Film Review: "Avatar: The Way of The Water"


It has been thirteen years since Avatar was released in 2009. With a lengthy delay between films, fans pondered if Avatar: The Way of The Water would be worth the wait.  The 3-hour and 10-minute run time deliver a spectacle unlike another. The question is if the story is worth the theatrical commitment.  Set over a decade since the first film, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) are living with their family on Pandora. When humans return to the planet, the Sully family's war for survival begins. What follows is a three-hour action epic with a rather simplistic story.

On a technical level, the film is an absolute marvel in every sense of the word. Cameron has crafted a mesmerizing spectacle that demands the big screen treatment. Filming large portions underwater creates something that feels immersive. The world of the Na’avi is so vast and beautiful, that it is exciting to watch unfold. Taking nearly a decade to make this sequel, the story's focus is on the action. Filming large portions underwater help create a sense of both scale and scope.  This craft reminds audiences of the magic and evolution of the planet Pandora.

The world of Pandora has grown and evolved massively since the original film.  It is not however the only world and society explored.  The humans who return to Pandora are not heavily marketed in the advertising.  To avoid spoilers, I will not be discussing how characters like Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) return. What can be said is the human characters have gone through an evolution of their own. Their new cybernetic technology has a real sense of menace on screen. All of their technology is the equivalent of machine guns for nothing besides killing. A sensation of fear is bestowed via the technology, giving the action sequences urgency.

While technically marvelous, the problems reside in the film's oftentimes ludicrous screenplay.  Cameron puts all of his directing abilities into creating a visual feast for viewers. The ambition of Avatar: The Way of The Water is its biggest blessing and its biggest curse. . Expanding Pandora’s mythology offers new thematic elements to explore, with new characters.  The problem is that our main characters are not given any new emotional depths to dive into.  Both the heroes and villains are archetypes for the typical Sci-Fi blockbuster film. 

 James Cameron's dialogue in his films has been met with division amongst critics and audiences. In The Way of The Water, he has not succeeded in creating overtly memorable characters. Every character is only given one key motivation. Jake Sully, Neytiri, and their family only want to stick together and defeat the humans. The human characters simply want nothing more than to defeat the Sullys and claim Pandora. There is no shading or range in these characters, besides generic and simple motivations. No matter the spectacle, the missing emotional weight does not help connect viewers to the story. 

Avatar: The Way of The Water demands to be seen on the biggest and best screen possible. James Cameron knows how to create an alien civilization that feels like the real world.  His technical filmmaking prowess is so impressive, that it is Avatar’s biggest strength and weakness.  Focusing on the technical craft takes the attention away from making compelling characters. For something to see this Holiday season, The Way of The Water will deliver serious thrills. Viewers looking for a visceral cinema experience will not be disappointed.  Those looking for a more serious story will be craving something more.

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