I followed up on the war themes and recognized the extent of American infiltration. One of the best visually aesthetic films Avatar (2009) written, edited, produced and directed by James Cameron (whom also directed the iconic Titanic movie) is as some critics would say mind-blowing. It is a science fiction film set in the mid-22nd Century when humans are mining a precious mineral called Unobtanium on Pandora (a lush habitable moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system). Humans have severely depleted the earth's resources and are now threatening the continued existence of a local tribe Na'vi - a humanoid species indigenous to Pandora. The film's title refers to a genetically engineered Na'vi body with a remotely located human and is used to interact with the natives of Pandora. The avatar must aid in research of Pandora's biosphere by interacting with the natives. He becomes friends with natives and has an affair with one of them but they soon recognize his facade after he disables a bulldozer which threatened to destroy a sacred Na'vi site. Of course, the two cultures clash (America and the Na'vi) and it becomes complicated when the avatar becomes too close too the culture he's supposed to be fighting against. He makes an epiphany about his own role and realizes that his civilization is probably doing more harm than good. Cameron notes that the film is also an implicit reference to America's role in the Iraq war. He states that "we may know how to throw missiles but we may not know what it feels like to have it land on our home soil, America". He continues to say that the film is not Anti-American but he feels it is being patriotic to question a system that needs to be coralled. (Well said Cameron, well said!). The same institution that has the capacity for good also has the capacity to do wrong; "...parts of our selves that are trashing our world and maybe condemning ourselves to a grim future".
I think Cameron highlighted a number of important issues here:
1. He notes the importance of popular culture and media to make important and sometimes overlooked statements on the nature of our existence. He recognizes that there are times when media has the power to say something that is greater than ourselves and the excessive pride we sometimes have as a country. Media has a responsibility for critiquing even the big-shot nation that prides itself on doing good and being moral. Popular culture essentially has the equivalent gravity as other mediums in critiquing the society.
2. He specifically places America in the context of imperialism and implicitly shows that America has the propensity for colonialism. In fact, America is a driving force for the act of taking-over (and you can see it in the movie definitely - hinted in the description).
3. He also suggests that America's power also falls into the territory of devastation. The nation isn't perfect but sometimes you wonder if they're really striving for something other than the upright and respectable. Maybe in all the wars, there is no final resolution of restoring balance but all that is left is rubble, ruin and damaged lives which can never be returned. Is their cause really worth the fight? Is it okay to ruin to other lives just for revenge? Sometimes American power is simply destructive.
How else do you think American civilization is portrayed through popular culture?
Think on these things.
For more information on the movie, check it out >>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar_%282009_film%29#Themes_and_inspirations
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