Avatar: Icon of racism?

Many reviews have been made critiquing Avatar as a movie that has racism issues in it. Most people agree to this but some think that it's just a movie and we shouldn't take it too seriously. But the question that is flying around is "Is Avatar and everything about it racist?"
The movie takes place in a distant moon named Pandora. Pretty much like the Earth, this planet is inhabited by 10-feet bluish humanoids called Na'Vis. They lived in their planets with peace and the thought of that everything is connected by an energy. They are suddenly invaded by humans looking for minerals to mine and to use for personal reasons. With technological advantages, the humans cultured their own natives and controlled them using impulses by the brain and they called it Avatars thus the title of the movie. They used it to communicate with the inhabitants and tried to negotiate with them to relocate their clan in another place because they were living in the largest deposit of the rock the humans want. Having found no diplomatic solutions, the humans resorted to brutal force.
One can say that it is a racist film if they would really take its meaning deep.
The movie revolves around an ex-marine who controls an avatar and learns the culture and the ways of the natives, falling in love with a Na'vi and then switching sides and fought against the humans.This theme has been used by many movies like Pocahontas; a white guy leads the natives into victory.But do this natives need a white guy to be able to defend themselves? Why not make a movie that shows colored people defending and winning without any outside help? Also, the movie shows how humans are willing to invade a nation in order for the advancement of their own interests. The natives in the movie somehow resembled African people having bows and arrows with poisoned tips being oppressed by foreign invaders.
On the other hand, one can conclude that it is just a movie and nothing more. It may not be racist for some reasons.The Sully character and with some of his colleagues switched sides and helped protect the Na'vi thus having respect for the natives. Cameron, the director and writer of Avatar, said that "the film asks us to open our eyes and truly see others, respecting them even though they are different, in the hope that we may find a way to prevent conflict and live more harmoniously on this world." which is true.And the actors who portrayed could be Asian, Hispanic or black. It just so happened that the actor was white. What if the soldiers were robots.Would it make any difference?
The choice is up to you. Your opinion on the film depends on your beliefs and the things you know. In the end, the natives survived the invasion and rightfully defended their planet. Racism or not it will always remind us of the struggles and hardships that one nation must face and survive in order to live freely and protect the things they believe in.