In the discussion of Avatar-the movie; I've yet to see commentary that is informed by Avatar -The Survivial Guide book.

This book has the message to the current century of the imperative of building trust and caring for resources; a kind of warning that if we don't, we face a more violent alternative. The film 'The Road' reinforces a vision of a world in which because ecological destruction was not avoided; cannibalism breaks out.

To George Monbiot 'The Road ' is the more realistic scenario, and his concern with Avatar is not so much over the ecological story or the level of violence; Monbiot seeks to get us to recognise the fuller extent of violence against tribes in the past.

I would contest that until we recognize the past reasons for violent conflict; we will have learned little of value to our future.

In this connection I recommend the book 'Constant Battles'(subtitle 'Why we fight') by Steven LeBlanc.

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Debate still rages about Avatar, which I will contribute to more constructively when I see it myself. Julie and Geoff both found the colonialist message, that native peoples can only triumph when led by a white outsider, a reversion to 19^th century ‘white man’s burden’ fantasies, and that an allegorical fictitious planet has allowed Cameron license to simplify and idealise which would not work in the real would (the recent documentary about the child sacrifices of the native Ugandan healing system was fresh in our minds).

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Vishvapani wrote:

Paul, your lit crit did make me think of the subtext to Titanic as immmortalised by The Onion:

World’s Largest Metaphor Hits Ice-Berg‘... See More

Titanic, Representation of Man’s Hubris, Sinks in North Atlantic. 1,500 Dead In Symbolic Tragedy. At 4:23am Greenwich Standard Time, the following message was received from the rescue ship Carpathia: “Titanic struck by icy representation of nature’s supremacy STOP Insufficient lifeboats due to pompous certainty in man’s infallibility STOP Microcosm of larger society STOP

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"I very much enjoyed the film "Avatar", but I had a lingering niggle that the myth it enacted was very much of the old paradigm of overcoming violence with violence. Perhaps there is no other way in such circumstances and maybe we're talking about the protective use of force, but I would very much enjoy seeing some films where a different approach is used"

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Hi Robin,Micky, Bill, and others interested.

Regardless of any other interesting or even profound(?) messages that may be in there, it looks like it's the fundamental (and very ancient) paradigm/messages is something like "ultimately, if the "good" guys are faced with "evil" (others who are willing to get their needs met at the expense of the suffering of others) use of force, the good guys will have to be more effective, or even "more clever", at violence, even if it protective violence (which is sort of an oxymoron) than the "bad" guys.

This is a message that, whatever grain of truth it might have in it, does not need repeating because thousands of movies, books, etc, have repeated this for who-knows-how-long.

As for your saying --

"I would very much enjoy seeing some films where a different approach is used...":

I can without reservation strongly recommend the movie "Invictus" as showing, with great credibility "a different approach."

It's a docu-drama of events in

South Africa

in 1995 at a moment when there was a strong impulse to, and high probability of groups with different needs settling them (actually it would have failed to settle them) with massive violence, and how the whole situation was completely turned around -- to a significant degree by a single person,

Nelson Mandela

It is not only a welcome contrast to what you saw as the dissappointing core message in Avatar, but is incredibly credible, because it is not a

Hollywood

or new-age fantasy, but solidly historically accurate as far as my research can tell.

After the movie I read the book on which it is based (also called "Invictus.") The book is by a journalist and is straight documentary.

It is even more impressive to me than the movie, as the movie covers ONE event/point where the country could have turned to violence and to a significant degree due to Mandel's insight and commitment and political, personal, and spiritual acumen, didn't. The book documents three or four such critical points, and of course goes into more depth... including in-depth looks at other critical players in the events, and, in some cases, their being profoundly transformed -- in ways that lift my heart and hopes -- by their involvements in these events. Some brought tears to my eye to even read.

I don't think one "has to read the book first" but I think the movie might be even richer if you did.

Interestingly, I found out in the book that certain dramatic scenes and specific words spoken by key players that I would have thought were (for drama's sake) license taken by Hollywood screen writers, are in fact historically accurate.

I wish as many people, especially young people, who see Avatar, would see Invictus.

As a final comment: As a movie/entertainment I think it would be hard to not enjoy Invictus, and I evaluate the acting, and what movie buffs call "production values", as very good.

If I were writing movie reviews in the typical style I'd write

"five out of five stars. Don't miss it.

One of the best of the decade.

If you happen by any chance to be a Rugby fan,

you'll enjoy it even more."