The pacing of releases was whack.
Too long between 1 and 2, not long enough between 2 and 3.
I also heard that 2 and 3 were basically the same movie, and that they weren’t even that good.
Cultural impact
Submitted 1 day ago by restingOface@quokk.au to [deleted]
https://quokk.au/static/media/posts/iG/4W/iG4WP8jprdKwKsy.jpg
Comments
cattywampas@lemmy.world 1 day ago
brucethemoose@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I mean, 1 didn’t make me crave sequels, even if they were immediately available.
It was a fun action movie, but nothing that made me feel invested.
AI_toothbrush@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
I felt like it was a world where a loooot of effort was put into certain aspects and then other parts of the world were neglected. Seemed like a waste of potential. For example some of the visual effects are kinda good even today, not just cause of the fidelity but also cause it seems like one cohesive piece. Talking about cohesion, the first and second halfs of this movie are two different movies, both with the storytelling and the visual effects and i like the first half muuuch more. Feels like if the movie focused on the Na’vi more it wouldve been better. An actually interesting story about slowly fitting more and more into a different culture got turned into some generic about natives fighting back, which you can do but then use one of the thousand examples irl, dont waste such a good oppurtunity to make something special. This is why i think so few fancy, high-budget movies tell good stories, without visual effects and huge sets you actually have to tell a story worth hearing to make your movie special. This of course doesnt mean visually captivating movies cant be narratively engaging, im just saying its rare.
DrBob@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
Number 1 was a retelling of Ferngully the Last Rainforest. spotlightonfilm.com/…/avatar-vs-ferngully-the-las…
TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 1 day ago
As someone who hasn’t watched FernGully (but should), I’m increasingly skeptical of these types of “plagiarism” comparisons between movies. Lindsay Ellis recently broke down the “Aladdin was stolen” narrative and compellingly showed “it’s complicated”, and more obviously, YMS five years ago fucking eviscerated the then-popular argument that The Lion King was a ripoff of Kimba the White Lion.
ol_capt_joe@piefed.ee 1 day ago
Or dances with wolves
brucethemoose@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Interesting.
I’d bet it’s an example of coincidental convergence. Take the median/average of the tropes for that premise, and I can see writers coming up with a similar story.
HelluvaKick@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
3 is honestly closer to 1, but I love all of them and love ole Jimmy Cammy and am along for whatever ride he decides to take me on
chiliedogg@lemmy.world 1 day ago
The end action sequence was just the end action sequences from the first 2 films stacked on top of each other.
The thing is, it was still visually gorgeous, and I loved watching it in the theatre. Avatar is eye candy, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Oh - and I do think the idea of trees with shared root systems forming a planet-wide distributed consciousness is actually pretty awesome sci-fi.
foodandart@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Oh - and I do think the idea of trees with shared root systems forming a planet-wide distributed consciousness is actually pretty awesome sci-fi.
Spot-on.
vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 9 hours ago
Pretty sure the Exodites from Warhammer 40k have something similar going on, problem is Exodite lore is fucken barren. GW give me space murder elves, Athel Loren in space with dinosaurs is all I want, let me feed Abadon to the trees GW.
cattywampas@lemmy.world 1 day ago
This is what frustrates me. The Avatar universe has the bones to have some amazing lore and world building, but really missed on execution.
Carrot@lemmy.today 1 day ago
I didn’t even know there was a 3rd one, I thought everyone was talking about the second one this whole time.
ZkhqrD5o@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
2 and 3 are the same movie. I came for the bombastic spectacle, I watched it in 4D with moving seats, steam machines and a wind tunnel and I had a good time. I knew the story would be forgettable trash and with the right expectations I had a good time.
FatTony@lemmy.world 11 hours ago
not long enough between 2 and 3.
You’re wrong about that. It’s exactly enough (maybe even too long) given they’re the same exact movie.
Quacksalber@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
They are stellar if you like worldbuilding and pretty worlds. They are ok to good story-wise. In terms of worldbuilding, for me, they stand on the same level as the LotR movies (not the books mind you).
ol_capt_joe@piefed.ee 1 day ago
Amazing VFX though 🤌💋
THE_GR8_MIKE@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Oh yeahhh, they made a third one too. I forgot about that.
HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 1 day ago
It was basically 2 part 2
CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world 22 hours ago
My understanding is that it was an unexpected success and it was used as a technology demonstration for Alita. However Alita was much less successful.
ThatWeirdGuy1001@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I made it through maybe 10 minutes of the second one before turning it off because the plot was just that fucking dumb.
BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
3 was a waste of money and I’m saying this as someone who liked 2
M137@lemmy.today 1 day ago
I really feel like the vast majority of people misunderstand these movies. They are visual feasts, made specifically to be pretty and push tech used for movies further along. I have never seen anything from Cameron or anyone else involved say otherwise. They aren’t trying to be story telling masterpieces, they are popcorn flicks that you go to the biggest and best cinema to see and just be wowed by the spectacle. And I really enjoy them for that, seen all three in cinemas, biggest and best screens with 3d in my city. Had a blast every time, it’s all about knowing what you’re watching and why.
