It’s been exhaustively questioned as to whether James Cameron’s Avatar, the highest grossing film of all time, originally unseating Cameron’s own Titanic, has sustained its influence on pop culture as it did on filmmaking technology, with many claiming it came and went with little relevance. How exactly you make nearly $3 billion and not retain relevancy makes almost no logistical sense, yet that’s one of the biggest conversations surrounding Cameron’s return to Pandora after 13 years away. Do audiences still care about Pandora and the Na’vi? While this year has been rather stellar for large scale epics, seek no further than SS Rajamouli’s RRR, Robert Eggers’ The Northman and Matt Reeves’ The Batman to name a few, the long-awaited return to the Avatar world couldn’t have come at a better time. In an age where directors of big, effects-laden superhero movies that lean too heavily on animatics and the crutch of a sea of understaffed, underpaid visual effects artists to create magic for them has reached a critical level. The Oscar-winning master of cinema seeks to disprove the naysayers and has returned with a moving, gargantuan epic of limitless scope and imagination that will only further immortalize that old saying, you just never bet against James Cameron.
Following Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) almost 15 years later as they’ve become a family with five children, a mix of their own as well as two adopted. When the sky people of Earth return to Pandora, Jake and Neytiri are forced to fight for the safety of their family and their new home, now living among the Ocean-dwelling Na’vi tribe of the Metkayina, led by Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and Ronal (Kate Winslet). Cameron takes the same approach used in T2 by taking the original film and greatly expanding its horizons, both thematically and in sheer spectacle. This is a sprawling epic of flawed families and unbreakable bonds that is able to introduce entire new ecosystems and species on Pandora while still telling a layered, emotionally dense story at the center of it.
The original Avatar lacked the emotional heft that Cameron so masterfully crafted in Titanic, and was often criticized for villains that felt a bit cartoonish and exaggerated — although, now at the end of year 2022, it’s an unfortunate reality that these portrayals have aged quite sufficiently. The Way of Water retains the healthy balance between sweeping scale and intimate character drama that warrants being compared to Titanic. Family is the core theme of this sequel, and the script, written by Cameron, alongside Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) gives each family member enough screen time for you to invest in their personalities and relationships. You can feel Cameron’s genuine paternal soul in the film coming through with some of the most piercingly emotional and moving images in a mega-blockbuster of this caliber. In many respects, this feels like Cameron’s most personal film to date. It’s not a knock against the film but rather a large compliment that an enormous whale creature could be the films most impactful character arc.
The returning cast are given more compelling layers to their characters with Zoe Saldaña’s Neytiri having transformed from the graceful warrior princess-turned fierce mother and wife. Stephen Lang returns in a complex, potently defined turn. In a bold, but successful creative move, Sigourney Weaver returns, this time as Kiri, the teenage daughter of Jake and Neytiri. Among the younger generation of actors, Britain Dalton’s Lo’ak, the angsty younger son of Jake and Neytiri, is a commanding character backed by a performance that echoes the charisma of a young Leonardo DiCaprio.
To say this is a game-changer in vfx technology is obvious, but Cameron is just that great of a filmmaker that the sheer amazement of the spectacle never grows stale. This is a stone-cold stunner for all of its 192 minutes. The performance capture technology has become so advanced that microscopic details in an actors performance such as facial tics are picked up. Hairs on characters skin are rendered so photorealistic and truly blur the line as to what looks tangible and real against a digital creation. A large portion of the film is spent exploring the new Oceanic seasides of Pandora and it’s as fully realized and immersive as you would hope. There are moments where you can get lost trying to soak in all the new creatures and guffaw-inducing locations that are consistently flowing in and out of the frame.
Cameron’s strengths as an economical storyteller are also on full display. The editing, credited to Cameron, Stephen E. Rivkin, John Refoua and the late, David Brenner, is cut with breathless precision maximizing every minute of the runtime to make it feel half the length. In the exhilarating final hour that blends everything from the boat destruction of Titanic, to the environmental battle of nature vs man reminiscent of Princess Mononoke, we follow more than a dozen characters and not once does the film lose focus of its many shuffling pieces. The third act has some of the most clear, concise sequences of action Cameron has staged since the days of T2 and True Lies.
Cameron continues to utilize 3D to transport audiences to Pandora and tinker with high frame rate (HFR). We’ve seen the use of high-frame-rate 3D before to largely negative results. Ang Lee utilized it in Gemini Man which worked to add another layer of immersion to the action sequences, built left a big distraction for the quieter talky moments, of which there were many. Cameron’s recent restoration of the original film saw him implementing it in short bursts throughout the runtime, to winning effect. He masters it here, with select shots and moments being projected at a smoother 48 frames per second, double the standard 24. What the HFR does is allow the traditional barrier to wash away, bringing you closer to the characters, allowing their dynamics to feel more visceral as you feel you’re right there alongside them. A 3+ hour epic in 3D with altering frame rates sounds like a nightmare for the eyes, but Cameron knows how to naturally present the story and visuals as not to obliterate the health of his audience.
James Cameron continues to flex his status as one of modern cinema’s greatest visionaries with Avatar: The Way of Water. A rousing and expansive achievement in filmmaking that is rich with emotional depth and endless visual wonder.
I’m going tomorrow – will see it in IMAX 3D.
It annihilated my senses in a way few films have. Made me remember why I fell in love with the art of filmmaking.
Great review .sounds amazing .I’m going to have to see this one
I’ll watch it.
Something like this urges to be seen on the biggest screen imaginable
I am all in for seeing this. So SIKED!!
