8 Things The Avatar Movies Copy From Tom Cruise’s The Last Samurai

James Cameron’s Avatar has an uncanny resemblance to Edward Zwick’s 2003 film, The Last Samurai. Although Avatar has elements that distinguish it from other movies, it’s difficult to deny that it is thematically and narratively similar to The Last Samurai. The fact that Avatar is the highest-grossing movie of all time is a testament to how its world-building and visual effects make it a groundbreaking film. However, it’s clear to see that Avatar utilizes several tropes that have been seen in other projects – including The Last Samurai.
Given Avatar’s similarities to The Last Samurai, it was only a matter of time before Cameron was accused of copying the film. Cameron has denied these accusations and claims to have had the idea for Avatar long before the release of the movies he is said to have copied (via Insider). It is worth noting that The Last Samurai isn’t the only movie that Cameron has been accused of immitating. Dances With Wolves and FernGully are also eerily similar to Cameron’s masterpiece. All in all, Avatar seems like a mix of several movies that share similarities when it comes to themes, characters, and narrative, but The Last Samurai stands out.
8 Jake And Nathan Have Similar Stories
Jake And Nathan Were Both Former Soldiers
The Last Samurai sees Nathan Algren, a former soldier down on his luck who fought against Indigenous Americans during the American Indian War, join a samurai village. Similarly, Avatar’s main character, Jake Sully, was a former marine who got immersed in a different culture. In both Avatar and The Last Samurai, the two main protagonists are initially rejected by the people in the foreign territories they join, but then they are later respected and accepted as one of them.
While the two main characters in Avatar and The Last Samurai have several similarities, the way their stories were executed is different. Nathan was haunted by the part he played in the massacre of the Indigenous Americans, whereas Jake didn’t seem to have any guilt about his past. The protagonists also have different personalities. Tom Cruise’s Nathan Algren has a quiet demeanor, while Jake is more outgoing and isn’t afraid of breaking rules.
7 Jake’s Reason For Being On Pandora Mirrors Nathan’s For Being In Japan
Nathan And Jake Were In Their Respective Foreign Territories Out Of Convenience
Another thing that Cameron seems to have copied from Zwick’s film is the reason for Jake being on Pandora. In The Last Samurai, Nathan was assigned to Japan to train imperial soldiers. He took the job because he needed the money. On the other hand, Jake went to Pandora because he had nothing going on in his life and needed something new. Both Jake and Nathan took the assignments in their respective foreign territories out of convenience, other than a belief in what they were sent there to do.
4:08 Related 10 Ways James Cameron’s Avatar Blatantly Copies Other Movies James Cameron’s Avatar has a lot in common with other popular films—in fact, aspects of the movie’s plot seem copied directly from one to the other.
Jake and Nathan having similar reasons for taking on their assignments worked out brilliantly in Avatar because it later became important for Jake’s character growth when he changed how he viewed the planet. If Jake had willingly gone to Pandora, then Avatar would have essentially been a different film, since its strongest plot point is how Pandora and the Omaticaya had changed Jake despite his going there out of convenience.
6 Jake And Nathan Learned The Cultures Of The Worlds They Joined
Jake And Nathan Embraced Their New Way Of Life
After being captured by the samurais, Nathan began to learn their way of life. He adopted everything, from their language to their samurai customs and bushido code, which eventually led him to be known as one of them. While in Pandora, Jake also immersed himself in his new culture. Although he initially struggled to fit in, Jake not only learned the Na’vi’ way of life, but managed to become an excellent hunter and have his own Ikran. He even performed the ritual that made him an Omaticaya and claimed Neytiri as his mate.
It was essential for Jake to embrace his new culture as it not only proved to the Na’vi that he was on Pandora to learn their customs, but it also showed how seeing a different culture up close impacted his life. Embracing his new culture also made it easier for Jake to have a romantic relationship with Neytiri, as they had fewer hurdles to clear. If Jake hadn’t learned to love and embrace his new culture, the fact that he was willing to risk his life to save his people wouldn’t have been convincing.
5 Tsu’tey And Jake’s Relationship Mirrors Nathan And Ujio’s Relationship
Tsu’tey And Jake Had A Contentious Relationship
While Jake and Nathan are the most similar characters, Tsu’tey from Avatar and Ujio from The Last Samurai also have some things in common. When Nathan was in the samurai village, Ujio seemed to like him the least and took the longest to accept him as one of their own. The same thing is true for Tsu’tey. Although other characters in Pandora had accepted Jake, Tsu’tey didn’t warm up to him and viewed him as an outsider, even after he became Omaticaya.
