MovieChat Forums > Terra (2009) Discussion > Anyone notice this has the EXACT same pl...

Anyone notice this has the EXACT same plot as James Cameron's 'Avatar?'

posted 15 years ago by tom-campana
48 replies | jump to latest

I have not seen this film, but I have read reviews that give an overview of the plot, and here is something I have noticed: the basic elements of this story are nearly identical to th basic story elements of James Cameron's upcoming "Avatar."

A few years ago, before "Avatar" went into production, an 80-page "scriptment" for the film floated around the internet. "Avatar's" basic story is this: In the future, mankind depletes most of earth's resources. Thus, we sends military forces to an idyllic alien world, full of peaceful gentle aliens, in order to steal their resources and find a new home for humanity. The hero of "Avatar", a member of this military program, ultimately befriends a beautiful member of the alien species, and together they end up fighting against the human invasion force.

Is this not essentially identical to the story of "Terra?" And do you think this was deliberate? Was this one of the cases where one script went into production, so all of a sudden other studios put nearly identical projects into production, a la "A Bug's Life" and "Antz?"

[–] WikusVanDeMerwe 15 years ago

It could have to do with the fact that James Cameron is quite incapable of originality. He puts money into movies like Michael Bay uses explosions.

Hell, it would be great if the two respective scripts came from the same person or people that knew eachother.

And how is it that humans are always somehow compatible with an alien female? When are we going to see the love story that ends up with an embarrassing incompatability or just downright treachery?

Set me like a seal upon thy heart, love is as strong as death.

[–] daffy72 15 years ago

The_Other_WALL-E Wrote:

And how is it that humans are always somehow compatible with an alien female? When are we going to see the love story that ends up with an embarrassing incompatability or just downright treachery?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They did exactly that in an episode of the animated series 'Stroker & Hoop'.

Crappy animation but very funny politically incorrect humor.

[–] Jason_Storm 15 years ago

"It could have to do with the fact that James Cameron is quite incapable of originality."

TOTALLY agree. I haven't seen either yet, but I am very excited to see Terra. James Cameron also even used the name of the very popular cartoon series "Avatar", and now the real Avatar movie has to just be called "The Last Airbender". I'm surprised James Cameron didn't change his name to Steven Spielberg or George Lucas by now.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Jason_Storm 15 years ago

LOL good one alexander! Even if he wrote it before the Avatar cartoon, or the movie Terra, doesn't mean it's not going to suck. Avatar the cartoon series was released first, and it's just terrible that he gets the rights to the name. James Cameron is a no talent hack. The only good movie he ever made was Aquaman. If you think James Cameron's Avatar will even be as close to as good as the animated series Avatar...then you are clearly delusional. No I'm not a little kid, you don't have to be a child to appreciate a true cartoon masterpiece. It seems many would agree with me, as Avatar the cartoon has a 9.3 rating on IMDB, none of James Cameron's "movies" achieved a 9.

Pwned.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Jason_Storm 15 years ago

Terminator 1 & 2 and Aliens were all terrible. Good point that it's concluded I'm a mere child. Only children obviously play video games. Let's just all agree that James Cameron is bad, and that he should stop directing "movies".

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] wired_protocol 15 years ago

I am in agreement, except I am in the unfortunate position of knowing that a lot of adults do use those terms... It's sad. Even worse when I hear it said out loud.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Jason_Storm 15 years ago

Heh, you are typing that James Cameron doesn't suck and that it's embarrassing for me to type something XD. Irony at it's best. My favorites?

Inglourious Basterds: 8.7
The Prestige: 8.4
The Machinist: 7.8
Mac and Me: 9.9

But yeah, all I'm saying is that James Cameron really doesn't have that much talent as a director. No, I probably couldn't direct a movie better than he could, but there are very few directors out there who have done worse. I was saying that the rating of the real Avatar was higher, not that I live and die by the imdb rating system. I understand the system is terrible at times, as there's like 10 good movies on the top 100 rated movies on here. Avatar might be a good movie, I'm not sure yet since it's not out. Chances are though, that it's going to be like all the rest of his movies, garbage.

