Cameron: ‘Avatar’ not slam on Corps

[CommunityEditor]

Avatar, the highly anticipated 3-D movie by director James Cameron, was met with enthusiasm by audiences across the globe and has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide as of Jan. 6. Talks of a sequel are already underway.

But despite commercial success, Avatar has been the target of anger and backlash from some who see it as an affront to the Marine Corps and a negative allegory for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the movie, a paraplegic Marine veteran named Jake agrees to travel to the distant, resource-rich planet Pandora where he works with the military and private mercenaries to displace a humanoid race called the Na’vi so that their land can be mined for precious minerals. In return for his service, Jake is to receive a surgery that will allow him to walk again, but after infiltrating the Na-vi with an avatar identity, he falls in love with one of the locals and decides to take a stand against the money-hungry corporation that seeks to eradicate them.

Chief among critics of the movie is the Marine Corps’ own director of public affairs, Col. Bryan Salas. In a recent letter to the Marine Corps Times (see below) he said the film, “takes sophomoric shots at our military culture.”

Have you seen Avatar? Do you think it portrays the Marine Corps or military at large in a negative light?


Col. Bryan Salas' letter:
Lost amid the staggering commercial success of “Avatar” and obscured by the punditry of the left and right as they debate James Cameron’s social and historical commentary are the real warriors whose heroism, valor and selfless service has allowed the U.S. to leave a war in Iraq that many in 2006 thought was unwinnable and indeed salvage success from the jaws of calamity.

“Avatar” takes sophomoric shots at our military culture and uses the lore of the Marine Corps and over-the-top stereotyping of Marine warriors to set the context for the screenplay. This does a disservice to our Corps of Marines and the publics’ understanding of their Corps.

The Marine Corps embraces a warrior-scholar mentality and prides itself on understanding host country narratives and sensitivities in complex climes and places. Gen. James Mattis, whose catch-phrase is “no better friend, no worse enemy,” better captures the essence of Marines who helped usher in the Sunni Awakening in Anbar province than the cinemagraphically convenient colonel-turned-mercenary antagonist in “Avatar.”

Let’s view “Avatar” for what it is, a leap in the wizardry of cinema, a digital fantasy and a vehicle for a film-maker to make a statement, but not emblematic of the Marines who honorably fight and fall to win our nation’s real battles today.


Col. Bryan Salas director of public affairs
Headquarters Marine Corps


Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/20...vatar_010810w/

[SailorDave]

The hero of the movie is a former Marine, who didn't let his paralysis keep him from getting the job done. That epitomizes the very nature of what we want Marines to be.

I don't remember the military personnel specifically being called Marines, although I might have missed that. There are some military ranks used, but the "Colonel" calls the hero "Corporal", even though he's no longer an active Marine.

[kenny10]

The hero of the movie is a former Marine, who didn't let his paralysis keep him from getting the job done. That epitomizes the very nature of what we want Marines to be.

I don't remember the military personnel specifically being called Marines, although I might have missed that. There are some military ranks used, but the "Colonel" calls the hero "Corporal", even though he's no longer an active Marine.

wtf? The only Marine in that movie is Jake Sully aka Sam Worthington. He plays a character that I loved and it made me smile to think that they made the star a Marine. The only derogative lines in the Movies come from some of the scientists who constantly talk about how dumb Jarheads are, and how stupid Jake is. " I don't need another idiot running around with a gun" is a line from the movie that I remember. Jake, just smiles.
I think with the high level intelligence (among many other Marine traits) that "Jake" the recon Marine displayed in the movie came to light in the things that he did so I did not feel that it was negative towards the Marine Corps.
Maybe I am missing something.............

[MACHINE666]

It's called "Science Fiction" so deal with it. What part of "Science" and "Fiction" don't you understand?

[SailorDave]

So, you're agreeing with me ?? I think Colonel Salas is equating the planet's security forces as being Marines. I got the impression that they were a contracted security force, belonging to the company that hired them. Yes, they have some military ranks, but so do police officers in many states. Even the contract security company that patrols the base here uses military ranks to distinguish ranking.

[MACHINE666]

No that was to Col Salas. I shoulda quoted but I was too quick on the reply...

[Funkymustafa]

I agree totally and completely with the colonel.

While we are at it, we should also ban Call of Duty 4. This game takes sophomoric shots at the Marine Corps and our culture by portraying Marine infantrymen as bumbling incompetent fools who lack the most fundamental understanding of fire and maneuver, are incapable of hitting obvious targets, and repeatedly get killed by enemies even on the lowest difficulty setting. This is a grave insult to all the Marines who fought with much more skill and ability in the many urban engagements of the ongoing conflicts.

[kenny10]

So, you're agreeing with me ?? I think Colonel Salas is equating the planet's security forces as being Marines. I got the impression that they were a contracted security force, belonging to the company that hired them. Yes, they have some military ranks, but so do police officers in many states. Even the contract security company that patrols the base here uses military ranks to distinguish ranking.

I am agreeing with you. They do have some rank and if I remember right at the beginning of the movie, Jake actually says they are all private contractors for hire...............

[SailorDave]

Makes me wonder if the Colonel actually saw the movie or not.

[TJMAC77SP]

I agree totally and completely with the colonel.

While we are at it, we should also ban Call of Duty 4. This game takes sophomoric shots at the Marine Corps and our culture by portraying Marine infantrymen as bumbling incompetent fools who lack the most fundamental understanding of fire and maneuver, are incapable of hitting obvious targets, and repeatedly get killed by enemies even on the lowest difficulty setting. This is a grave insult to all the Marines who fought with much more skill and ability in the many urban engagements of the ongoing conflicts.

((hoping that was sarcasm I detected))