It’s fitting that Nathan and Jake each had characters that disliked them more than the rest of the group did. If they had been accepted too easily and didn’t fight for their place in their new culture, then they wouldn’t have seen things from a different perspective. In The Last Samurai, Ujio loved his culture and saw Nathan’s immersion in it as an invasion. For Tsu’tey, Jake represented everything he hated about humanity because of what they had done to Pandora. The fact that Jake ended up mating with Neytiri, who was promised to Tsu’tey, didn’t help matters.
4 Avatar & The Last Samurai Tell Very Similar Love Stories
Jake And Neytiri’s Romance Began In A Similar Way To Nathan And Taka’s Relationship
Nathan and Taka from The Last Samurai’s romance story is very similar to how Jake and Neytiri became a couple. Taka was tasked with nursing Nathan to health after he was injured in battle. After spending some time together, Nathan began to appreciate Taka’s discipline and devotion to her people, which ultimately led to him falling for her. Similarly, Neytiri was assigned to teach Jake the ways of the Omaticaya. It is through these interactions and lessons that the two fell in love and became mates.
Stories that have the main characters adopting a new culture usually have love at the center of it. If not for Neytiri showing Jake Pandora and their culture, he wouldn’t have been able to appreciate it. Similarly, Taka played an active role in how Nathan viewed the samurai’s way of life. While Avatar has a lot of things that make it such a great film, having a romance that blossomed despite the characters being from different worlds was crucial in making it such a success.
3 Avatar And The Last Samurai Both Use The White Savior Trope
Avatar And The Last Samurai Are Criticized For The Same Thing
The White Savior trope is another thing that Avatar and The Last Samurai have in common. Both Nathan and Jake are depicted as Caucasian heroes who come in and save the non-white characters. Pandora and Japan are seen through Jake and Nathan’s eyes, instead of the people the movies center on. The fact that it was Jake and Nathan who explained their new-found cultures led to some of the biggest criticisms of both films.
The White Savior trope is something that both The Last Samurai and Avatar have been heavily criticized for. Like The Last Samurai, the story of the Na’vi is told through Jake’s interpretation. Granted, the execution of the White Savior trope in both movies is different, but the message is essentially the same. While Jake and Nathan ended up saving the people in their adopted culture, the fact remains that they had a hand in the conflict that they were fighting against.
2 Avatar And The Last Samurai’s Main Characters Betrayed Their Own People
Jake And Nathan Had A Change Of Heart
Seeing that Jake and Nathan both chose to adopt a new culture and stay in their foreign territories, it was clear that they would betray the people that sent them there. After coming to the realization that it was wrong to wipe out the samurai, Nathan decided to fight against Omura and his soldiers. In the same way, Jake witnessed the damage that mining unobtanium would cause to Pandora’s terrain and its people, so he had a change of heart and defied his orders.
Having Jake betray his people was an important part of Avatar. It represented his character growth and the fact that he understood what the humans wanted to do Pandora was wrong. Although Jake initially didn’t care about his mission and was just doing it for his own benefit, his betrayal and risk to his life proved that he had grown to love the Omaticaya. Jake’s betrayal was also significant because it spoke to how it’s important to fight back against tyrants who would erase a group of people because of what they would get out of it.
1 Jake And Nathan Used Their Battle Experience To Help The Army Of Their Adopted Culture
Jake And Nathan’s Tactical Experience Were Essential In Winning The Fight Against Their Enemies
Jake and Nathan were seasoned soldiers with a lot of battle experience. After betraying the people they once served, the two characters used their battlefield knowledge and skills to help their new allies fight against their enemies. Jake and Nathan had the advantage of knowing their enemies’ weakest points. Due to their tactical experiences, the main protagonists from Avatar and The Last Samurai ended up defeating the people who were a threat to their new culture.
It was essential for the main character in Avatar to have a battle experience in the same way that The Last Samurai’s Nathan did, because it made it more believable when he prevailed against his enemies. If Cameron’s main character was just a regular guy, it would have made the win against his enemies a bit unrealistic. If not for Jake’s tactical experience, the people on Na’vi would have not only lost their lives but the spiritual connection they had to their planet. More Avatar movies are set to be released in the coming years, so the question still remains if they will bear a resemblance to other films.
Source: Insider