“A sensory and emotional experience”, “an immersive vertigo”, “an explosion”… In 2009, Avatar It deeply marked the public and changed the history of cinema by offering an unprecedented immersion in a virtual world. However, during the 2010s, the idea that the greatest success in the history of cinema left no trace in the collective imagination was taking hold.
With no sequel and no spin-off, other than a Cirque du Soleil show, Avatar would have “disappeared in nature without a trace,” he wrote in 2014 in Forbes American journalist Scott Mendelson. The has since recognized that this theory had not been true “for at least four years”. The years of waiting for the sequel.Avatar they have only reinforced its aura, while Hollywood was switching to franchises.
The first estimates of observers confirm this: Avatar – The channel It must raise during its first weekend of exploitation a sum estimated at the moment between 140 and 170 million dollars. In the United States, according to a survey conducted by the Fandango ticketing system18-24 year olds who grew up with the first installment are looking forward to the sequel.
“A Bit of Snobbery”
Paradoxically, the debates on the absence of influence ofAvatar they are proof of the mark he left. “This phrase has often been repeated despite the ‘factual’ elements that prove the opposite of this belief,” laments Robin Fender, a fan. “It is very curious because leaving a mark is not necessarily immediate. You have to give it a little time ”, specifies the tweet Nico13, another fan.
This film buff deplores “a rereading of history” and “a bit of snobbery” on the part of the detractors. It is above all presumptuous: film history has taught us never to doubt James Cameron. All of his films have been gigantic challenges that he has always emerged victorious from. And above all, this visionary filmmaker directed two of the best sequels in the history of American entertainment: aliens Y terminator 2.
So why does this misunderstanding persist aroundAvatar? “There have been very few intellectual productions and essays,” remarks journalist Lloyd Chéry, from the podcast it’s more than sf. “The film was not necessarily much debated,” laments Renaud Besse, screenwriter and editor-in-chief of the specialized site Cinématraque. lovers ofAvatar they’re also less vindictive than Marvel and DC fans, and even known for his kindness.
Not only loved by geeks
Despite his Hollywood blockbuster looks, Avatar It also remains an elusive film. Even for his fans, with whom he has not always left lasting memories: “It had gone a bit out of my mind, really,” Nico13 acknowledges. Then the re-release made them realize the strength of the film. “I hadn’t realized the full density of the story the first time,” admits Robin Fender.
“It’s one of those very rare films whose impact and quality I really understood and measured over time,” adds Renaud Besse. “The characters and plot are archetypal enough that we don’t remember them, and yet things have stuck, like the connecting mats. It’s not a coincidence.”
transgenerational, Avatar it appealed to both a family audience fond of blockbuster movies and fans of James Cameron. “It’s not a movie that only geeks love,” says Morgan Bizet, co-host of the podcast. stop camera. “There is a cinephile dimension that there is not much in Marvel. And moviegoers have nothing to do with the question of the impact ofAvatar.”
Avatar depended mostly on a decade in which Hollywood overproduced sequels, giving the illusion that it was necessary to occupy the ground to set the mood: “These films that come back, like Marvel, give the impression of leaving their mark on pop culture. And as there was no sequel to Avatarwe have the impression that the film did not leave a legacy”, says Morgan Bizet.
A cinematic event, not a franchise
Either Avatar has been without an heir for a long time, it is also because Fox, which produced the film, “considered it as a cinematographic event and not as a franchise that was going to spread to pop culture”, specifies Guillaume, one of the first fans . Lloyd Chéry puts forward another hypothesis: the difficulty, for blockbusters not inspired by pre-existing licences, to impress the public.
“The last great franchise of this genre that has left the most traces in the cinema is Matrix“, specifies the journalist. “The problem ofAvatar, is that the film is ultimately not to the liking of sci-fi fans. It’s a major technological feat, but it’s often been criticized for being too simplistic in terms of the setting. And it also lacks an iconic hero and villain.”
And yet, “there is a real attachment to the characters and the story,” Guillaume insists. the exit ofAvatar in September he proved it. “It was only supposed to stay on screen for a week and it grossed over $70 million. Parents brought their kids. Viewers thought it was the sequel and stayed for fun. That’s it.” Avatar: a movie memory you can’t really relive at home.”
