This is an old sci-fi standard plot, with hundreds of novels and stories written in the same vein over the last 50 years. Since the 60's various intertwining socially relevant sub-plots were wrapped into it all, in this case, for instance, cultural tolerance and the environment. Technically, it was an excellent method of re-introducing 3-D to the general public, and coupled with computer generation of special effects, it couldn't be beat.