JayDee@lemmy.world 15 hours ago
Okay, yes, true, but they also constructed the entire N’avi language, created a fuckton of lore about the planet, and thoroughly fleshed out the lore and design of Earth and its voyage to and from Pandora.
This wasn’t a visual feast made for the viewer, this was a feast made to employ all these skilled artisans in a massive production, and EVERYONE except the writers fucking blew it out of the water.
ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 15 hours ago
But that’s the whole point. The highest-grossing movie of all time was a popcorn flick with zero cultural impact. That’s exactly what this meme is saying. How are people misunderstanding this?
BloodMuffin@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
exactly. expectation determines your enjoyment. movies often get slammed for doing exactly what they were trying to do.
Jason Statham movies won’t move you emotionally, horror movies won’t make sense, just watch it for what it is
FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 13 hours ago
And that’s perfectly fine if you like that kind of movie. But people who don’t like that kind of movie have no reason to watch these
samus12345@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
When I saw it in the theater back when it came out, it was with my extended family and I knew nothing about it. I assumed it was an Avatar: The Last Airbender movie (which I also knew almost nothing about other than the name). It was a ways into the movie before I realized that I was watching the movie and not some sort of extended preview of another one.
The movie was fine. Great visuals, mediocre plot. It doesn’t deserve to have had much of a cultural impact.
jackintosh@feddit.nl 1 day ago
Pocahontas, in space!
lechekaflan@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
last two was just Moby Dick, with Quaritch becoming Ahab.
sem@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
Also Warcraft iii
FatVegan@leminal.space 1 day ago
Does it have a cultural impact? The franchise seems to have very few hardcore fans and hardly any casual fans. I was at a comic con this weekend and i have seen a guy dressed as a navi. That was the only cosplay i have ever seen. There is also a guy that has his car airbrushed with avatar stuff ever since the first movie came out. Other than that i don’t think i have ever even seen an avatar tshirt
foodandart@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Never seemed to be marketed that way.
I like the films - then again, I’m a sucker for big cinema and IMAX 3D, so from an eye-candy perspective, it’s glorious. Is the story anything earth-shaking? Of course not. It’s escapist fluff… but oh… how it looks.
HerbalGamer@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Didnt Disney build an entire theme park section based on the franchise?
prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
I’ve watched both of the sequels now (on the high seas), and they were actually pretty entertaining.
xx3rawr@sh.itjust.works 22 hours ago
It’s cultural impact is the idea that it so remarkably didn’t have one
kandoh@reddthat.com 10 hours ago
These are movies you only want to watch in the theatre with 3D, and cultural impact requires the youth to obsessively re-watch the media at home.
melsaskca@lemmy.ca 13 hours ago
I never did get all the hype for Avatar. I saw the first movie, and I liked it. But it was no juggernaut, nothing super special. The media machine can sure artificially pump things up though.
captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 7 hours ago
Almost all of my memory of the original Avatar:
I went to see it with my girlfriend at the time, and she kept reaching into our bag of popcorn, getting engrossed in the movie and just leaving her hand in there, so if I wanted popcorn I’d scritch at her wrist with my fingertips.
There’s a point in the movie where it does this big heavy fade to black. It’s near or beyond the midpoint of the film, and someone in the theater said “Act two.” and half the audience cracked up.
Jake Sooolly.
People talk about the spectacular CG effects, I really only remember one scene, Native Chick takes Jake Sooolly for a walk in the woods at night and everything’s glowing. That scene was striking. Most of the rest of the movie is stored in my brain as visual sludge.
I also remember the news talking about people being upset that they couldn’t be tall sexy blue cat people.
SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world 15 hours ago
I think the cultural impact it has is that it proofs that adults do want to see a full feature animation in the theater that is aimed for adults and isn’t a kids comedy. Cameron succeeded where Zemeckis failed. Beowulf crawled and stumbled so Avatar could run.
bampop@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
Let’s not forget the extent to which these movies have inspired people to bitch about them on the internet. If that’s not a cultural impact I don’t know what is.
GimmeUrBelt@lemmy.today 9 hours ago
Beowulf animated is dope, though. Anthony Hopkins kills it, as does the actor for Beowulf. And Grendel.
FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 13 hours ago
I’m genuinely surprised the sequels are making money. I didn’t see any of them in theatres. I didn’t think people cared about this franchise. Maybe some are going mainly for the visuals, that’s the main reason I go to see the Jurassic movies
KneeTitts@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
I’m genuinely surprised the sequels are making money
The second one did well, but the third made half what the second made. I dont expect we’ll see a fourth
nightlily@leminal.space 10 hours ago
It still made more than most blockbusters could dream of. Literally the 16th highest box office ever. We’re definitely getting a 4th.
