“A” stands for Avatar — and for “anticipated.” The new movie from director James Cameron (remember Titanic?) opens Friday (Dec. 18), and is one of the most anticipated movies of recent years because of its huge budget and the new technology used to create it. Craig Detweiler, YouthWorker Journal‘s movie guy (along with a few other things), recently saw a special advance screening. Here’s what he had to say:
YouthWorker Journal: So, what did you think? What about the new technology Cameron uses — is it gimmicky or cool?
Craig Detweiler: I was treated to a special 30-minute preview at Fox, with 3D glasses and all. I was blown away. This film will be a blockbuster. James Cameron waited a decade for the technology to catch up to his vision to make Avatar. It was worth the wait. Avatar delivers on the promises of a technological breakthrough. But it never calls attention to the trickery. It is rooted in a compelling story, sweeping us up in an epic journey. Thirty minutes inside Avatar prompted me to buy two tickets to the first available 3D IMAX midnight screening I could find.
YWJ: Lots of films have used computer graphics and animation. What’s different about Avatar?
CD: One of the highlights of the film is the remarkably vivid jungle of Pandora. The attention to detail poured into each frame is thrilling. The insects, the leaves, and the creatures all shimmer and glow. Pandora feels deliriously alive, a throwback to the garden of Eden, or at least the rain forests as we’d like to re-imagine them — unspoiled, untamed, limitless in their secrets and species.
YWJ: What was the coolest scene you saw?
CD: The most enchanting scene we previewed took place at night when the lead character, Jake creates trouble for himself by lighting a torch. It is an announcement to all the animals, “Come, eat me.” Only the fierce intervention of Neytiri saves Jake’s avatar. When Neytiri extinguishes Jack’s flame, the forest begins to glow in the dark. What a gorgeous and magical scene for their first meeting. Translucent seeds of a sacred tree float down upon Jake like dancing dandelions. Pure digital delight! They scramble across tree branches in a world that seems upside down. I did not want their transfixing night to end. Cameron and company have packed so many details into each gorgeous frame.
YWJ: Some people have criticized Cameron for using ultra-high-tech in a film about saving native cultures and habitats. Is that valid?
CD: There is some irony in that, but Avatar employs technology to make us value God’s glorious creation anew. Some critics may carp at James Horner’s score that echoes world music we’ve heard before. Plenty will complain about Cameron’s clunky dialogue that is easily translated for filmgoers around the world. Native peoples may not appreciate the comparisons that will be drawn between themselves and the alien Na’vi. But the wonders of the film win out.
YWJ: Do the movie’s characters get lost in the technology?
CD: Our allegiance (and Jake’s) will side with the Na’vi rather than the humans. I will not speculate on how much emotion audiences will invest in the characters. But I would never bet against James Cameron — Titanic combined romance and wreckage, soul and spectacle. It started modestly and built tension and attention (at the box office).
YWJ: Who should see this film? And who shouldn’t?
CD: There appear to be plenty of bullets flying in Avatar’s final battle sequence. We saw flashes of tanks, spaceships and soldiers facing off against spears. As a parent, I will respect the PG-13 rating. There are far too many beasts to haunt the dreams of younger viewers. But for older viewers or adults wanting to experience visceral thrills, Avatar is your movie. For people who want to remember why they first fell in love with the movies, James Cameron serves up a roaring mnemonic aid.
YWJ: You’ve got a new book coming out. What’s that about?
CD: It’s a new collection of essays called Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games with God. It explores the theological implications of the second lives and virtual worlds we inhabit in popular video games. And it features top contributors like ESPN’s Matt Kitchen, who explores sports and the nature of play in Madden NFL; and Rand Miller, noted game designer and cocreator of Myst and Riven.
Other contributors address timely topics such as video games as the new storytelling medium; the theological implications of violent or apocalyptic video games like Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Resident Evil; the impact of social networks on our spiritual lives; and medical ethics and theology in controversial games such as BioShock.
YWJ: So, what’s the connection between Avatar and Halos and Avatars?
CD: With the arrival of James Cameron’s Avatar, more people have begun wondering how to navigate virtual worlds and video games. Halos and Avatars aims to demystify the gaming universe and dignify the passions of the most active gamers. We believe in the theological possibilities contained within even the most debased pop culture.”
YWJ: Who’s the publisher?
CD: Westminster John Knox Press. And did I say it was only $19.95? That’s less than two tickets to “Avatar”! And did I say that Leonard Sweet loves it? Here’s what Len says: “Every parent, every gamer, every pastor needs to get this book ASAP. Your ability to connect to a digital culture depends on it.”
YWJ: OK, Craig. You’re embarrassing us now.
CD: Sorry!
Dr. Craig Detweiler, Ph.D., MFA, is Director of the Center for Entertainment, Media and Culture at Pepperdine University in Malibu. His comedic documentary, Purple State of Mind, won Best Spiritual Film at the 2008 Breckenridge Festival of Film and the Audience Award at the 2009 Tallahassee Film Festival. His cultural commentary has appeared on ABC’s Nightline, CNN, Fox News, NPR, and in The New York Times. He blogs at www.purplestateofmind.com.
Introduction to Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games With God – Craig Detweiler, editor
Introduction to Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games With God – Craig Detweiler, editor
