Avatar has been given the thumbs down by leading Catholic Church officials because it promotes the worship of nature.
The Vatican's newspaper has dubbed the sci-fi epic "simplistic" after editors spoke to bishops and cardinals after a screening.
In an article in L'Osservatore Romano, one Vatican critic writes the movie "gets bogged down by a spiritualism linked to the worship of nature," adding there are "few genuine emotions" in the film.
And Vatican spokesman Revd. Federico Lombardi reveals the criticism reflects Pope Benedict XVI's views on the dangers of turning nature into a "new divinity."
But it’s James Cameron’s sci-fi epic that is having the last laugh breaking through the $1 billion barrier quicker than any other movie and is now the second biggest grossing film of all time, behind Titanic.
The movie finds itself competing at this weekend’s Golden Globes in the Best Picture Drama category and may see itself nominated for an Oscar in the next few weeks.
Avatar will be released in Italy on Friday.
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