VATICAN CITY — “Avatar” is wooing audiences worldwide with visually dazzling landscapes and nature-loving blue creatures. But the Vatican is no easy crowd to please.
The Vatican newspaper and radio station are criticizing James Cameron’s 3-D blockbuster for flirting with the idea that nature worship can replace religion — a notion the pope has warned against. They call the movie a simplistic and sappy tale, despite its awesome special effects.
“Not much behind the images” was how the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, summed it up in a headline.
As the second-highest-grossing movie ever, “Avatar” has been critically acclaimed and is touted as a leading Oscar contender.
But the movie also has drawn some critical voices. Some conservative bloggers have decried its anti-militaristic message; a small group of people have said the movie has racist themes.
To Vatican critics, the alien extravaganza is just “bland.” L’Osservatore said the film “gets bogged down by a spiritualism linked to the worship of nature.”
