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I've been struggling with this blog for awhile. Not only is it a review of the movie, I was also going to follow up with an essay called "The Eye and the Web: Symbols of Gender Politics in the world of 'Avatar'". Frankly, the essay and the review were getting a bit boring to write, which means it would be torture for you readers. Therefore for the sake of brevity, I'll just write my blog in bullet points:

Review:

• Go see "Avatar", especially in 3D. It is awesome! (And by "awesome" I mean that it does indeed inspire awe.)
  

• Zoe Saldana should be recognized for here amazing work in this film. Much of the movie depends on her. If we viewers don't fall in love with her character, then the whole project becomes pointless. Saldana breaths so much vitality into her digital character that the viewer quickly accepts the character's reality and the reality of the world of Pandora. Kudos for a great effort.

Essay (Spoiler Warning):

• The genius of the movie "Avatar" is the detail and depth attributed to the ecology and culture of the world of Pandora.

• If you pay attention, you will see key, recurring visual symbols and dialogue clues that help the viewer gain a better understanding of the contrast between human and Na'vi culture, in relation to gender politics.

• In the human world, our genders are symbolized by the Mars and Venus

• In the movie war-like Mars is represented by Colonel Miles Quaritch (played by Stephen Lang), the leader of the Pandora Colony security forces. Quaritch sees environment Pandora as the embodiment ultimate enemy and responds in kind.

• Venus is represented by Dr. Grace Augustine, chief scientist and head of the Avatar program, played by Sigourney Weaver. As an ecologist, Augustine recognizes that the true value of the Pandora planet lies in the interconnectedness of the flora and fauna, and she struggles (in vain) to protect the Na'vi from the depredations of the human forces.

• It should be noted that both Quaritch and Augustine are able to alternatively manipulate and intimidate the other characters to achieve their respective goals, but they seen to be neither afraid or impressed by the other. This reinforces the Mars/Venus dichotomy represented by each character as they are opponents of old, and rest of the characters are almost like pawns to be sacrificed, in the name of their eternal gender wars.

• In contrast, the Na'vi culture strikes a more fruitful balance between the genders, and this balance is represented by the recurring symbols of the Eye (male) and the Web (female).

• Recurring male-Eye symbols: the movie opens and closes on close ups of the main character's eyes; Pandora is a moon of the gas giant planet named "Polyphemus" which, much like Jupiter, contains a central storm system that looks like a giant eye; the planet "Polyphemus" is named after the the one-eyed cyclops from Greek mythology and Homer's "Odyssey"; Na'vi warriors perform a ritual blessing over the animals they kill for sustenance by speaking the words "I see you" over the body.

• In the context of the movie, the Eye represents awakening and epiphany.

• Recurring female-Web symbols: The Na'vi name for Pandora is "Eywa" which roughly translates to "Gaea", the primordial Mother deity of Greek mythology (in early drafts of the script the "Gaea" allusion was made more distinctly clear); Augustine slowly discovers that the Eywa plant life emit a measurable form of bio-electricity, which not only explains why all lifeforms on the moon is bio-luminescent, but also indicates that this energy can transmit bio-data between the lifeforms; the Na'vi are equipped with an external central nervous system (CNS) node that allows them to "network" with riding animals and certain plant life; in spiritual rituals, the Na'vi, arrange themselves in a bodily "web" focused around a central focal point.

• In the context of the movie, the Web represents spiritual connectivity between lifeforms.

• In the Na'vi culture, the traditional male/female roles are not as divided as in human culture. For example: Na'vi tribes are lead by male/female pair; the male is responsible for the physical well being of the tribe (hunting, shelter, security) while the female is responsible for the spiritual well being (maintaining tribal history, schooling, agriculture, diplomacy between the tribes). Each member has equal status.
  

• Other examples of the inter-connectivity of genders in Na'vi culture: both males and females are taught to be warriors; the "I see you" blessing is used in hunting rituals as well as mating rituals; during the Na'vi rite of passage for the male male character, the tribe forms a web with him at the focal point; during the Na'vi mating ritual, both the Eye ("I see you") and the Web (connecting CNS nodes) are represented.
  

• The main theme of the movie for me is that the strength of the Na'vi culture is due to the populations ability to maintain deep physical and spiritual connections with the environment, something that is lacking in human culture. The movie is a warning from James Cameron which is kind of ironic. The man is mainly known for pushing technology to the extreme to service his movie making. Yet is should be noted that all his stories are allegorical warnings about the dangers of technology running amok as well as, showing us how the strength of the human spirit (often represented by strong female characters) can help us overcome the most apocalyptic of events.
  

• Other miscellaneous things to point out: the battle techniques of the Na'vi are reminiscent of the guerrilla (read: terroristic) tactics used by smaller, poorly equipped warriors against larger, more technically advanced armies; the destruction of Hometree is a directly evocative of the destruction of the Twin Towers (even down to the ash-covered landscape); and Quaritch's physical mannerisms (walking "apelike" with fists clenched and palms facing to the rear) and use of terms such as "shock and awe" reminds me of a ballsier, scarier, George W. Bush.