Why did Avatar become the biggest movie of all time?

[neytirifanboy]

Sometimes I miss a movie because I like a female character. But I have never come away from a movie thinking "I know its not real but I will like to be there.", except with Avatar.

No matter how magical a world is like Wizard of Ozz, Lotr Star Wars, most people don't really imagine it is a world/Universe where they could or want to live.

In some, alien/fantasy worlds everyone is usually trying escape.

That's what Avatar does. It makes you want be in that world. And not only that, there is a gorgeous girl there to show you around too. What more do you want.

I think that is becasue Avatar is a non-technological Utopian sci-fi. That is very rare. Even where sci-fi is Utopic, technology plays a big part in that Utopia.

[Human No More]

Everything in the OP.

In addition:
It's addictive
It shows us what things SHOULD be like, what we lost.

Neytiri and Jake
...so lovesick... - I know I'm not the only one.

[Txum_kali'weya]

Originally Posted by Human No More

It's addictive

[Stanley_9875]

Great responses everybody! Here's mine (along with most of yours)

Feelings I have NEVER cried in another movie... ever. Why is it that I totally lose control in this movie? I've cried all the times I've seen this movie, no other movie has given me the emotions that Avatar has.

How It Relates To Me I have been a dreamer for a while, I've been fascinated with the thought of being on different planets without any humans, meeting a group of "aliens" like the Na'vi (but not exactly like them) finding a beautiful alien girl, and us developing a relationship, and spending the rest of our lives exploring the planet, not under anyones control... I'm not lying here either. I'd daydream and night dream about this stuff... when I saw this movie I felt a strong connection like no other, it grabbed my heart and soul, embraced them, and wouldn't let go

Best Romantic Story I loved the romance in this movie... like no other romantic movie I have ever seen. It was so beautiful, touching, unexplainable... something I dream of sharing with my lifemate. How Jake and Neytiri love each other so much to literally risk their lives for each other, if that doesn't show true love...

The Groundbreaking CGI this is something not as big as the others, but this movie wouldn't have been the same without it, and that too, is a fact

The Story/screenplay this story and screenplay was great, how everything played out was perfect, it didn't take forever to get into everything, and it lasted all the way through the entire film

NEYTIRI!!! Neytiri is a goddess, the most perfect person I have ever seen. She's constantly in my mind, she's my perfect dream girl. I cannot say enough about her, as HNM said I can spend my entire life writing about her and when I'm dead I still would have numerous things to say about her. She's so beautiful, her personality is amazing, her mind and soul are incredible... *sigh*

Shows How I Want To Live Like I said about how it connects me, its how I want to live, the community to live with. The Omaticaya are incredible, their hearts overflowing with love, peace, unity, respect, and understanding. How they live, without money, government, taxes... pure paradise. You spend all day not worrying about grades, how you'll pay off bills, what tomorrow will bring... just seems so perfect

[neytirifanboy]

Originally Posted by Stanley_9875

Great responses everybody! Here's mine (along with most of yours)

Very good summary, Stanley. You obviously think about this sort of thing a lot.

[Stanley_9875]

Originally Posted by neytirifanboy

Very good summary, Stanley. You obviously think about this sort of thing a lot.

Thank you ma tsmukan I think about this stuff daily... meditate on it and such

[Fkeu'itan]

Well, as far as I can see, they did an absolutely excellent marketing job. They managed to build up massive hype about the movie, without splashing pictures and adverts absolutely everywhere. This led to - as others have said - a kind of "word-of-mouth" approach as compared to the "shoving it in your face and saying see it, 24/7" approach it's far more subtle, but much more effective.

Aside from marketing though there are the obvious other things such as the cutting edge CGI, the 3D that wasn't gimmicky but instead just added a little bit of depth to the film and (let's be honest) the pretty attractive Na'vi.

