Recent reactions to James Cameron’s blockbuster film Avatar have ranged from awestruck enthusiasm to accusations of a racist subtext, the Toronto Star reported Jan. 12.
Viewers who criticize the film as being racist take issue with the fact that Avatar portrays the blue-skinned Na’vi people needing the assistance of a white soldier in order to save their planet from having its resources exploited.
Critics who say the movie depicts the age-old white man’s burden also note that the five main Na’vi roles in the film are played by non-white actors, while the protagonist is Caucasian.
The Star reported Cameron said his film had no hidden agenda where race is concerned. Rather, the director said it “asks us to open our eyes and truly see others, respecting them even though they are different.”
The story itself is formulaic, presenting the familiar pattern of conflict between native and white peoples. But the narrative takes a backseat to the stunning graphics, making the story less essential to the movie’s success than the charm of its 3D images.
While the movie’s groundbreaking technology has made it a blockbuster, its popularity also amplifies issues of criticism.
The film, which has already grossed over $1.1 billion U.S., acts as a massive form of communication to a broad audience.
It’s important to raise discussions about the potential subtext of plots so we can be aware of their meaning, but it’s doubtful that films have any significant sway in shaping our own morals.
In light of discussions of racism, we shouldn’t fail to consider the positive strides Avatar takes in confronting questions of sexism and ability/disability. While Grace (Sigourney Weaver) isn’t sexualized in order to be powerful, Jake (Sam Worthington) redefines our conception of the hero as he is in a wheelchair.
More than just a feast of digital images with a stock plot, Avatar touches on pertinent issues of the 21st century and has changed perceptions of what a movie can look like.
Cameron’s film should not be viewed as pushing a harmful ideology, but rather as a work of art that lives up to the expectations of its genre by generating controversy and discussion.
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