In one phrase – a visual treat! If you haven’t already seen it, you are missing out on something.
This is not a review, but just my interpretation of what I saw. It may have spoilers, so do not read it if you haven’t seen it. At least that’s what I do anytime there is a movie that’s much hyped about.To me it was too much like the story of Lord Rama (Obviously there is no 100% analogy, so please do not point out what is not similar). The title led me to think about the 10 avatars (Dasavatharam) and I was seeing more and more of Rama and his story in it.
The Blue Color – Ramar (I fondly remembered how paati used to describe silk saris – Ramar bluela then color border, I like using things we know to describe colors instead of the fancy burgundy, beige words ! Yes, Burgundy is a wine and the color is associated with it but how many people who use it actually know what it means?!)
The colorful dragon – Jatayu
The bow and arrow – Each time Jake took the bow and arrow stance, I always thought of the Ramayana Panchathantra comics.
The tree – Karpagavriksham (It is called the tree of life and eternity in Hindu mythology. I have to admit though I don’t know if this appears in Ramayana)
The hanging mountain – Sanjeevani malai (Hanuman brings it to save Lakshman’s life - yeah, yeah, was not a hanging mountain but was a mountain with special powers)
The belief in Death – Neytiri says that there is no death but the beings just go back to where they came from – exactly the belief Hinduism has (that is why the body is cremated, so that it returns to the earth)
The forest, The monkeys, The animals and Neytiri’s fondness for it and obviously the fight against evil (Evil today is indeed destroying nature).
Oh...well…coming back to the real world, the graphics (yeah, yeah, CGI) were unbelievable. Many times I forgot that the avatars are not actual actors and I never realized how lengthy the movie was (It was more than 2.5 hours) until I came out of the theatre and saw the time. Yes, the fight at the end was lengthier than it could/should have been but the rest of the movie more than makes up for it.
Go, go, get your 3D glasses (aka put on a nerdy look) and enjoy the movie!
Picture from the Ramayana animation movie
AVATAR... What not to say. From the title it sows the essence of Hinduism. Sowmee what you have written was exact the feel who enjoyed the movie.
ReplyDeleteFor me it reminds the Kaurna land here - Adelaide (Englishmen named it. Aboriginals - the bushtuckers are the real people who live in their land and with the nature - wind, water, fire,earth and clouds.
Whatever J.Cameron had tried to say is true. Its a lesson to each and every humanbeing to learn. I dont know what the world leaders talk and discuss in Copenhagen. But after watching this movie atleast should realise how to act soon.
Ramayanama or Mahabharathama Dont Know...
The story crux is the essence of Life - Hinduism.
Continue your wonder words....
@Pera
ReplyDeletethanks, though I wouldn't go so far as to say that Hinduism is the essence of life. Like Avatar, I agree that Balance (and co-existence) are the essences of Life. I just understood the movie in terms of something I grew up with.
Nice analogy and a good description.
ReplyDeletehi, did u watch in english or german?
ReplyDelete@kamal
ReplyDeleteIn English. idhukellam german konjam jasthi dhan.
hahaha,for a moment u sounded like a VHP/BJP/etc. karsevak. They would be mightly impressed readin this...
ReplyDelete@vikram
ReplyDeleteohh..what did I ever do to you, why are you getting me in trouble :D ?!
Question is after all this technological advancement, can HUMANS dare to go back and live as one with Nature??? In other words "endru thaniyum intha iyarkayin thagam? endru madiyum engal technologyin mogam??"
ReplyDelete@Viki
ReplyDeleteI think its already started, albeit very slowly - no. of people who eat food without any preservatives or people who eat 'raw' food have increased drastically. The Maldives situation is making people think as well. Here is one such initiative - http://sowmyagopal.blogspot.com/2009/12/want-to-invest-in-carbon.html, so to me it looks like a cycle - create, spoil, repair, destroy and then the cycle repeats all over again
But the problem is Organic or Raw food is luxury and has kinda become a life-style exhibit. And if you think the solution to this is the Economic Theory of demand and supply.......wrong. 'Cos the there are no lands left to do that kinda production. And not to mention...all that arriving at solutions thingie is involving and evolving more and more technological advances, technology here synonymous with "man's inept grasp of the absolute that is still light years from anywhere close to perfect". and yes i did read your invest in carbon blog as well. But the whole point here is that it still involves currency. Of course u have already mentioned that the last phase of the cycle is desctruction and true to the last syllable. But nonetheless, i guess we are still in the spoiling phase. 'cos the repair phase is going to quick and mankind would have only stopped to wipe the sweat of its forehead in between trying in vain to tinker with the situation and say "we are f*****" and lo, there will be the destruction begun. Finally in your words...... these are not opinions. Just banter, chaff, whtever.
ReplyDeleteAVATAR .... one of my favourite movies,i'll say. I couldnt come out of any scene and think it could/should have been better. Avatars, like you said, i felt them as humans only. Many scenes gave me goosebumps, especially when jake and neytiri flies in their drangons and smile at each other :) and when all the animals join the war. It was an absolute entertainer, though i feared that it wont get a great reception, as it happened for titanic. Music is really really good - James horner (obvious choice) ..... FYI, in chennai all the theatres are running houseful shows till date :)
ReplyDeleteThe Graphics in the movie, I loved it, though it did not remind me about Ramayana.. Interesting analogy. I felt it reminded me a lot about the African culture I have read about.
ReplyDeleteWell you might have to recheck on what is Karpaga Vrusham though :)
@Dawson
ReplyDeleteTitanic or romance always beats science fiction or environmental issues since many more people identify with the former than with the latter :)
@Musing Gal
As far as I remember, Karpaga Vriksham is the tree that gives you what you ask for (ketpadhai kudukkum karpaga vriksham is the phrase I vividly remember, in case you understand thamizh)