That is all.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Jason_Storm 15 years ago

Indeed. Have you seen this Mac and Me music video? Simply magical, you cannot watch it without shedding a tear, i guarantee it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsuc_mVYWTc

9.9 is a bit of an understatement though, don't you think? We are talking about Mac and Me here...

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Jason_Storm 15 years ago

Haha brilliant assessment! I can't believe nobody noticed the Aquaman. Thank you crabcake.

[–] harl3quin 15 years ago

I was thinking more along the lines of Piranha 2.

[–] Cryogaijin 15 years ago

Honestly, The Abyss is my favorite Cameron. Though Avatar looks like it'll be epic. And I am looking forward to Battle Angel.

[–] saintkamus-1 15 years ago

Dumb trolls are dumb.

[–] airfaith 11 years ago

you mean they where "amazing movies" lol those films are renowned for being 3 of the best sci fi action movies of all time, they were literally so ahead of their time im amazed anyone can say they where terrible, i have to assume you are about 12 and never grew up early enough to appreciate the hard work put into trying to make 80 and 90s movies realistic without the use or decent CGI

its only since decent CGI came about that cameron has lost his touch, because his hard work is no longer hard work, his planning is no longer planning, he has an idea and gives it to the production department tells them what he wants and leaves it there, then comes back to point out the changes he wants, but he has no real decent view of todays CGI and what really works. avatar was a terrible movie, titanic a terrible movie etc etc etc the list goes on, but some of his early work was amazing, he just isnt a decent director in todays standards.

[–] MrMcArony 10 years ago

Those 2 films are the highest grossing films of all time .... and both have critic ratings of over 80% on RT .... I guess that negates the ill-formed opinion of a random internet poster. Don't overestimate your own opinions .... you sound like that idiot youre replying to.

[–] Q-Vos 15 years ago

I posted this in a previous thread but I'll post it again...

The general idea for Terra was inspired by the alien invasion from H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds.

From a recent article:

"The idea for Battle for Terra was born of a kind of reverse inspiration that struck director Aristomenis Tsirbas in his youth. Reading H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, the Montreal native was struck by the way the invading aliens were portrayed: Not only did they exhibit the same imperialistic behavior humans have shown throughout history, invading, colonizing and violently expanding into occupied land, but their motives for doing so were not examined in any depth... It was a pattern he observed in the alien-invasion genre as a whole, and it gave him an idea that flipped these conventions on their head... Tsirbas wrote a treatment for the idea, and the seed for Battle for Terra was born."

http://www.starland.com/sf-sc/sf09/BattleForTerra.php

I don't know where Cameron got his idea for Avatar but I'm sure any similarities are just coincidental.

[–] TrAkILLAuDiO 15 years ago

I understand the whole "War Of The Worlds" tie, But I think the romance should be left out, It's an alien, and in all honesty not to good looking one at that.

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"I make crap, not movies" Uwe Boll

[–] jmalmsten 15 years ago

Could be a clear case of Stockholm Syndrome... He finds himself as captive and starts to sympathize with his captors... ;)... no, wait for it to be that, then it would be the aliens that are sympathizing with the humans. So I may have to retract that analysis.

And it's funny that the director mentions war of the worlds as an inspiration like that. Since War of the Worlds itself was written in an age of colonization and Wells wanted to reverse the roles so that his readers could feel what it would be on the recieving end of the pointed stick of extermination. So it's basically a reversal on a reversal and we're back at the beginning again with the humans being a master-species driving an unsuspecting civilization to the brink of extinction.

[–] Q-Vos 15 years ago

@ TrAkILLAuDiO - There is no romance in this film. Mala and Jim become friends, not lovers.

