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Avatar (2009)

By hoggercore - Posted on 03 January 2010

I will not deny that Avatar is a visually pleasing and enjoyable film. James Cameron has to have figured out some secret ingredient to film making that demands multiple viewings and packs movie theaters across the world. As I read in one review, if you can get a packed movie theater in Kentucky to cheer when their own country (currently at war) begins to lose a war, then you have to have some movie magic working for you. However, that said, I could not deny the fact that this movie, you know, was not exactly original. In fact the movie is almost exactly the same movie as Dances With Wolves. Wait, what is this, you’re probably wondering. Well with a little help from Wikipedia, allow me to explain the plot of Avatar for you and we’ll see where the similarities to Dances With Wolves come into the picture…

The film opens during the ~~American Civil War~~ invasion of the moon Pandora. In a ~~United States Army field hospital~~ United States space ship and coming out of cryogenic sleep, ~~First Lieutenant John J. Dunbar (Kevin Costner)~~Private Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) ~~learns that his injured leg is to be amputated,~~ who is a paraplegic is summoned to the Pandora for unknown reasons. Seeing the plight of fellow soldiers with amputated legs, Dunbar leaves the hospital, steals a cavalry horse, and attempts suicide by riding across the no man's land between the opposing Union and Confederate positions. Upon arriving on Pandora, Sully learns that his brother, recently deceased, had an avatar of himself being grown in a really big test tube. This avatar is Sully’s brother’s artificial alien self. This avatar resembles the alien race the Na’vi. Upon linking with the avatar (as his brother was his twin thus they share DNA), Sully recognizing that he has regained feeling in his albeit artificial legs, and is overcome by the ability to walk run and experience these sensations. Sully leaves the science station, steals his avatar and attempts to rush into the jungles of Pandora with little to no practice with his avatar. He is talked back and prepares for his first mission.

Upon his first mission in the jungles of Pandora, Sully gets separated from his allies and must fight his way through the perils of this unknown world alone. He almost meets his demise but with the help of a native by the name of Neytirir (Zoe Saldana), Sully survives. ~~Dunbar’s action unexpectedly rallies the Union soldiers, who storm the distracted Confederate defenses to win the battle.~~ Sully’s survial impress the powers that be. ~~Impressed by Dunbar's actions, the commanding general of the Union forces, Lieutenant General Tide (Donald Hotton), summons his personal surgeon to save Dunbar's leg~~. Impressed by Sully’s actions, the commanding general of the military force, Colonel Miles Quaritich (Stephen Lang) offers Sully a deal where if he plays ball and helps them learn about the Na’vi, he can get the government to save his legs (which is hella expensive). Sully agrees to these terms and is successful with providing valuable information. ~~Tide declares Dunbar to be a hero and awards him Cisco, the horse who carried him in battle as well as offering Dunbar his choice of posting.~~ Quaritich will eventually declare Sully a hero and will award him with the opportunity to take a shuttle home to regain the use of his legs.

~~Dunbar requests a transfer to the western frontier and soon after his leg heals he arrives at Fort Sedgwick, where he begins to record his frontier experiences in a journal, read in voice over.~~

Sully’s successful transition into one of the Na’vi is told through the use of a montage (this is how he was able to secure such valuable information). His experiences are recorded in a video journal he is asked to record by the scientists.

Dunbar initially encounters Sioux neighbors when the tribe's medicine man, Kicking Bird (Graham Greene) attempts to capture Dunbar's horse, Cisco, but he is scared off by Dunbar's unexpected reappearance. Later some of the tribe's youths, Smiles A Lot and Otter (Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse and Michael Spears), capture and attempt to break Cisco. Later still, some of the tribe's mature warriors, led by an aggressive warrior named Wind in His Hair (Rodney A. Grant), are likewise thwarted. The Sioux decide that Cisco is not worth the effort and leave him alone; the horse returns to Dunbar's fort.

Sully’s final succession into one of Na’vi comes when he is able to break a dragon like creature, which he will be able to ride about and who will be loyal to only him. This breaking of the dragon is something that all true Na’vi warriors must do and upon Sully’s success, he gains a loyal dragon steed and becomes one of the Na’vi.

In response to these interactions, Dunbar seeks out the Sioux camp. On his way, he comes across Stands With A Fist (Mary McDonnell), the white, adopted daughter of Kicking Bird. She is a recent widow who has just slit her wrists. Dunbar returns her to the Indian camp to be treated. The Sioux' attitude about Dunbar changes dramatically. Eventually, Dunbar establishes a rapport with Kicking Bird, though the language barrier frustrates them; eventually Stands With A Fist acts as a translator. Since her parents were slaughtered by the Pawnee, she has been completely assimilated to Sioux culture and she fears that Dunbar will try to return her to the whites.