Jela@lemmy.today 11 hours ago
I agree. Understanding that the visuals might be highly regarded, I truly don’t know of anyone in my network who goes to see these sequels. It makes me wonder if the numbers for viewership are inflated.
kandoh@reddthat.com 10 hours ago
There are people overseas who have only ever been to the theatre to see Avatar because it’s like a theme park ride
Bruncvik@lemmy.world 1 day ago
One word: Papyrus
LuminousLuddite@lemmy.world 1 day ago
HE KNOWS WHAT HE DID!
ICastFist@programming.dev 1 day ago
sem@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
Unobtainium
atopi@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
i once got 3rd place in an avatar trivia competition on a modded minecraft server
i still have not received my prize
Siegfried@lemmy.world 5 hours ago
What was the prize suppose to be?
atopi@piefed.blahaj.zone 4 hours ago
some hats and 5 keys for a lootbox (for a team of 3)
keys were really easy to obtain and, if i remember correctly, i also had multiple stacks of netherite blocks (thanks to a netherite farm), making me really rich
gedaliyah@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I was thinking about this the other day - I saw the movie and I know what a Navi is, but I can’t recall a single memorable quote or name a character. There is no memorable SNL sketch except the one masking fun of the Papyrus font. There is no fandom, there is nothing
seggturkasz@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Nahh! Another cultural impact is, that if you are one with natur it is acceptable to put your tentacle thingies into your girl, pull out, and into an animal it goes. You can even force it into a bird and people will like you for it. I newer saw them wash it after pulling out of an animal, probably it went straight back into the girl off screen.
brucethemoose@lemmy.world 1 day ago
The other Avatar, on the other hand…
BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
I was entertained, it was pretty, it pushed for better facial animations. Other than that it’s no real major impact.
yermaw@sh.itjust.works 11 hours ago
Ive seen a lot about avatar in the last few days. Is it just one guy with a problem with it or something?
MeatPilot@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Ferngully did it better.
wjrii@lemmy.world 1 day ago
At this point, I think its most lasting cultural impact is everyone’s opinion on how little cultural impact it had.
trxxruraxvr@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I never even saw it. From what I heard it’s basically Pocahontas in space. The main new thing was that it was the first major 3D movie, so I’m not very surprised it didn’t stick.
IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I remember south park making fun of Avatar for being so painfully generic.
Ilovethebomb@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
I know someone who went to see the second one, and there was a power cut part way through. He said he was relieved he didn’t have to see the rest.
I didn’t bother seeing that one.
TabbsTheBat@pawb.social 1 day ago
Bad crop? Bro, we’re gonna starve
Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I didn’t realize Zuckerberg was in it
Eternal192@anarchist.nexus 1 day ago
I’m just focusing on the fleshlight in the back…
recked_wralph@lemmy.world 1 day ago
OldSageRick@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Sawfisch
What fisch tho?
Quacksalber@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
And it’s fucking great for it.
fedikitty@piefed.social 1 day ago
But pretty CGI
BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.cafe 1 day ago
It was a mediocre movie, that didn’t deserve a single sequel, but Cameron has the juice to force anything.
Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 23 hours ago
The Blue Rabbits Fucking sketch from Robot Chicken is bloody hilarious.
Kaligalis@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
The cultural impact is to prove that setting a new bar for mind-blowing gorgeous CGI was still possible a decade after Babylon 5. The Way of Water repeated that incredible feat.
I didn’t watch that Fire And Ash yet; so don’t know whether it further ruins every single other modern movie further or just keeps them disappointing by reinforcing standards which seemingly no one else is willing to consider.
James Cameron proved that there is a massive market for movies without witty punchlines and convoluted plots which require one to have the booklet (or nowadays phone) at hand to read along like when going to the opera.
He took the most overused classic western plot and made it work great on the big screen for a heterogenous global audience. He didn’t need any well-established franchise to back his adaptation of “White men invade land of natives; all hope is lost. But then one of the whites turns out to be the savior and helps the natives to repel the invasion.”
It was refreshing to watch a movie that let me pick a side without coming up with some forced gotcha-everything-is-morally-gray bullshit. That shit even infested the comic adaptations by now.
The plot couldn’t be more bland. The characters couldn’t be more forgettable. The movies still are masterpieces regardless. Yes, I cringed at some points. But overall, they were a great experience. And yes, I also like Western.
Btw, Papyrus is a fitting choice for the title font.
BrickEater@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
10/10 technical marvel 0/10 everything else
Folstar@lemmus.org 9 hours ago
I’m not a big Avatar fan, but you make a compelling case. Extra points for a B5 reference.
The morally-gray stories CAN be good, but not in the hands of most modern movie/streaming writers who somehow all seem to have gone to the school of “Trust me bro, I’m somehow better than the internationally acclaimed author who wrote the IP I’ve been handed” with a major in “mystery boxes” and minor in “identity IS character”.
Cribac@discuss.online 8 hours ago
Papyrus…
Image