But I think the single most important thing is the way it captured people's imaginations, hearts and souls. The story was so beautiful and the Na'vi so believeable that you could literally feel their emotions and go through the story with them as if you were living it side-by-side. It took people to a brand new world, a world of virtually unmarred beauty. It showed people a simpler life, a life rich in emotions and experiences. It showed people love and harmony. All things that are ever increasingly difficult to find in our world.

As HNM said, it's addictive. Not because of the amazing effects, but because it's a glimpse of a paradise we should be living in, but don't.

[neytirifanboy]

I think that Avatar is the ultimate piece of modern mythology.

To some extent, all movies and TV are effectively mythology because they all represent or potray elements of contemporary life, fears and hopes.

However, in most movies/TV it is not always obvious what the message in as it is buried under all the action, characters and dialogue. The message is usually subtle and subliminal.

But with Avatar, the messages are not only subliminal, but but are also understood on a more conscious level. This is shown by the reaction of people who love and hate the movie as they have all picked up on different messages. Very few movies I can think off have caused such a great debate and controversy.

It always makes me smile that some people think that ancient civilisations were stupid for making up stories and believing in monsters such as minotaurs, nynphs, gorgons, titans ans sea monsters.

Because here we are drinking in a story with fictional blue giant aliens, fictional monsters and a fictional planet. And Avatar is only one example of this.

But Avatar is the ultimate modern mythology. Despite featuring planets, races and creatures that don't exist, many of us, from all sorts of cultures and backgrounds, recognise a story that represents the fears, hopes, aspirations and anxiety of the contemporary and future world within which we live.

[Human No More]

I'm not so sure about the not existing part... The universe is indescribably huge, most likely infinite. Neytiri could be out there somewhere...

Avatar has a real message though, I'd heard a bit about it before I saw it, but thought 'meh, people are overreacting, it's just a film'... then, I saw it... it's so true, it's there, and it's important. Humanity needs to listen.

[ZitaX]

Originally Posted by Human No More

I'm not so sure about the not existing part... The universe is indescribably huge, most likely infinite. Neytiri could be out there somewhere...

Avatar has a real message though, I'd heard a bit about it before I saw it, but thought 'meh, people are overreacting, it's just a film'... then, I saw it... it's so true, it's there, and it's important. Humanity needs to listen.

Hehehehe! If the universe is infite, then that logically has to mean, that there is a Neytiri out there, but also Stormtroopers, a Death star, bugs from Starship troopers, Spock and the Enterprise and so on

Great replies everyone! It seems like there was something everyone could enjoy in Avatar! Wheter they wanted a love story, action, science fiction, jungles, or battle scenes!

[neytirifanboy]

Is Avatar not one of the few sci-fi movies that manages to have a Utopian and Distopian view of the future at the same time. Most are either one or the other.

The impression we have of Earth is distopian, while the view of Pandora is Utopian. And the viewer relates to both. One they want to avoid, while they other they want achieve.

[Txum_kali'weya]

This is why:

[Sovereign]

Avatar got big because it tapped into the zeitgeist. It was the right message at the right time. People could relate to it, but at the same time it wasn't another re-hash of some series everyone had seen before (James Bond reboot, Star Trek reboot, Yet Another Star Wars Film and the like).

The story, though basic and told about ten billion times before, was presented in such a way that the audience became more emotionally invested in the film than with many others. That kind of impact (which was probably not applicable to all viewers) certainly grabbed attention. Avatar wasn't just "a movie" it was "an experience." An experience in the same way Star Wars was in its time. People walked out of the theater and, to quote Neo, said, "WHOA."

It also wasn't an overhyped (at least not initially) advertising-driven machine. I had not even heard of Avatar before my friends practically dragged me to see it. When a product of any kind has a strong word-of-mouth advertising campaign, it always does well. Your friend/relative/parent/sibling telling you "X is awesome" always means more than some TV, radio or internet sales-pitch.

[neytirifanboy]

very well said Sovereign