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hehe, this is something my friends and i talked about after the movie. the "more dakka" attitude on the aircraft was kind off 40k-ish (i want twin rotors for my valkyrie!^^), but that's where it ends in my opinion. the whole point of even half-heartedly trying to find a peaceful solution to the "alien problem" is so not 40k.
the same setup would have worked out kind of like this:
"sir, augurs indicate large quantities of unobtainium (lol) here, here and here. our recon flyers report a large xenos settlement right on top of the largest deposit."
"so these abominations live right in the spot we want to strip mine?"
"yes sir, do you want me to send a negotiator?"
"what for? ready dorsal lances for a surface strike."

Agree- GW is the most derivative Sci-fi setting in a sea of derivative settings.

I think Ninja is right, the teens behind me kept saying "SMURF!" through the whole movie. It also had a bit of a lion king thing going on, but I liked it.

White guilt?
The villains of the movie were corporate raiders and mercenaries - which given the language around "Terror" in the mercenary rally, made me assume that the "bad guys" were stand-ins for Haliburton and Blackwater.
The fact that the human cast was largely white (there were a few extras of color) probably has much more to do with Hollywood casting than with any hidden message about the badness of white people I think.
Interesting that humanity is being read as white and male though.

While most societies have oppressed "other" groups in some way, colonial oppression is and has been significantly different.

Gordo Phreshmex wrote:
Interesting that humanity is being read as white and male though.

Do you think this is to do with a simply lack of creativity on the directors part? or is it more in keeping with the military setting? i.e not many women being in front line military roles?

I am shocked (I haven't seen the film yet) that they haven't gone for a more multi-cultral group cast though, given the futuristic nature of the movie. The projections for the future of humanity, should we make it that far, do not point in the direction of any one racial type being prominant, given social interaction and widespread travel, mixed race humans, and genetic diversity seem to be the agreed projection....see Brazil as an example of this.

So for the producers to paint a picture of an all white future, smacks of Walt Disney.

I just meant that it was interesting that the bad humans were read by some of the posters here as white males. The protagonist/savior is a white male. The main female characters in the movie are sympathetic (one is a Latina, one is S. Weaver and the other is a smurf.).

I think they do try for a bit of a united colors of Benetton thing with the extras.

Ok, my opinion of the flick:

Great special effects.

The story is trite. It's been done over and over again, and they don't even bother to add a new twist, other than the special effects. Once you get over the "coolness" of the CGI characters, there is no drive to the plot at all.

Saldiven wrote:Ok, my opinion of the flick:

Great special effects.

The story is trite. It's been done over and over again, and they don't even bother to add a new twist, other than the special effects. Once you get over the "coolness" of the CGI characters, there is no drive to the plot at all.

Haven't gone to see it, and am not going to see it, based on this being my impression from anything I've heard of by way of review - most reviewers I "trust" seem to have similar things to say as Saldiven. i.e. Nice CGI, shame about the (lack of an interesting) plot.

If there'd even been a smidgeon of originality in the movie I'd have gone to see it, but as it stands, I'm not going to waste the thick end of a tenner and a whole evening watching a bunch of special effects. Sounds like a complete yawn to me.

The only relation I've seen in this movie with 40k is the marine Colonel. He is Captain Tycho.

Sidstyler wrote:I never really bought into that whole 3D thing. The movie should be able to draw me in on its own, without relying on cheap gimmicks to be enjoyable.

300 million is hardly "cheap".

I am sure when the Fly system for stages were created people moaned about that as well.

I loved the movie for its visuals, but that is probably because I also work in the industry. The mocap is what impressed me the most. That had to be the most realistic motion I have ever seen in a movie. Letting James Cameron drive the virtual camera is probably what made this movie such a huge success. This is the first movie shot mainly in 3D where the director had hands on with the scene set ups.

I am having a hard time with the Dances with Wolves references, the story line is Fern Gully 99.9% right down to the giant bull dozer scene.

Clay Williams wrote:
I am having a hard time with the Dances with Wolves references, the story line is Fern Gully 99.9% right down to the giant bull dozer scene.

