening of Pandora’s Box. And this move opens a veritable Pandora’s Box by indoctrinating the (mostly) unsuspecting audience that all things are god, that we are all one big family, be it a murderous hyena, a serpentine dragon or a banana tree, all things have the same spirit in them. The not so subtle message is that living in harmony with ‘nature’ (the Greek god Pan) is our salvation; that using our God given intelligence to create machines and technology to make living more comfortable is evil, oh those wicked scientists! Someone ought to ask Jimmy Cameron how he could have made this movie, had it not been for men using their God given intelligence to create the technologies that he employed in its production? I wonder if the tribes of the deep Amazon or Africa could have helped him make the most technologically advanced film yet made?

This is nothing more than a big budget, more special effects laden version of Al Gore’s, ‘A Very Convenient Lie’ aka ‘An Inconvenient Truth’. The blue imagery of Pandora itself is hellish to put it mildly. The giant serpentine tree where the tribe dwells is, well, serpentine, Cerberus like hell dogs, and other mythical creatures of immense ugliness and strength abound in this world. Tentacled and illuminated jelly fish like spirit things (for lack of a better word) are what the Na’vi look to for guidance. In the real world jellyfish can prove to be injurious and even fatal to humans, I wonder why people think that their spiritual counterparts would not also be injurious or even fatal to their spiritual well being? If God wanted us to get our guidance and direction from animals, why did he not just make us all animals instead of humans that can think and reason, not have to depend on superstition? The movie truly glorifies Native American Indian cultures; notwithstanding the fact that natives and indigenous peoples the world over have been victims to unscrupulous colonizers, the truth of the matter is that these cultures were anything but humane and compassionate. There is just too much documented evidence of the bloodthirsty practices of natives and indigenous populations worldwide for us to believe that they knew much about living in peace and harmony with each other let alone with nature. So Jimmy, your preaching, though effective I’m sure, is fraudulent and filled with lies.

The movie conditions people as Hollywood had been doing for many decades, that ugliness is beautiful, that lies are truth, that the creation is God and not the Creator. My question is that if all things are gods, then why do you need to look for god in nature, don’t you have a mirror? Look at yourself all day long; after all you too are god! When people look to animals for guidance, then they become animals, what else would you expect? The ceremonies in the movie where the tribe gathers together to worship are very reminiscent of African / Haitian / Native ceremonies where music and natural hallucinogenics such as magic mushrooms are used to induce an altered hypnotic state in which the worshiper does not reach out and touch the Most High God but rather the most low animal spirit within and becomes a beast. In this state what was demonstrated was not peace and harmony with his fellow man but rather bloodshed in the most brutal, evil, devilish, beastly manner possible where even hearts were ripped out of the chests of living victims. There is so much documented evidence that the purpose of such ‘Native’ ceremonies has always been to arouse animal passions in man that there is no need to provide further proof that this is the hidden, maybe not so hidden message being sent out by these devilish avatars in Jimmy’s movie. Become natural, become animal, do not think for yourself, let your nature spirit guides guide you, if anyone can deny that that is the very overt message of the film then I suppose the film has worked its magic on you.

All things in nature have life in them, of that there is no doubt, but what needs to be understood is that the life comes from the Creator and points you to consider the Creator not the created thing. Just because a deer has life (that you had nothing to do with in bringing it that life), does not in any way, shape or form make you one with that deer! Appreciating and valuing life in nature leads us to consider and appreciate our Creator, He from whom all life originates. Without appreciating and valuing the Life Giver, you can never truly appreciate or value life, NEVER! If you agree with Mr. Cameron, then I end this by saying be careful what you wish for; you have chosen to bear the image of the creation rather than the Creator and your choice comes not without a price; a price that you may find too late that you cannot afford to pay!

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; ¹⁹Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. ²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²¹Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²²Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. ²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ²⁵Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Rating : ZERO out of whatever number you choose.