by Frances Taylor

Created on: January 13, 2010

Stop me if you've heard this story before - a young native woman saves and eventually falls in love with a man who is a member of an invading army that threatens the existence of her people.  Their relationship highlights the possibilities of understanding between the two groups. It's the story of Pocahantas and John Smith, and its theme has been used again and again in literature and movies.

As with most epic tales, "Avatar" draws on classic themes such as the Pocahantas story, as well another as others, including "Dances With Wolves.''  Reliance on classical themes enables storytellers and movie directors to tell their new story in a way that resonates with their audience. As Americans, we all have that "Pocahantas' story in our collective sub-conscious.

Director James Cameron also weaves another story from American history into “Avatar’’ – the “Battle of Little Big Horn.’’ Despite obvious references to the Iraq War by the characters who talk about “shock and awe,’’ the film also revives the epic battle between Gen. Custer and the Plains Indian tribes (spoiler alert!).

Some viewers have wondered if the film makes racist assumptions because Cameron choose black and Hispanic actors to play the Navi’ tribe – catlike, blue people that inhabit ”Avatar’s ‘ visually spectacular home world. I’m not sure I know the answer to that, but as a person of color, I’m happy that actors like CCH Pounder, Zoe Saldana and others had major parts in a film that raised the bar for movie-making in the way that “Star Wars’ did in its time.

On the other hand, I will grant you that I can't think of any particular reason that the hero had to be played by a white actor other than the fact that having a white male hero is what we as movie goers are accustomed to in films. I was much more by bothered movies like “Last Samurai,’’ or “Biko”  or “Mississippi Burning” where the white hero is injected into a story about someone else’s culture.

The spectacular success of “Avatar’’ will continue to make it a focus of criticism. Most recently, the Vatican has blasted the film for promoting worship of nature, claiming that it's is somehow misleading people or is anti-Christian.  Others have claimed to see anti-Americanism in the movie, which takes a definite anti-imperialist message. .

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