Avatar, similarities to Oddworld
I don't think think there are any intentional similarities between Avatar and Oddworld, but there are some interesting thematic similarities.
For instance, the navi, like the mudokons, seem to be free of all consuming capitalism. The humans have lost touch with their connection nature as the glukons have. I'm sure there are more. There are perhaps more interesting similarities that i am missing in my tired state. SOF |
True, but the humans are not being possesed by anyone are they?
|
There are alot of similar themes, yes. I mean, you can only make a Nature Vs. Industry story in so many ways.
Avatar was like Oddworld if Oddworld was preachy and Disney-fied. |
:
|
I found the antagonists in Avatar to be completely unrealistic. Glukkons are greed and capitalism incarnate and they still seemed to have twice the depth of this douchebag...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2510/...2f6e8ff379.jpg |
:
|
I don't think the 3D is really relevant here.
|
:
|
The only thing I find simular to Oddworld is that they look like Mudokons quite a lot.
|
Yer the ponytails, they all look like abe.
|
Big differences are that Abe and his buddies are actually likeable protagonists, and the Glukkons are interesting antagonists. Everyone in Avatar was either a near-spotless Mary Sue or a 1 dimentional strawman.
|
:
|
The trees were green. Anyone else notice that?
|
Red Roses, too.
|
Cameron and Lorne both created wonderful worlds.
|
:
Saaaaay. I think Avatar ripped off Oddworld's stars! |
this reminds me of how Pirates of the caribbean cheaply ripped off many things from Monkey Island.
|
:
The two worlds are in fact very much alike, though. The natives are very spiritually guided and have a deep important connection to the wild animals while the industrialists are very greedy, bad and technologically very advanced. I suppose you could argue that Avatar is a blend between Dances with Wolves and Oddworld. And yes I saw Avatar in 3D. Gave my a small headache after a while but it was pretty awesome. |
:
|
What? He was like the most cliché and worst badguy ever.
|
He was hilarious, "You can't throw a stick around here without it landing on some sacred fern!" or "Look at all that cheddar!" the way he delivered that line lmao.
Plus it was obvious he was just greedy, not blood thirsty like the other villain in that movie or the Glukkons, he never wanted to kill any of the Navi. |
Well last time I checked Oddworld had a story...
|
:
|
:
|
:
|
The Glukkons have no problem chopping up a self aware species (as opposed to the animals they used for meat products before wanting to use Mudokons). They have no problem torturing them for tears either. From a human perspective that would be considered inhumane and I think that even if the story was told from the Glukkon's point of view, they would still be considered pretty evil. I suppose the large mix of self aware species on Oddworld makes it a pretty complex balance though.
|
:
|
I really think it's stupid to compare Avatar to anything. Sure people say it ripped off Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves. But why did it "rip" off things? It didn't. It just had similarities cos all Nature vs Industry stories have the same layout. In any case most of them do.
It would be interesting to see a nature vs industry movie where the industrials are the good guys I guess. |
Avatar is compared because it completely copied the basic story. Guy from side A falls in love with someone on side B and goes to help them in their fight against side A. Dances with Wolves did that, Pocahontas did that and now Avatar did it. It's not original and to be honest it's a really cliche story, no matter how fancy you make it or in what setting it takes place.
|
However... I'm sure they didn't go: Lets copy pocahontas!
They just wanted to make a cute, marketable story with fancy settings that will sell well. Which ended up being rather cliche. I still say it wasn't a bad story though. It's just not very original(though the art was :D The art was super eye-candy). |