Avatar: The Way of Water Movie Review

At the close of the 2010s, James Cameron’s Avatar delivered a substantial leap forward for high-end blockbusters. After thirteen years in the making, Avatar: The Way of Water has been biding its time, waiting for its biggest competitors to end or fizzle out. For the most part, the return of the highest grossing film in history has been worth the wait.

Many years after the first, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neyteri (Zoe Saldana) are living in peace on Pandora, an idyllic life that is quickly compromised by the return of humanity, who begin another ruthless attempt at colonisation. With the RDA forces bearing down on their clan, the two flee with their family, falling in with the aquatic Metkayina people; together they face a renewed push from hostile forces away from the dense forests. Where the 2009 film served as our introduction to Pandora, the sequel focuses on family and the journeys of the next generation. The Way Of Water places great emphasis on Jake and Neyteri’s children, two of whom go through their own personal storylines. This forms the film’s beating heart, turning the story towards a more introspective tone; these bonds are put to the test when the action kicks in and while the second Avatar is a very long film, it keeps you invested for a good portion. Where the film falls down is with its rushed opening and a ending sequence desperate to set up future releases; most audiences will be out of the loop after over a decade and in a bid to get them up to speed, The Way Of Water quickly adds new characters to the proceedings without the proper build-up. For the first fifteen minutes or so, you may feel rather disconnected.

The cast for Avatar 2 has greatly expanded, mostly on the Na’Vi side. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana have certainly mellowed out as parents, but the film makes sure that they play a large role throughout the story; their fierce commitment to family underpins much of the combat. They are backed up by the leaders of the water tribe as Ronal (Kate Winslet) and Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) join the fray with their own teachings and perspectives. Some characters like the returning Norm Spellman (Joel David Moore) and Max Patel (Dileep Rao) are put to the side, but the film chooses to focus on the Sully children. The young actors all do a solid job, despite some occasionally iffy dialogue; the highlights are Sigourney Weaver’s Kiri and Britain Dalton’s Lo’ak. Kiri finds her own special connection with Pandora’s goddess while Lo’ak forms a close bond with a tulkan, one of the biggest and most intelligent creatures in the planet’s oceans. Both actors plant the seeds for future tales while also tying into the central struggle. Without giving too much away, we have some returning villains who are just as menacing despite their changed appearance; they represent the relentless push of the RDA to exploit the planet; each of their scenes are heavily based in oppression and control.

Just like its predecessor, every last frame of Avatar: The Way of Water is visually spectacular; Cameron’s production represents the bleeding edge of immersive detail with the ocean setting being absolutely stunning. The glistening beaches, fascinating creatures and advanced human technology all come together in a seamless showcase of technical mastery. Of course, the 3D enhances the effect with the highlight being the characters exploring the waters of the Metkayina; we’re treated to so many majestic shots and imagery that will fully absorb you into the adventure. This time around the action parallels the whaling hunts from centuries past, the extraction of resources from the oceans that underpin the RDA’s plans; the final act in particular homages both Titanic and The Abyss with the destruction of a hulking fishing vessel. The impeccable motion capture has received multiple upgrades with more detailed facial expressions that stand out more than the original. With a few light additions the soundtrack mostly stays the course, the emotional heft of the Pandora theme shining through. The sense of awe and wonder hasn’t diminished one bit, something that is sure to continue in the sequels to come.

In some ways, time hasn’t been kind to James Cameron’s grand odyssey; a rushed opening and tacked on ending segment do hold it back from its full potential. When you put these issues aside however, The Way of Water will cast a wondrous spell on you just as the original did. Few worlds hold an impact as powerful as this one and I’m looking forward to seeing where the franchise goes over the next decade.

Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)