Provide a brief description of the film/program's story plot for our readers
Greedy corporate humans use a "mind-meld' technique to assume the bodies of the peaceful citizens of the only planet on which the valuable mineral "unobtainium" can be mined. Their goal is to learn ways to co-opt the natives into selling out. When that plan fails the greedy corporate humans attack the indigenous people in graphic 3-D gore. The peaceful indigenous people, despite their peaceful indigenous nature, rally to the cause, overcome the greedy corporate humans and banish them bloodily, using their own weapons, back to earth.
What is your personal opinion of this film/program, as entertainment?
Poor. In love with the new technology, the director overuses it to display all the tricks of a modern war game. The opportunity to make a point about unity (as displayed by the indigenous people) being superior to divisiveness is completely abandoned in favor of a lot of war footage as all species involved regress to mano a mano combat. Although it can be said that the "good guys" win they do so at the cost of their values.
What is your personal opinion of this film/program as a social and/or cultural message? Does it succeed or fail in this regard?
As a social and cultural message it says that in the end might is right. If that is the message the director wanted to convey it was a success. If not. . . well, then it was a failure.
What impact do you feel the movie will likely have on the way people worldwide will perceive the Mayan Calendar?
I don't think the opinion of the Mayan calendar will be changed by this film but the message that that any cultural change is to be accomplished through violence will reinforce the 2012 Apocalypse mentality which is not a helpful attitude at this time when a level of calmness and possibly optimism is needed to deal with planet-wide changes of unprecedented proportion.
If you had the chance to remake this film/program, what would you do differently?
More footage of the peaceful indigenous (and very photogenic) natives and their beautiful planet, less of tanks, guns, hackneyed war lord types and trite corporate greedy types. Perhaps a revision of the plot that involved some sort of communication between the two species (after all, the are already brain and body sharing, they should be able to talk to one another in their original states) that would model cooperation, integration of beneficial albeit alien technologies and ways of thought. A little "Happy ever after" would be nice--just once.
Would you recommend this film/program to your family, friends and colleagues? Why or why not?
Would not. Other than the technical virtuosity of the new media and about thirty minutes total of breathtaking visuals the film is gory, trite. Characters are poorly developed and plot does not hold together or develop any line worth exploring.
What would you like to say to the film's director, and/or the production studio?
You wasted a terrific opportunity to present a possibly culture changing message to the public at a time when it is greatly needed. Instead you produced a hackneyed WW II movie set in outer space.
While it is embarrassing that you wasted the premiere of this marvelous technology in this way I hope you do better next time.
