Avatar (2009) was accused of racism because non-white actors play all the Na’vi. This is accusation of cultural appropriation as well as racism.
Angry Hippie argues, it enhance the parallels to real-world events.
“It is common for people to say Avatar is (‘insert movie title’) in space.
What astounds me is while people compare it to these films, they do not compare it to the events and situations that these films are focused on.” (AVATAR: In-Depth Analysis)
He has a point that the other films were not science fiction. There might have been more controversial casting based on race if they had been.
However, he asserts that because Avatar is based on historical events, and Hollywood commonly leans on appropriation culture and white washing.
The science fiction genre allows greater freedom to explore these issues in unique ways.
Avatar compared to other movies outside the science fiction genre mirror how these other films adapted historical events simplify and dramatize for the story. The work is creative and start conversations
Adapting the historical plot of colonization doesn’t excuse ableism.
To survive on Pandora, humans need to be in Avatar bodies that are bigger and stronger (not just blue.)
This dependence on Avatars on such a harsh planet highlights the requirement for the elimination of disabled people on Pandora.
“Shrouded in larger discourses surrounding colonialism, environmental collapse, and Utopia,
Avatar makes a complicated argument, when considered through the lenses of eco-criticism and disability studies together,
about the potential to inhabit environments being predicated upon able-bodiedness.” (Holtmeier & Park-Primiano, 5)
Sources
Angry Hippie. (2018, October 22). AVATAR | In-Depth Film Analysis: Neohumanism & Ayahuasca | Humanity vs Alternate Humanity [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4c8avw6qo8
Holtmeier, M., & Parker-Primiano, S. (2020). Ableism in Avatar: The Transhuman, Postcolonial Rapprochement to Bioregionalism. Studies of Humanities, 46(1-2), 3-17. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CA673944097&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00393800&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=nysl_oweb&isGeoAuthType=trueo