Wow! Ok, so I thought I would avoid this one, but what a review! I guess people need to stop underestimating James Cameron.
You’re the first critic I’ve seen say it has emotional depth. I’m intrigued since I can only see 2D due to being blind in one eye so I’m hoping you’re right as I’m seeing it sometime this weekend.
The question of “Will you see Avatar 2?” doesn’t seem to allow for any middle ground. It reminds me of Musk/Tesla fans/haters.
I will absolutely see this. I’m an eye candy junkie. Sound and story will help. But, I will be there for one primary aspect, the visuals.
Excited to see this on the biggest screen possible
I’ll be seeing it next weekend, most likely! Pretty excited. I’ve always just been middle of the road on Avatar. A good film, but nothing I think about regularly or see as a favorite. Really looking forward to experiencing the visuals in this one though.
Really hoping to catch this on the big screen! As always thank you for the review!
This is going to be a very unpopular opinion but this is one of the big movies this year I actually have 0 interest in seeing. Yes the visuals will be amazing but the last avatar movie (that came out over 10 years ago) had such a lackluster and unoriginal story, it was literally dances with wolves but with blue cat people, i think I’m gonna skip this one and wait til he rereleases it 4 more times whenever a big budget movie beats its box office record
After rewatching the first movie, I’m excited to see this new one after waiting so long for there to be a sequel
Definitely plan on seeing it in the theater, but I’m going to wait for the initial rush to settle a bit!
Avatar: The Shape of Water is one the six best movies James Cameron has ever made along with Terminator 2 Judgment Day, Aliens, The original Terminator, the original Avatar and Titanic. Everything about this movie from character development, visual effects, cinawmintograpy, plot and the overall emotional weight of the film are all vastly superior to the original. If the other three planned sequels are anything above the standard ( Avatar ) The Shape of Water has established we may be looking and another classic Sci-Fi / Fantasy franchise that will stand along side Star Wars, Dune and The Lord of The Rings. Please go see and support this movie so James Cameron can break even and make the final three sequels. I’ve read what he has in store for the other three movie is mind-blowing. The world needs a story like this to give us hope.
I enjoyed it – certainly a visual feast – looking forward to the next one.
Prolly wait till it hits Disney
Avatar: Way of the Water is a masterpiece on how to make a great sequel. Just as good as the first if not better in some aspects. Definitely this film will win for special effects and more. A must see.
Visually arresting but overall a mixed bag, way overlong, and eventually alienating. I respect your position, and your review is quite e xcellent, but when I think of 2022 this film won’t be remembered with any particular fondness. That said, I thought the score was magnificent.
just don’t care enough about the story. I am curious about the visuals, though.
Awesome movie!! Wished I would have seen it in 3D
To be honest, I haven’t seen the first movie. I felt it was too over hyped for me and that made me not interested in seeing it.
Idk. I didn’t care for the first one but a lot of people I trust are lauding this one. But only cause everything but story. Sure the story is BETTER but is it GOOD?
Absolutely phenomenal movie, Like Totally Totally, a must watch in 3D for complete enjoyment.
The man who calls himself the king. James Cameron always wants to be on the top of the game. He elevated cinema to a different level when it’s comes to the latest technology of creating something new and exciting. But I truly believe some movies you have leave them alone, unless the story requires a second adaptation. Either way this film will do great and at least will bring theatrical distribution alive at some level.
I saw this film in 3D. It is all the author has built it up to be. GO SEE IT !!!!
*SPOILER ALERT*
I completely agree that the animation this film is to the point where you entirely forget that it was even animated at all. It all looks so real and it blends seamlessly into the characters and scenes that were human/not animated.
When it comes to the character development of our two main characters Jake and Neytiri, I gotta say that I was quite disappointed. Neytiri, who was once was a stern and powerful warrior who always put her people first, now bends to the will of her cowardly husband Jake. Even to the point of abandoning the mission her dying father left her, which was to protect her tribe. And on the other hand, our “hero” Jake just can’t help bring his problems unto other innocent people because he’s too selfish and cowardly to face his own problems head on. All Neytiri has experienced since meeting Jake is nothing but pain, suffering, and loss, and this pattern remains the same in this sequel. Also staying true in this sequel, Jake can’t help himself but continue to avoid accountability for his own actions, and instead he uproots his family, flees his own home, and unleashes the sky people’s hell onto another innocent and neutral community that should have never been involved. Much like the forest Na’vi, the ocean tribe of Na’vi people made the worst mistake of their lives – trusting Jake Sully.
I also felt that it was somewhat of a cheap move to simply recycle the main villain from the first movie by practically resurrecting him and upgrading him to a Na’vi body. He experienced almost zero character development, his sole mission remaining the same – to kill (you guessed it) Jake Sully. He is still the merciless, cruel, and one-dimensional villain from the original Avatar film. Adding the practically useless and bystander Spider into the cast was our villain’s only hope of seeing some amount of character development, which was unnoticeable by most.
Other than these character decisions, I still thoroughly enjoyed exploring deeper into the world of Pandora, and I greatly look forward to seeing more of Kiri’s mysteries revealed in later films. The character choices of our main protagonists and antagonists have not turned me off to the world of Avatar at all. Pandora is so rich in nature, color, and texture. It is so boundless, plentiful and beautiful that it easily feels much bigger than the story of Jake Sully and his family entirely, and could easily be enjoyed without them. I hope to see this more in the coming films.
Great review of a great movie I enjoyed .it was exciting and the visual effects were awesome in 3D .
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