A REVIEW OF AVATAR

James Cameron has crafted a cinematic masterpiece in his now Emmy-nominated motion picture Avatar. The rich colors, the intricate design of his fictional planet Pandora with its many creatures, the elegance of the Nabi (the indigenous people of the planet) are well worth the ticket price and the two hours, fifty minutes you invest. For those of us who tend to be special effects junkies, the climatic battle scenes make The Transformers movie look like a cartoon and even edge out the hectic firepower of the original Star Wars movie. (Raiders of the Lost Ark still holds first place in this reviewers heart in the special effects department.)

The story and its message have captivated many, although the message is not that original. It carries the culturally popular themes of the brilliance and sensitivity of scientists, the arrogant greed of corporations, the destructive mindset of the military, the home planet-Earth--losing all attractiveness, as well as its soul as we have devastated our natural resources. These are cliches that do little for our human understanding except to make an effective "good guy--bad guy" tension that drives the action of the story. My one affirmation is the obvious comparison to how the European settlers and American Manifest Destiny politicians pretty much ignored the humanity of the original Native American inhabitants of this continent--perpetrating all manner of atrocities along the way. This latter is a lesson we have sometimes forgotten, but I believes behooves Christians to never forget as we seek to build redemptive and healing relationships today.

There is a strong spirituality to Avatar, but the spirituality is pantheism - all things in nature are connected and all things in nature are holy. Biblical Christianity is monotheistic - there is one God, our Creator, who is over all. Humankind and only humankind is made in the image of God. Humankind is above creation in that we are called to have dominion over the earth and its creatures. But the Bible teaches that dominion is for the purposes of stewardship not destruction or mere consumption. (In this sense biblical Christianity is more green than cultural Christianity-a reality evangelicals are finally waking up to.) The Nabi in the movie see themselves as stewards and even protectors of creation, an element of their spirituality that is worthy of imitation.

Prayer is clearly a part of the Nabi's spirituality. Prayer is accomplished by connecting (literally) with the tree that represents Eywa, their supreme being and allowing Eywa to read every part of their being. Although Jake, the human whose avatar becomes the story's hero, thinks he can get Eywa to "side with" with his campaign to defeat the evil earth corporation and its out of control mercenaries; he is reminded that "she" does not take sides - she just maintains the balance of life. And ultimately healing in this movie is not the result of mere medicine, but requires supernatural intervention supported by the intercessory prayer of "the people." Even the "enlightened" scientist has to face this reality.

Christians will appreciate the clear incarnational theme. Jake Sully takes on the form of the Nabi in order to communicate with them how to save themselves from simply having their resources stolen by his compatriots. Ultimately Sully's incarnational form becomes the means to lead the Nabi to their salvation and restoration. (Unfortunately, in this story the Savior has to stay a Nabi in order to survive himself; but then I don't think Cameron was attempting to create an allegorical tale about the work of Christ.)

Personally I enjoyed the movie for what it was--a captivating story told very well. Not every movie needs to be seen as a way of educating oneself about "life matters."(I am still a fan of Mel Gibson in Die Hard but as a message it doesn't hold a candle to The Passion of Christ.) And if you view the movie's spiritual expressions with a critical eye (not a criticizing one) you will be surely entertained.