For the full review of James Cameron's Avatar, click here. In the scorecard review format there is a section called 'Questions.' No matter how beautiful this film was to look at, there are many questions I have left. And since it's more than usual, a small paragraph just wouldn't do. Plot spoilers will be discussed, so if you want to go in fresh ... avoid this article. Bayer's TSR of Avatar - 7/10
Why do we need Avatars?
This should be an obvious question. Apparently we need to be able to get along with the Na'vi, and the humans decide the only way to do that is to look exactly like them. But, it's obvious the Na'vi recognize that these blue things aren't like the others. So, why not just be humans, and approach the Na'vi that way? The Na'vi embrace all living things. Why not humans?
Were the avatars supposed to be from another tribe?
Eventually we realize that there are many tribes on the planet of Pandora. Were the humans as avatars trying to trick the Na'vi into thinking they were from an English speaking tribe who likes school? And exactly how long was Grace trying to teach them?
Unobtanium - Why is it worth anything?
It's called unobtanium because it's unobtainable. Yes, Captain Obvious, but why does it have value? Is it an energy source? That's never mentioned. So, since that would have taken one sentence like, "Do you realize one ounce of unobtanium would run our factories for five years?" We have to assume unobtanium is like diamonds. They are worth something because we have decided they are. So are we the only planet that wants them? Are we selling it to other countries, planets? No clue.
Is the U.S. military going after unobtanium or is it a business?
I'm leaning toward business. I think Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge, is a CEO-type, right? That would make everyone else some sort of contractor for hire. The tough part here is that Stephen Lang is playing a character called Colonel Miles Quaritch. But I think he's retired from the military. Plus, Trudy (Michelle Rodriguez) says she wasn't hired for this stuff (killing). Also, Parker's team and the Na'vi are the only ones on the planet, right? We didn't see any reporters there that would tell on the humans for killing the Na'vi, right?
Is this a time where having sex with other species is the norm?
Here's the thing, Jake Sully has sex with Neytiri. Yes, he is in his avatar at the time. But, that's not the issue. The issue is, why is he attracted to her? His human mind finds her hot.
Can anything inhabit the body of the Na'vi?
To me, this is the really big question. OK, there's this magical tree, that has lots of feelers, that can take one living thing and bring it into the body of a Na'vi. The Na'vi knew this. That's why they took Grace there. So, how did the Na'vi know this? My theory, this is like the cow's milk thing. At some point, somebody had to me the first to drink the a cow's teat. Actually, that theory doesn't really work here. So, my thought is that at one point a Na'vi and a squirrel-like creator from Pandora were hanging out by the tree, and then all the sudden, BAM ... that squirrel's brain was inside that poor Na'vi's body.
Hard sleepers?
So, until the very end, wasn't there any moments where Neytiri thought that Jakesully (what the Na'vi called him) was an insanely hard sleeper? I mean, did he just always seem to have perfect timing until the military started yanking him out of his avatar body?
There are lots of avatars at camp, why would Jake go into the jungle?
So, Jake's first (or second) day in an avatar body is the day he joins on a mission? He doesn't know the area, he doesn't know the creatures, he doesn't know friend or foe. Yet they hand him a gun, and tell him to protect the others.
We need to dig, can we?
That seems to be the question some human should have asked the Na'vi. Not sure if that ever happened.