That was the show I was thinking of, that this had been done before.

Ironically, Fern Gully was an animated film that used computer graphics (not 3D), to animate the flocks of birds for example.

Clay Williams wrote:I am having a hard time with the Dances with Wolves references, the story line is Fern Gully 99.9% right down to the giant bull dozer scene.

+2

Ok, sorry if in the OP I came off meaning I thought it was a rip off of GW... gosh no... IMO gw rips more stuff off from everything then vise versa... I was just saying it reminded me of Warhammer is all

But lets not make this an IP arguement.

I feel sorry for the people who won't go see it because it "isn't orginal." The story has been told before, but it hasn't been told like this. This movie tells the story differently, and the greatness is in the experience and the setting. This movie was really well done, the world it is set in is amazing in its completeness.

Gollum feels forgotten...

Clay Williams wrote:

Sidstyler wrote:I never really bought into that whole 3D thing. The movie should be able to draw me in on its own, without relying on cheap gimmicks to be enjoyable.

300 million is hardly "cheap".

Obviously (or not it would seem), when I said "cheap" I wasn't referring to cost. I was trying to imply that it was of little worth or importance.

I feel sorry for the people who won't go see it because it "isn't orginal."

And I feel sorry for everyone who seriously believes Avatar is a masterpiece and heralds it as one of the best movies of all time.

Not only that but I do recall saying that I would see it regardless and form my own opinion of it, like I did for Transformers 2. I didn't just rely on scathing reviews and form my own opinion based on them (though I didn't go to a theater and waste my money, either). But much like RotF, going by what I've heard from reviewers and other websites I'll probably end up being disappointed just like they were, and watching it will only confirm what they were saying.

The story has been told before, but it hasn't been told like this.

Yeah, it has. Battle for Terra told pretty much the same story, but it wasn't quite as black-and-white as Avatar. Battle for Terra was also a CGI movie, so if that's the "new and interesting way" the story is being told then you're still wrong whether or not you agree with me on the plot.

I'm not trying to say Avatar is a bad movie at all, though I do think it's pretty telling when most people who have seen it can't find much to talk about outside the amazing special effects (and how I apparently have to see it in 3D to understand). I guess for an effects movie it's alright, probably as good as you're going to get, but it doesn't deserve any higher than a passing grade and a possible recommendation. It may be a breakthrough in technology, but at its heart it's still your average sci-fi thrill ride, nothing new to see here.


And like I've said, I'm going by what I've heard from others who have seen it, so you can choose to dismiss my opinion if you want as just someone who has no idea what he's talking about. But I honestly believe my stance won't change after I do cough up the price of admission.

New movies are always compared to other movies or books. Original ideas are hard to come by these days but if you pay attention there are a number of original ideas in Avatar that was fantastic. See it again to find out (no spoilers from me!).

Whatever you judge the movie by, it was good ol fun. I enjoyed every minute. Don't like CG? You're missing out unless you like all your sci fi's to look like old Startrek flics.

I never looked at it as a War vs 40k. The GW game doesnt work in the format that Avatar was filmed. Besides, most of it was fighting in the.... Oooh nearly spoiled it.

Go see it.

It may not be a masterpiece, but it is a damn good time at the movies. All I can say is just to go see it.

I'll start by saying that Avatar was AWESOME and worthy of all the good praise it has received. That being said A) The story was basically a Sci-Fi version of Pocahontas and B) MANY elements were "Borrowed" from FASA not Warhammer. Nothing in the movie shouted Warhammer to me. However, the Navi were Zyhkee(minus their mid forearm and extra elbow otherwise practically identical) from VOR: The Maelstrom, the Battlesuits were Mechs from Battletech, the ships were Drop ships/the Hornets were VTOLS both from Mechwarrior, the Planet was virtually the Growler home world Primordia(also a race from VOR) right down to the floating mountains and dinosaur like primitive animal life. Kinda wondering if there weren't former FASA employees working on this film...

Ahtman wrote:I just realized that the movie is just a really expensive IG vs Kroot battle report.

This.