The cinematic event of the decade is upon us. James Cameron’s Avatar arrived after frenzied anticipation—the hype around its technology, which combines live action with digital animation, has been such that even if it was even slightly off kilter, it would have been considered a monumental failure. But Cameron’s vision is indisputable; and his bravura—boosted, of course, by a budget of an excess of $300 million—is inspiring. Avatar is a luscious and enchanting film, powered by the utopian thought that all living beings are one. Its comment on the earth’s depleting resources and the desperate need to preserve life, water, forests and mountains to avoid apocalypse is a thought in currency at the moment. But that’s just the message. Much of movie-making is about manipulating the viewer, held captive in a dark room. This is a...