Re: The secure Avatar gossip page
the thing i didn't like about colenl douchface is that he didn't really have any motive, they never really established he wanted all the natives dead, just that he enjoyed the challenge of pandora.
I hate to say it, because I'm currently deployed IN the military. I've worked with a number of marines and sailors now, and I can safely say that the ex-marines shown in this film are actually a lot tamer than the snarling hellhounds we currently employ. Make no mistake: most of the marines I know are very good people, and they do what they do for their people. Take my word for it, though, they are bloodthirsty and relentless, and have a certain zeal for carrying out their orders. The marine leaning out the helicopter and yelling "Get some!" was VERY close to home. The Colonel wouldn't NEED a motive to want to kill indigenous people.
One thing they do show nicely is the change that occurs when you lose mechanical, emotional and physical distance between yourself and your enemy. If a team is called upon to eliminate a target, it is considered simply that. The killing that follows is purely impersonal. The button is pushed, the target neutralized. No one has to deal with the emotional consequences of consigning hundreds or more to a horrible, fiery death.
The destruction of the home tree and planned final bombing was a purely impersonal thing for most of the operators on the ship. These aren't hand-to-hand fighters, these are technicians far removed from the consequences of their actions.
Anyway, I enjoyed the unique new world but I have to agree with criticism of the thin, tiresome old plot. When the girl talked about someone taking Big Red (that's what I'm naming the big red flying thing right now) and leading the clans, I pretty much figured that was what was gonna happen. Same with a lot of the plot's "surprises." I also appreciated the new culture they tried to create, but didn't find it alien enough. It seemed a little too much like African and Native American tribes.
Great work visually, wonderful effort, accurate military depiction, weak plot and dissatisfying cultural shock.
