The importance of watching a movie in a theater is frequently exaggerated since ultimately, what matters is the caliber of the work. However, occasionally a movie will shout out to be seen on the biggest and greatest screen you can find. One of those is undoubtedly Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron‘s second trip to Pandora, which features some of the most exciting moments, breathtaking scenery, and 3D effects I’ve ever seen.
However, despite all of the splendor, what’s most amazing about The Way of Water is its themes and love of both life and nature. The family factor, which is covered equally completely throughout the movie’s 192-minute running duration (which flies by as long as you didn’t drink too much beforehand), strengthens these themes. Although the wonderful world of Pandora might seem idyllic, the movie never shies away from the complexity of reality and the relationships we make with one another while also serving as a reminder of how simple it is to find happiness.
Since they now have a large family, Jake Sully and Neytiri have been busy over the 13 years that have passed between the movies. The youngest son Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), who struggles to adapt to their new island life and feels like a failure because of his father’s high expectations, actually acts as the emotional center of the film even though all four of the kids have important roles. As stunning as the underwater moments in the film are, they cannot compare to how lonely Lo’ak feels and how he finds solace in his relationship with nature.
Sigourney Weaver, who plays Dr. Grace Augustine in flashback sequences, and Kiri, a character that was born from Augustine’s Na’vi body in current scenes, is also excellent in the movie. Even though it’s kind of silly that Weaver is portraying a teenager, it’s difficult to picture anybody else in the part because of the vivacious and young performance she offers. Furthermore, Kiri and her mother share a lot of parallels, which is undoubtedly intentional rather than a result of a lack of variety, and the character highlights a lot of issues that are probably going to be central to Avatar 3.
Colonel Miles Quaritch, who resurfaces as a greater threat than in the original since he is now in an Avatar body with his experiences and personality uploaded into it, is at the center of the struggle in The Way of Water. Is the return’s underlying science absurd? Yes, but so was the whole premise of the previous movie, and Stephen Lang gives such a powerful, thrilling performance that it is almost difficult to focus on how accurate any of the universe’s pseudo-science is.
The fact that Quaritch’s son, Miles, was too young to be returned to Earth and was instead reared on Pandora by the Na’vi and the few human scientists who were permitted to remain there complicates matters. One of the film’s most fascinating relationships is the outcome of this. Although Miles’ current name is “Spider” and he has marvelously adapted to life on Pandora despite being a human, the Avatar of Quaritch is not officially Miles’ father, there is still an evident bond between father and son. Since Quaritch is a murdering monster who is still clearly human and sympathetic, their connection is a complex muddle from the start.
With some of James Cameron‘s finest action sequences, Avatar 2 reaches its height in the last 45 minutes. The last fight at sea is on a huge scale with enormous stakes, and it is full of amazing moments and even some humor. This chapter still seems complete and completely fulfilling, even though there are still unresolved issues towards the conclusion and things don’t conclude as neatly as they did in the original.
The one movie this year that you absolutely must watch in a cinema is Avatar: The Way of Water. It’s amazing to witness a master of the field continue to perform the unique feat of fusing such heartfelt emotion with such technical brilliance. Although the planet of Pandora may still be the movie’s most compelling character, the Sully family enthralls and charms viewers in this touching sequel just as much.