Does the movie “Avatar" contain a racist sub-theme?

Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy says the sci-fi blogosphere is abuzz with debate.

Annalee Newitz, who writes the science blog io9, recently criticized "Avatar" for depicting yet another white man as a hero in the liberation struggles of oppressed people of color, Milloy notes.

The movie features an ex-Marine named Jake Sully who transforms himself from a human, or Sky Person, into a Na'vi, or cat person, all to gather intelligence for a military invasion. But Sully falls in love with a cat woman and leads the cat people in thwarting the invasion.

After watching the movie, Milloy said he found the criticism valid.

“I came away from "Avatar" with a similar feeling, although not nearly as strong as I had after watching, say, "Mississippi Burning," which portrayed the FBI as heroes of the civil rights movement,” he wrote.

And yet, Milloy concluded, the movie is definitely worth seeing, “not only for the sensational special effects but also to participate in an important discussion about race.”

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