Beyond the wave of 3D movies (Gravity) products calmly, Avatar it has accelerated the modernization of theaters to accommodate 3D and “changed the way of understanding staging in the era of digital technologies”, recalls the journalist Julien Dupuy. “The Reboot Trailer of Planet of the Apes highlighted that the special effects team ofAvatar I was in the game.”
Marvel and “Star Wars” under the influence of “Avatar”
With AvatarJames Cameron perfected a process, motion capture, that had already worked wonders in Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson. A work that later benefited Avengers: infinity war for Thanos. “Marvel owes a lot to Avatar“, agrees Julien Dupuy. “This awareness that they can modify a film to such an extent in post-production comes to a large extent from the modus operandi ofAvatar. It’s safe and secure.”
“Avatar, is a discovery of a virtual world, which the film itself makes known. The character has an avatar to experience the world. It is an idea totally taken up by Marvel later, or even by Star Wars“, completes Morgan Bizet. “Many people have remade this film either by being inspired visually or by relying on the same processes. With the path of watermany will realize this.
The list of works under influence is long: after Earth, Pacific Rim, Valerian, aquaman, The life of Pi, Black Panther, maleficent 2… Even animated movies (dragons 3, Moana, The Smurfs 2) and strings (terranova, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) cite it, as does French cinema (On the way of the Marsupilami, anti gang), fashion (Thierry Mugler) and video games (star wars fallen order).
Everyone has tried to offer their version of the bioluminescent forest ofAvatar. Disney even hired Robert Stromberg, the art director of the James Cameron film, for their live-action remakes of their classics (Alice in Wonderland, Pernicious, the jungle book). “So twelve years have passed since the others chased him and no one has caught up with him yet,” Julien Dupuy laughs.
“The art of creating worlds”
Hollywood wanted to offer other experiences as immersive asAvatar. as the saying goes guardian, “the art of storytelling then became the art of creating worlds.” “Avatar it’s also a reflection of Cameron’s dizzying ability to create universes,” enthuses Robin Fender. “Imagine a world, with its fauna and flora, its operational ‘rules’… all this has been widely disseminated.”
But the proposals that followed – John Carter, Prometheus, Jupiter Ascent – He failed to seduce the public. And rare are science fiction movies that have offered such a “bright and nice” universe, Morgan Bizet insists. Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan, who established themselves as the great masters of the genre after James Cameron, are best known for their cold and brutalist aesthetics.
The technological revolution promised by Avatar in 2009 it did not see the light of day. “What’s fascinating is that the film shines because of the impact it didn’t have,” says Renaud Besse. “It shows what a true artist can do with these new technologies. It’s even more obvious when you compare it to Marvel productions, which use similar technologies, but fail to reach the same level.”
Avatar is finally the latest left-wing Hollywood blockbuster. A film steeped in animism, Shintoism and ecology, it revisits the history of the Amerindian genocide, which it mixes with that of Che Guevara to denounce US imperialism. “It’s one of the last blockbusters before the Marvel era to take on a first-grade side, without a joke to defuse the action,” Renaud Besse specifies.
“We will see what will happen after this movie”
James Cameron is well aware of the state of his film and the debates surrounding it. At the moment, he is kicking on contact. “You build your cultural impact over the years,” he explained a few weeks ago to the hollywood reporter. “Marvel has drawn on 26 movies to build its universe, with characters that intersect. We’ll see what happens after this movie.”
the path of water should perpetuate the place ofAvatar In popular culture. Therefore, Disney has adopted an offensive strategy, focused on outrageous merchandising. But in order to fully prevail, James Cameron’s franchise will have to meet some requirements, particularly the script. Because since 2009, the public’s demands towards fictions have evolved a lot.
“Now, there is still a before and after game of Thrones in terms of storytelling,” warns Lloyd Chéry. “If the script doesn’t tighten up your game a little bit, or if the stakes don’t get a little more dramatic, it can be tricky. The movie will work, but the real question is whetherAvatar will succeed in propelling itself as a must-watch sci-fi franchise.”
Source: BFM TV
