A.V. Opinions: The Avatar franchise sucks!
James Cameron's Avatar franchise has been hailed as a visual masterpiece, but beneath its dazzling effects lies a narrative that's as stale as last week's popcorn. The series' generic world-building, predictable story, and uninspired character design have left me wondering how it's managed to rake in billions of dollars.
First off, Avatar's narrative is a rehashing of Dances with Wolves, with a dash of Pocahontas thrown in for good measure. It's a tale that's been told ad nauseam. The story's predictability is only matched by its lack of originality, making it a snooze-fest that fails to engage on even the most basic level.
The Navi, the franchise's indigenous alien race, are about as exciting as my day job. Their elongated bodies and tattoos are generic. They feel more like cheap cardboard cutouts than fully fleshed-out characters.
Pandora, the franchise's alien world, is also generic. An unremarkable landscape that fails to inspire a sense of wonder or awe. It’s a shallow, uninspired backdrop for the franchise's dull, predictable story.
James Cameron, a director who once gave us Terminator 2 and Aliens, is wasting his talent on this franchise. It's a tragedy that he's devoting his time and energy to a series that's so uninspiring. Instead of churning out Avatar crap, Cameron could be giving us a variety of memorable movies.
Avatar is a mystery that defies logic. The franchise continues to thrive, leaving me to scratch my head in disbelief. Why? How? Some mysteries in this life will go unsolved.
-Brad McBoom