Sully has sought to become a member of the Na’vi. He has been discouraged all the while by some Na’vi I can’t remember but who is important and who will succeed the current ruler. This man is set to marry Neytiri who is the daughter of the King and Queen. Upon breaking the dragon like creature, all of the Na’vi’s attitude about Sully change dramatically. Sully establishes a rapport with the King, learns the language and truly becomes one of the Na’vi.

Instead, Dunbar finds himself drawn to the lifestyle and customs of the tribe, and constantly looks forward to their company. He becomes a hero among the Sioux and is accepted as an honored guest after he locates a migrating herd of buffalo. During the ensuing buffalo hunt, he saves Smiles A Lot from a rampaging bull, and at last Wind In His Hair accepts him as a friend.

Sully spends more and more time using his avatar as he is drawn further into the Na’vi’s lifestyle and because he looks forward to their company. He becomes a notable hero warrior among the Na’vi because of his many achievements.

~~When Dunbar returns to the soldier fort, Dunbar's thoughts dwell on the Indian camp.~~

When Sully reports to his commanding officer, his thoughts dwell on the Na’vi tribe and the jungle.

~~During this visit, Dunbar finds that most of the warriors in the camp are preparing to go on a raid against a rival Pawnee tribe.~~ Kicking Bird refuses to admit him into the war party, but leaves him behind to care for his family. During this time, Stands With A Fist tutors him in Lakota and they fall in love. Unfortunately, the relationship is made taboo by the recent death of Stand's With A Fist's husband, so they consummate it in secret.

Sully learns that the military (on a quest for a very valuable mineral which primarily lies under the Na’vi’s homestead) is planning to invade and mine the area. Upon informing the Na’vi of this, they ostracize him and refuse to allow him to take part in the upcoming battle. Prior to this however, Sully and Neytiri (who has tutored him on the ways of the Na’vi) admit that they have fallen in love. They consummate their love in secret.

As the weeks wear on, the war party still has not returned, but scouts pick up word of a large Pawnee war party approaching the camp. No longer worried about maintaining the army's stockpile of rifles, Dunbar opens his surplus stores of ammunition to defend the settlement against a Pawnee raiding party. Kicking Bird and Wind In His Hair return to find that the tribe has accepted Dunbar as a full-fledged member. With this accomplished, Dances With Wolves eventually wins Kicking Bird's approval to marry Stands With A Fist, and he abandons Fort Sedgwick forever.

Eventually Sully wins back the trust he lost and takes to kicking ass on the American bad guys (ala the oil hungry American politicians if you read into the in your face and blatant symbolism).

~~Dunbar's idyll ends when he tells Kicking Bird that white men will continue to invade their land.~~

Yeah, remember when I said that Sully tells the king that bad American’s will continue to invade their land? Yeah…

~~They tell Chief Ten Bears (Floyd Red Crow Westerman), who decides it is time to move the village to its winter camp.~~

Sully begged the Na’vi to move their camp and they refused until it is too late. Alas, the Na’vi outmatched with weaponry have to flee when the big booms really start happening.

As the packing finishes, Dunbar realizes that his journal, left behind at the deserted fort, is a blueprint for finding the tribe, as well as evidence of his abandoning his assignment. He returns to the outpost to retrieve it, but finds Fort Sedgwick has finally been re-occupied by army troops. Because Dunbar is dressed in Lakota wear, the soldiers do not recognize him as an officer, and shoot at him, killing Cisco. As Dunbar weeps over the body of his fallen horse, the soldiers kick and beat him, arresting him as a traitor.

During the first wave of the invasion, Sullly attacks the humungous digging vehicles used to knock down trees. As he is controlling his avatar, the army does not recognize him as a soldier and shoot at him. Many Na’vi begin to weep at the loss of their special trees.

Wind In His Hair and other Sioux warriors attack the convoy and rescue Dunbar. Smiles A Lot retrieves Dunbar's journal floating in a brook. After returning to the winter camp, Dunbar realizes that as a deserter and murderer, he is now a fugitive and will continue to draw the Army's attention, endangering the tribe. Despite the protests of his Sioux friends, Dunbar decides that he must leave the tribe. Stands With A Fist decides to accompany him. Before they depart, Smiles A Lot returns his journal. Dunbar and Kicking Bird also exchange gifts.

The battle for Pandora is an epic display of special effects. Having been dubbed a traitor, the army now knows what Sully looks like (basically) and as a specific fugitive, draws the major’s attention when he is first seen during the battle.

Avatar continues on through coming in just 19 minutes shorter than Dances With Wolves. My girlfriend called Avatar Dances With Wolves with robots. I then explained to her that technically the robots were mechs and not robots ala Mechwarrior. You know, it’s a wonder that I actually have a girlfriend.

Melvin

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