Avatar: Message in 3D

The more I watch Hollywood films, the more I feel that filmmakers write their scripts and time their releases according to political events that impact the world and the USA. The latest film that has confirmed my doubts is Avatar. For what would explain the release of this film, complete with visions of fantastic flora and fauna, on December 18, 2009, exactly on the day that the Climate Change conference culminated in Copenhagen with countries haggling over the level of emission cuts they would comply to. And I cannot put into order the kind of thoughts that crossed my mind while watching the film. Perhaps the storyline is a fantasy for the Western world, but not for many who live in Asia and Africa. The struggle of this animated group of tribals with a special language and lifestyle reminded me of the controversy over the Narmada Dam in India, where thousands of tribals have been displaced by the Narmada Dam; their natural surroundings destroyed, someone from Latin America may be able to relate the story to the destruction of the rainforest in their continent, an African may be able to link the story to a similar kind of exploitation and destruction of environment in their continent. If the USA really gets down to some soul searching it will find a similar struggle in it's backyard with the Red Indians, ditto with Australia who have suppressed the Aboriginals. So you see, it is not a new story for us but it certainly is a new story for the average Westerner who doesn't give a dime about where his coffee comes from or how many people where killed in Congo while mining the coaltan that makes the latest model of his cellphone work. If Avatar has a message then it is that of protecting the environment. The movie displays ongoing conflict between human and machine, technology and nature. The underlying message of the whole act of watching Avatar is: If you don't care for your environment you will finally have to just settle for experiencing natural wonders of this world in a dark theatre - with 3D glasses on.

Happy 2010!