MEMO

To: Professor Wilson

From: Nicholas Haley
Date: 9/17/2022
Subject: Rhetorical Analysis of Avatar Movie Trailer

INTRODUCTION
Avatar is the highest grossing film of all time. For this to be possible, the movie’s trailer 1 must
have convinced people to see this film. The movie displayed the cutting edge of computer-
generated image (CGI) technology at the time; combining previously unimagined images with a
compelling storyline made this movie destined for box office success. The trailer for this film
effectively captured its audience by displaying these qualities and utilizing the rhetorical
appeals of ethos, pathos, and kairos.

DESCRIPTION
This movie trailer introduces the movie Avatar to its audience of potential viewers. The trailer
was released before the film’s premier on December 18, 2009. Directed, written, produced, and
co-edited by James Cameron, the trailer promised another compelling story from this
prominent filmmaker. The trailer also offered glimpses into a beautifully created CGI world that
was previously impossible to produce2.

The trailer thoroughly summarizes the plot of the film by chronologically arranging snippets of
critical moments in the movie. It uses music to establish pathos throughout the trailer. The
music begins in an uplifting tone as the main character is offered an opportunity to travel to
another planet to “make a difference.” The music intensifies as the plot is developed and enters
into conflict. The trailer shows the external conflict of war between the humans and indigenous
aliens and internal conflict in the main character gradually switches sides to fight with the
aliens.

Visually, the trailer features scenic computer-generated landscapes to create an otherworldly

feel (see figure 1). As the trailer progresses, there are more dramatic war scenes (see figure 2).
The trailer also features text that display the filmmaker’s name and his well-known movie titles
to establish credibility.

ANALYSIS
The trailer primarily utilizes the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos and kairos as it summarizes
the plot. It gives the film credibility by naming its director and his successful films; it appeals to
emotion through awe-inspiring images, a compelling story, and contrast; and it introduces a
story that is optimally situated in cultural and technological timing.

Ethos
Being a film that was hyped up for pushing the boundaries of CGI technology in movies, the
trailer shows quite a few images of scenes that were previously impossible to create. By
showing these images, the trailer assures the audience that seeing the movie will be unlike
anything they have seen before.

The trailer also features snippets of text that, other than telling the audience when the movie is
coming out, tell the audience it was directed by James Cameron and lists his most popular films.
Here the trailer utilizes Cameron’s legacy as a film maker to promise the audience this will be a
good movie.

Pathos
This trailer is jam-packed with emotional appeal. From childlike awe to internal conflict about
what is just, there isn’t a moment in the trailer that isn’t using our emotions to draw us into this
film.

The trailer begins by proposing an opportunity of a fresh start, something every human can
relate to and can associate feeling with. What’s more, the fresh start is proposed to a man in a
wheelchair to make us feel empathy. People like underdogs and especially underdogs who are
determined to overcome their hardships. Jake’s first lines in the trailer are, “I became a marine
for the hardship. I told myself I can pass any test a man can pass. All I ever wanted was a single
thing worth fighting for.” As he says these lines, he is shown him rolling down the ramp of the
spaceship that took him to Pandora, while marines run past him. This theme is paralleled by the
Na’vi people being underdogs who use bows and arrows to fight the humans’ guns and
helicopters.

The last sentence of these first lines about something worth fighting for is a major theme
throughout the trailer, as we see Jake come to realize he is on the wrong side. The feeling of
internal conflict is intensified by shots of external conflicts such as between Jake and Neytiri
and battle scenes.

Another source of emotional appeal is the fantastical scenes of Pandora. There are beautiful
landscapes, exotic alien animals, and bioluminescent plants that could make an adult feel like a
child seeing a lightning bug for the first time (Figure 3).

Kairos
The trailer, and the film itself, took advantage of the timing of the film’s release to appeal its
audience. This primarily has to do with new breakthroughs in CGI technology, a postcolonial
Western audience, and questions about our objectives in the Middle East at the time.

The film came out when CGI had just developed enough to make this film possible. In fact,
Cameron had been working on the film for 14 years but kept delaying its production because he
felt the technology was not developed enough2.

The storyline about colonizing another planet is also delivered at a time when most people look
back at history and recognize mistakes were made. There are other, mostly well-received,
precedents that approach the topic of colonialism with similar plots such as The Last Samurai,
Dances with Wolves, and Last of the Mohicans. In these films the main character is a white male
who falls in love with the culture being destroyed by colonialism and switches sides to fight
with the native people. These stories are not without controversy. Some see them as
fantasizing colonialism but based on the success of the films, people seem to appreciate the
sentiment. Perhaps the plots are seen as acknowledging the wrongs of the past 3.

Early in the trailer we learn that the main character is a marine. He says, “All I ever wanted was
something worth fighting for.” Being released in 2009, amidst the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,
there was a lot of discussion about whether these wars were worth fighting. This was a major
topic of discussion in the presidential election that took place the year before film’s release 4.

EVALUATION
Based on ticket sales for this film, it is evident the trailer is effective. It provides glimpses of
otherworldly images, unimaginable before this film, and it provided a summary of a compelling
story.

The trailer summarizes a story that fits in well with the timing of film’s release. People were
open to a story like this. They were ready to look back at the history of colonialism through an
honest lens, perhaps because it was distant enough for most to not feel guilt.

It is surprising how much of the story is revealed in the trailer. It shows the main character’s
entire journey of falling in love with the Na’vi’s way of life and then fighting alongside them
against the humans. It leaves little left to imagination about the story itself, but perhaps it gets
away with this because the story is good enough for people to want to see again in detail.

While the story is thoroughly divulged, the trailer does a good job of showing the CGI scenes
just enough to wow people without letting them sit and stare. They are very brief and get
people to want to see more of them.

FIGURES
Figure 1. Floating mountains

Figure 2. War scene

Figure 3. Pandora at night

REFERENCES
1. Century Studios “Avatar|Official Trailer | 20th Century FOX : 20th” Youtube, November 9,
2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVdO-cx-McA
2. Ordona, Michael. “Eye-popping 'Avatar' pioneers new technology.” SFGate, December
13, 2009. https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Eye-popping-Avatar-pioneers-
new-technology-3278484.php
3. Thomas, Steven. “Avatar and Postcolonial Theory.” Theory Teacher’s Blog. Accessed
September 25, 2022. https://engl243.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/avatar-and-
postcolonial-theory/
4. Fitzgerald, David, and David Ryan. “Afghanistan, Escalation and the ‘Good War.’”
Springer Link (2014). https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137428561_3