Avatar is the most underrated movie..

Yeah.. You read it right.. Avatar (both parts) is the most underrated for its usage of science and politics.

Avatar is no way lesser than Interstellar in the usage of science and fictionalization. If Interstellar had made you go and read about Space, and time travel then Avatar should have made you read about Evolution and Bio-diversity.
Believe me. Evolution gives the same excitement as space and quantum physics.

It is not just another alien movie, where humans encounter only the most intelligent species on that planet. Tons of research has been done to virtually create a whole new world obeying the laws of nature, physics, and evolution.

It starts with the placement of Pandora (a moon in the Alpha Centauri A system). They defined the age for it. And assigned the percentage of gases in its atmosphere. There is a reason why Navis last longer in Earth-like Atmosphere than the humans could in Pandora’s.

Every plant and Animal you see in the movie has names and most of them resemble earth’s counterpart. It is not just an alteration. It has been developed following the principles of evolution.

More you read about the formation of the earth, how we got water in it, how life started, and how we all evolved, the more exciting Pandora will be and so the movie.

Apart from science, the movie is underrated for its political theme also.
The movie is unapologetic in bashing capitalism and colonialism. The founding pillars of America from where the movie came out.
While the first part is heavily inspired by Europeans invading the Americas, the second part drew its influence from the Indigenous Maoris in New Zealand.

Not saying these were never discussed. Even Bolivia’s socialist indigenous president praised Avatar for its politics. But I feel it should have been discussed even more for a movie of this scale.
Just imagine, ‘World’s biggest and most successful film Avatar talks against Capitalism and Exploitation..’ it should have created a wave. But it was mostly ignored by the people who speak a lot about movies and politics. I’m not an exemption.
It’s not like, people who know this science and politics only can enjoy the movie. The movie was well received by the majority across the globe for which I’m happy.

The movie also has to be blamed, the Visuals and the commercial format overshadowed everything else.. But the ‘intellectuals’ (both science and politics) should have looked deeper into the movie and brought it to the table.
In these aspects, Yes Avatar is underrated.

I will end this post with two things that excited me in part-2 of Avatar.

One is the attack on trains, while many of us Indians appreciate the British for railways. It’s the rail network that helps the Colonisers their trade and establishes and retains their command in Asia and Africa. It’s a symbol of colonialism. I think That’s why Cameron choose to have that railway line in Pandora despite having superior aircraft. I believe that scene of Navi’s attacking train is a direct attack on Colonialism.

Second is the Whale and Water Tribe connection. Maoris were closely associated with Whales. And even say Whales helped Maoris in fishing. And Whales are legends in Maori culture. Cameron beautifully captured this relationship in the movie.
And for me, only more and more excitement left for me in the sequels to experience the new Landscapes, Species, and how Cameron gonna unfold the Eywa – The Great Mother and the neural network throughout Pandora.. ❤️

PS: Post is mainly for Indian audiences and intellectuals. Discussions in the west is secondary for me✌🏽