Avatar review thread

[NecronLord]

Let's look at one fucking thing: The fact that when the big greedy corporation is shown evidence that the entire ecosystem and especially the plants are part of one massive organic neural network capable of storing whole consciences (or so it would seem), rather than going: "FUCK YEAH!" and calling in even more scientists to exploit this resource that will no doubt be far more valuable in the long run than unobtainium instead decide to destroy it all.

It's obviously a metaphor for companies tearing up actual rainforest regardless of its biodiversity. That doesn't really bother me at all. Businesses aren't exactly known for long-termism as a rule. The actual evidence of this neural network is limited, and Selfrige is obviously concerned with his own interests - which is get unobtanium on the next ship out - not the general interest of humanity, or even the company. How good would it look for him if the next ship went back empty but with a few journals saying "hey, we can get some cool stuff out of the biosphere, but we didn't want to piss off the natives."

Let's not go into how stupid the mercs are. What was the point of putting in a ground force in the big assault, especially one with soft, squishy and exposed grunts? Why give the order to scatter when the best option would have been to remain a tight pack and present a wall of lead to anything attacking?

God knows. The only reason that springs to mind is being worried that the Na'vi would push some big rocks onto them from the bigger flying rocks.

And if you've got orbital imagery of all the clans gathering around the big tree that's your target, why not drop a fucking satellite onto it from orbit rather than committing your whole force to an area where you know that your biggest advantage (tech) will be made redundant.

I would assume that the satellites aren't designed to be made into projectiles at the drop of a hat. While of course, the ship itself could doubtless contrive a better weapon, that assumes there's something in orbit in the hard-sci-fi-every-kilo-counts setting that they can afford to lose.

As a dollar value, the mercenaries lives are quite possibly cheaper than the sattellites.

Although Ando is right, the biggest value of Pandora, aside from fucking sentient aliens(!) and the superconductor ore, was the network encompassing the whole moon. Why didn't the future version of GSK or Pfizer tell RDA to take a hike?

Hopefully there will be humans from such in the next film, twelve years hence? That theory was only being formed when Sully arrived on Pandora, after all. It would be nice to see... less dick-ish humans.

Of course, there should probably have been a stronger exploration mission in place anyway.

Actually, I bet Weyland-Yutani would have done this the right way. And by right way, I mean making money off exploiting the local flora and fauna AND minerals.

*Eyes Alien Special Edition*

Where they did the sensible thing and sent a fully equipped expedition full of androids to the downed ship. Wait...

Hell, these guys didn't care about an giant superior-technology alien space ship, but for a 'bio weapon' that's not even that effective... yeah.

[Admiral Valdemar]

There's no way of knowing if the Derelict could even be used. It was totally alien tech, and given how hard it was to come to terms with Xenomorphs, it's a lot like the RDA overlooking the Eywa network.

And really, you think WY wanted the USCM to exterminate their find? Gorman, just one synth and a bunch of misfits? Sounds like someone expected a plan of eradication to turn into a bugging out mission, with maybe one or too infected. Burke's little plan would've been ample. They'd have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for that meddling kid... 'Sides, a whole new form of organism isn't an effective investment?

Aaanyway, I don't know what form an AVTR sequel will take, but given another ISV should be en route anyway, the predicament will be interesting.

[NecronLord]

Umm. I'm not talking about those bozos. I'm talking about just sending an expedition prepared to deal with it. After all, smuggling things isn't really that hard; and exploring the ship is far more likely to secure your samples than running the risk of someone doing another Nostromo on the colony. Sending a dozen robots in to examine it seems much more sensible, even with worries of government interference.

I expect, given that part of the point was to use the same CG libraries, we'll see the humans and their technology back.

[adam_grif]

Or, heaven forbid, an entire movie with the Na'Vi.

[Starglider]

Or, heaven forbid, an entire movie with the Na'Vi.

Perhaps the plot will follow the obvious prototype?

[NecronLord]

Or, heaven forbid, an entire movie with the Na'Vi.

Personally, I'd enjoy it - I liked the Na'vi, remember. But a wholly Na'vi movie excludes a good part of the R&D done for the original film from reappearing.

Really, what I don't want is just an Avatar empire-strikes-back where the humans come back to kill. Can you imagine the amount of armamentophile spooge and nerd rage d generate?

[Srelex]

Really, what I don't want is just an Avatar empire-strikes-back where the humans come back to kill. Can you imagine the amount of armamentophile spooge and nerd rage d generate?

"OMG WHY DIDNT THEY USE THE KINETIXC KILLFUCKOTRON FROM TEH ORBIT OR TEH ASTEROID WITH DA ION FLUX CAPAYICCOR ENGINE!!11"

Well, at least judging by Aliens Cameron is aware of the concept of orbital bombardment and if RDA returning be the case will at least try to write around it.

[adam_grif]

THE FLUX FIELD INTERFERES WITH THE KILLFUCKOTRON, PREVENTING US FROM BOMBARDING FROM ORBIT. WE HAVE TO SEND IN THE GRUNTS AGAIN, IN THE EXACT SAME GEAR THEY HAD LAST TIME.

Personally, I'd enjoy it - I liked the Na'vi, remember. But a wholly Na'vi movie excludes a good part of the R&D done for the original film from reappearing.

Really, what I don't want is just an Avatar empire-strikes-back where the humans come back to kill. Can you imagine the amount of armamentophile spooge and nerd rage d generate?

Obviously they don't want to reuse 100% of the CGI libraries, just a large portion of them. I can imagine the Na'Vi biosphere being enough for the savings. They'll be making some new stuff too no doubt.

Imagine the rage from the other side of the fence if the people returning weren't just more corporate dick strawmen, and were actually people, and claimed that they needed the unobtanium because Earth was dying and this was the only way to save it.