The real problem of this visually stunning movie is the message it sends. By the climax of the film, you’re supposed to be on the edge of your seat pumping your fist in the air, shouting, “Yeah! Get those lousy capitalist, despoiling humans! Drive those nasty humans back to their dying planet! Because…” And then you stop and think. “Uh… wait. Aren’t we the humans?”
The message of the film is that humanity is intrinsically evil and that the military is comprised of heartless, bloodthirsty baby killers. The movie’s protagonist first betrays and turns his weapons on his own fellow Marines — and then ultimately gives up (or so we’re made to hope) his own humanity in order to complete his transformation from human to Na’vi. In his own narration, Jake tells the viewer that the hated humans are being “sent back to their dying world” — where, presumably, their search for Unobtanium thwarted, they will join the choking, suffering throngs of their fellow despoiling humans until they all die a slow and miserable death.
The movie is visually impressive, but philosophically, it’s the most hateful thing anybody in Hollywood has ever managed to create. It casts as the villains of the film the entire human race, and asks its human viewers to cheer along.
Hello Phil,
First off, thank you for this site. I am one who agrees wholeheartedly with the basic thrust of what you are trying to get across with The Martialist. The ‘About’ section of your site encapsulates very well my own thoughts and feelings. Like you, if I have to defend my life or my family from an unprovoked attack, I shall feel no sympathy for the aggressors, nor shall I feel bound to ‘fight fairly’, or in other ways worry about my attackers health or well being.
However, I would like to respectfully disagree with your points about Avatar (holding aside the fact that I just didn’t enjoy it that much…).
To quote: “The message of the film is that humanity is intrinsically evil and that the military is comprised of heartless, bloodthirsty baby killers.”
Not really. The scientists are not ‘intrinsically evil’, nor do we know much about humanity back home. It is explained that the operation in question is by a Corporation. I don’t see any extrapolation to cover humanity in its entirety. You are seeing what you want to see.
Also, it does not say that the ‘military is comprised of heartless baby killers’, merely that some of them who whored themselves out the ‘Corporation’ in question are. My father served in uniform for 30 years; I have great respect for those who don the uniform. But military service is not a license to behave badly. Some military personnel embody the best of humanity, and some the worst. War crimes do happen. It is foolish to allow a few bad apples to spoil the bunch, as some critics of the military are wont to do, but also foolish to extend an aura of sainthood around all of those who serve.
Further, to get to the heart of the Martialist philosophy, Do the Na’vi not have the same right to defend themselves that you advocate? How would you feel if some homeless crackhead decided to invade your home and take your possessions just because he needed or wanted them? And how would you feel about the extreme activists who would cheer said crack addict on?
The ‘responsibility’ you advocate towards self-defense is something I extend to my whole life. I take accountability for life and my actions. I don’t point fingers, and I don’t expect others to carry me.
If we go along with the movies premise that humanity has collectively bankrupted our world, then I would submit that humanity has a responsibility to ‘fix’ the problem, and we don’t have the right to plunder and despoil an inhabited world for our own needs; much the same as the homeless crack addict doesn’t have the right to take your stuff. You are being rather inconsistent here.
And, at the end of the day, it’s just a movie.
Regards & all the best for you and your site.
Respectfully,
John