@ jmalmsten - This film has nothing to do with humans being "a master-species driving an unsuspecting civilization to the brink of extinction." In fact, it is the humans themselves who are on the brink of extinction. Their decision to colonize Terra is a matter of desperation, and they are divided over how to go about it. If you see the film, you will realize that it is not as black-and-white as some people assume it is.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] chirpie 15 years ago

Avatar had it's story treatment written a decade ago.

[–] electrictroy 8 years ago

THANK YOU.

Finally someone with sense.

And for those who actually READ science fiction (or have ever watched Star Trek) we know humans invading alien worlds, and sometimes romancing the natives, is absolutely nothing new. Apparently the original poster has minimal exposure to sci-fi's extensive 100-year history. AVATAR did not need to copy Battle for Terra, when he could have just as easily copied stories from the 1930s and 40s
.

[–] GhostWriterX 15 years ago

Thank You!!! Yes it does. At least 80% anyway...

Some say the glass is half empty, some say half full. I say "Hey, are you gonna drink that?"

[–] nater56 15 years ago

I cant believe someone just compared a nickelodeon tv show to T1 T2 and Aliens, and even went as far as to say the show is better... I dont like to use this word but are you fuc*ing retarded? Thats idiotic, Its also funny that he says the show has a 9.3 and therefore is better. NO MOVIES HAVE ABOVE A 9.1!!! So I guess Avatar the Last airbender is better then any movie ever made huh?

http://www.fusioncash.net/?ref=natethegreat1719

[–] GhostWriterX 15 years ago

Whoa, are you talking to me? I just said Terra and Avatar have similar plots. I love the Last Airbender, and I know TV show ratings and Movie ratings are different, but I never compared the two.

Ah.. so she plays hard to get... I play hard to get rid of.

[–] alesisqs61 15 years ago

HAHA, he never wrote back after you called him a troll. Must have been true.

http://www.vimeo.com/1986276
http://www.youtube.com/user/alphazoom

[–] synchganesh 15 years ago

I'm gonna go ahead and say Aristomenis Tsirbas is full of *beep* He doesn't even have a solid backround of screenplay writing/projects. The treatment for Avatar has been floating around the net forawhile. He could have read it. Aristomenis Tsirbas is not known for a history of writing great scripts, but more for his CGI work, which one of them coincidentally happen to be "Titanic". But I guess that's what James Cameron gets for stealing ideas for The Terminator Series, karmas abitch

[–] dicksmothersjr 15 years ago

If your read much science fiction, you'll know that the concept of humans/aliens depleting their own resources and invading a new world is common and has been around for a long time. Ever hear of Independence Day? Same thing, basically. Not surprising. We also have no idea which treatment, Terra or Avatar, was written and submitted first.

[–] Tronic2 15 years ago

Well, as if Avatar was a bit original, either... Terra is just Pocahontas in space.

Spoilers follow! Conquerors are invading a land habited by natives who live in harmony with the nature. A higher rank soldier accidentally gets meets a native woman when she saves him from being killed. The woman learns the man's language and they become friends while their species are moving beginning a war with each-other. Both lead characters try to look for peaceful solutions, without much success. The soldier gets overrun by the highest rank officer in his camp and there appears to be nothing to stop the war. In the end they find peace but one of the lead characters dies and becomes a legend.

The above fully applies to Terra and the same elements are more or less there in every version of Pocahontas too (in the real one things are complicated by two male soldiers interested on Pocahontas, but you can always watch Disney's Pocahontas if this disturbs you).

[–] DeRo64 15 years ago

This movie may have been an influence on James Cameron's idea, but I also think the "aliens are the enemies" stories are wearing thin. Granted we've had others in the past like E.T., the Star Wars series, the Star Trek series, and Alien Nation, but this is first I know of where the humans are mostly the bad guys. Well, unless you count the Toejam and Earl video games.

"There is no escape, John!"