Every Movie Tells a Story (Kind of)

OK, I'm really pissed off. The hub had today off so, since eating was out of the question, we decided to go to a movie. Now, since most of the movies that are out easily transition to the small screen, we decided to take in "Avatar" since it seems kind of big screen worthy. I've been a little reluctant to see this film because I saw a trailer for it some months ago and divined the whole plot from that three minute snippet.

Then I read about the vast amounts of money the movie was raking in and all the award nominations it was receiving. "Well," I thought, "given all the hoopla about this movie, maybe its better than I thought. Maybe they had a good, deep script and made a great movie - it was just a weak trailer." (cue harsh sound of "wrong" buzzer).

The first time I saw part of this plot line, it was in "Star Wars - Return of the Jedi." Where the primitive Ewoks beat the technologically advanced Empire with their wits, arrows and superior numbers. The next time I saw another major part of this plot line was in "Dances With Wolves"
wherein the studly outsider is seduced by the purity of the indigenous culture and the smokin' babe who is part of the group.

Yes, there are small differences and plot points, but I couldn't escape feeling that I'd seen this story before. A lot of times. I'll give the movie all kinds of points for special effects. I mean, that's the son unit's field after all, but with all the money they obviously spent on effects, couldn't they have invested just a teeny bit more on a script? One with a plot twist or two? The characters may as well have been wearing signs around their necks saying "bad guy", "good guy" "hot babe"etc.

I realize that "Avatar" is the prototypical nerd movie and arguing its merits, or lack of same, makes me a nerd, too. Almost as much as the Star Trek uniform (original series) I have hanging in my closet. But come on, the whole world is in danger of becoming a dumbed down planet - what with reality TV, teabagging (and I mean that in the political sense...) and threats of filibustering causing normally sane people to assume the fetal position and shiver.

We need stories that make people think, not stories that whack you over the head with the message. Yeah, this story had a message and right before I fell asleep, I remember thinking that this was a pretty (obvious) movie and its no wonder its grossing so much since it cost $30 for the two of us to sit through a matinee of it. Yes, that included 3D glasses but it still pisses me off...