Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer draws debate on just how valid the relentless pursuit of exploration and power is for our planet.
After the success of the Trinity Test, the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer finds himself in a moral quandary over his role in giving the world the weapon that is capable of destroying it.
In a way, James Cameron’s Avatar touches on a similar theme of how trailing after power and wealth leads to dire consequences – only in this case, the victims are the indigenous Na’vi of exomoon Pandora.
Which Scene in James Cameron’s Avatar Set the Tone for Avatar 2
Avatar (2009) was a revolutionary movie of its time, as James Cameron introduced moviegoers to the magical experience of 3-D in a true sense, but at the same time touched on the subject that has been a big part of modern history.
The story follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a paraplegic Marine, who is dispatched to Pandora on a mission in the year 2154. As Jake understands more about the culture of the highly evolved indigenous population he finds himself torn between continuing the mission of greed at the expense of the Na’vi’s home or saving Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and her Omatikaya clan.
Among the many engrossing and pivotal scenes, the destruction of the Hometree encapsulates the concept of Manifest Destiny perfectly, as the so-called intelligent race is so drowned in its own arrogance and greed that it fails to take into account the emotions and lives of the native population. On the order of Colonel Miles Quaritch, RDA’s private military wreaks havoc on the Omatikaya clan’s ancestral Hometree to evict them and gain access to the large unobtanium mine.
The conflict shown between the Na’vi population and the human miners resonated with the indigenous community around the world who were (and still are) impacted by colonial expansion and played a big part in convincing Cameron to bring Avatar 2. He talked about the subject in an interview with Deadline, saying:
“The colonial expansion in the U.S. was considered to be manifest destiny. [The attitude is] we deserve this, it’s ours, we can take it — regardless of the fact that there are people already living there. It’s the same principle. But you know, I think sort of causes and themes and subtext aside, it was also just the joy and the captivation that the movie seemed to create for people. And when I sat down with my writing team, I said, “We’ve got to figure out how that movie really worked in the mind and the subconscious of the audience, and we have to do that again.”
In the same response, Cameron admitted while making Avatar, the makers didn’t really see it as the start of any bigger story. However, the reactions it generated made Avatar 2 possible after 13 years.
What’s Manifest Destiny in James Cameron’s Avatar 2
In Avatar: The Way of Water Jake lives happily with Neytiri, raising their children and leading the Omatikaya clan. However, 16 years after the destruction of the Hometree, the human threat resurfaces in Pandora. Even in the year 2169, Na’vi’s are faced with Manifest Destiny – both the colonial idea and a literal spaceship, led by Edie Falco’s General Frances Ardmore.
“So it is funny you mention manifest destiny. That’s actually the name I gave to the spacecraft that comes down and incinerates the big kill zone [in Avatar: The Way of Water],” the Titanic director said.
The Interstellar Vehicle Manifest Destiny was much more advanced than its predecessor (used in Avatar) and helped General Ardmore establish the colony of Bridgehead – a base for RDA near the Pandoran oceans. A ground zero for human colonization.
The movie which also featured Kate Winslet was a major box office success, earning $2.3 billion worldwide. However, it couldn’t beat Avatar which managed a historic $2.9 billion globally at the box office.
Source: Deadline
