Avatar (2009)

[The Procrastinator]

They could grow an avatar for one of the blue cat people - send it back to Earth...

[J-WO]

I think you're right Procrastinator. Human avatars. I'd put money on it. For a start, the name will still make sense. Also, Zoe Saldana would get to be human rather than big and blue (and her stocks rising what with the Trek franchise and Pirates of the Caribbean, so the executives will probably want more 'visibility' on that score), plus you can't have leads who are not human all the way through (We've no problem with that but you know Hollywood!).

Not so sure about Earth though. Still, never know.

[pyan]

I wouldn't be so sure that the reverse avatar idea would go down so well - let's face it, 90% of the attraction of the original film is the world-setting and the visuals. Hard to see one of the Na'vi in a human avatar on Earth is going to have the same impact...

[Interference]

3D is fabulous.

[The Procrastinator]

But I believe we've pretty much wrecked Earth in this future Py (or that's the impression I got). It would be kinda nifty for a Na'vi avatar to try and save or salvage Earth's biosphere. After all:
In the Na'vi
You can learn to climb a tree
In the Na'vi
There's no tax or stamp duty
In the Na'vi
Feeling blue is feeling free
In the Na'vi
In the Na'vi!

[Boneman]

Lol, procrastinator.... I like that!

Just saw it last night - very impressive, if a little 'hollywood' (that's where it was made for god's sake, Boneman!). Didn't you just know that he was going to ride the big bad winged thing when she was showing him the skeleton head? - the gun on the mantlepiece if ever there was one... I was really hoping the little squirt who sanctioned the attacks was going to die horribly!

[J-WO]

Originally Posted by Boneman

I was really hoping the little squirt who sanctioned the attacks was going to die horribly!

Impaled on his own golf club.

[Mary Hoffman]

Originally Posted by J-WO

Impaled on his own golf club.

That is Giovanni Ribisi you are dissing! Not one of his finest moments I agree.

[J-WO]

Oh, no; I praise Mr Ribisi! It takes a lot of acting chops to portray someone so reprehensible yet still possessing a modicum of humanity. It would have been simple to act pure evil, but Ribisi goes for morally weak and blindly greedy.

The guy doesn't get enough exposure. Hopefully he'll be in the sequel.

[Themistocles]

Heading back to Earth is a great idea. Didn't think about the reverse Avatar concept. Would be kinda neat if they tried to save Earth. Perhaps they revitalize Earth with life from Pandora???

[The Procrastinator]

Well they can't exactly do a repeat of Avatar on Pandora, so they have to go somewhere else, and if the Avatar concept has to remain relevant then why not save the earth while they're at it? Its all about wish-fulfilment anyway. As far as the practicalities go, I was struck while watching the film by the similarity of Pandora's linked ecosystem to Sheri Tepper's Arbai device - an underground fungal/thread network physically linking the biosphere in a subtle empathetic (voluntary) bond. Pandora's would need engineering to fit the different chemical balance of our world, but it could be done. This could be the "Pandora's Box" scenario hinted at in the title of the world...

[GOLLUM]

I may be one of the few people on the planet yet to watch this much hyped movie. Most of my friends who have seen it were not overly impressed by the plot or the dialogue, albeit the graphics were reportedly stunning.

I'm one of those old fashioned types who normally prefers intelligent content over pure show when it comes to film.

Go figure...

[Winters_Sorrow]

Hmm. This really may not be the film for you then Gollum. Any interesting ideas or concepts seem to get washed away in the music and effects, although I will say the dialogue and performances are not so bad as the movie first starts out. It does tends to get more "boo-hiss" scenery-munching towards the end of the movie and it's climax

[GOLLUM]

In that case I'll buy some beers instead....

[Parson]

Originally Posted by The Procrastinator

Well they can't exactly do a repeat of Avatar on Pandora, so they have to go somewhere else, and if the Avatar concept has to remain relevant then why not save the earth while they're at it? Its all about wish-fulfilment anyway. As far as the practicalities go, I was struck while watching the film by the similarity of Pandora's linked ecosystem to Sheri Tepper's Arbai device - an underground fungal/thread network physically linking the biosphere in a subtle empathetic (voluntary) bond. Pandora's would need engineering to fit the different chemical balance of our world, but it could be done. This could be the "Pandora's Box" scenario hinted at in the title of the world...

I'm thinking of Jack Chalker's "Four Lords of the Diamond" series. This series had a concept like this as well. But I think that when the sequel, and there will be a sequel, comes out the location will be Pandora not earth. There are too many avenues to explore there, and it gives another shot at the CAG wizards to make us ohhh and ahhh again.