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It has been over a decade since James Cameron released his visual spectacle Avatar. His film has tapped into a technical advancement in filmmaking that hasn’t been done before as he brings audiences into the world of Pandora. In the long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, he hopes to tap into that same magic of his visual style from the previous film into this new installment by integrating his technology and pushing it even further. What Cameron does best with sequels like Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment Day is sticking to what made the original work and building on it, thus making improvements. He does the same with Avatar as he has spent over the last 13 years making Avatar into a franchise after the groundbreaking success of his first film. What audiences will get in the sequel is that Cameron continues to break boundaries in the film with a visually stunning piece of work that is well worth the wait.
Set a decade after Avatar, The Way of Water follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) who has fully integrated into living as a Na’vi alongside his love Neyetri (Zoe Saldana) as they start a family of their own and lead the Omaticaya tribe. The family consists of three biological children and two adopted ones as they live a prosperous life in the forests of Pandora. However, their happiness is cut short after the RDA return to destroy their home, resorting to the Sullys to leave their home and live among a new tribe known as the Metkayina tribe. Led by Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and his wife Ronal (Kate Winslet), Jake and his family must adapt to living their way in the water. As they live among this tribe, the RDA is hunting for Sully with the help of Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), who has been revived into an avatar.
As many films have adapted to the use of CGI, sometimes it becomes so distracting that it loses its audience and the story falls apart. With Cameron at the helm in these Avatar films, he plays with the visuals to provide a thrilling experience for audiences to get lost in and that’s perhaps one of the strengths of The Way of Water. Most of what attracts are the use of underwater scenes, which require most of the actors to perform in that environment. We get to spend the first half of the film in the forests from the first film, but most of the movie goes into uncharted territory as it goes into the depths of the ocean and learns about the ecosystem that lives there. Cameron manages to pull off that feat and show the beauties of the ocean with the dazzling creatures that roam it and just pop out of the screen. Cameron continues to use this groundbreaking technology to provide a theatrical experience similar to the first film but elevates it further with the use of water.
The story manages to bridge the gaps between the first and second films with a prologue narrated by Jake to provide some details on what happened with him and the tribe since the RDA left Pandora. Most of the first act does provide some exposition as the plot breezes through much of what’s happened during the first decade with Jake and his family. It’ll be a little getting used to as we get accustomed to these new characters like Jake’s children. We don’t get to explore too much into their familial bond until we get into the second half of the film, which is where the story is at its strongest. We get to spend a lot of time with these kids as well as those in the Metkayina tribe. It is a breath of fresh air getting to see these characters interact with the environment around them, making it seem like the audience is there with them to experience it. The luminescent colors and the beauty of this marine life bring Pandora to a much more vibrant place than the first film did.
During the action scenes, Cameron goes to what he does best with his sci-fi brand. The kind of thrill we get to see in the theater with these blockbuster sequences is what the director brings to the table in terms of cinematography and visuals. The action scenes are engaging and easy to follow, even when things get too crazy around the screen. Once the destruction and devastation take place in these waters, the film goes into high gear with the gunplay and the bows being shot in the air, putting out all the stops into a full-blown battle that dazzles across the screen and it is glorious to see.
With the last film spreading the deep message of protecting our forests, The Way of Water does the same with our oceans by showcasing its beauty of it in the world of Pandora. Family and protecting the community are also strong elements that get sprinkled into the film. We see this good versus evil become more like what’s right and wrong to preserve the beauty of the world’s oceans. It is quite clear to see who is on the right side of things once the military starts destroying the environment and the Na’vi fighting for their home. Lang’s character is proof of that with his tough-as-nails attitude that is reminiscent of the first film. The only difference is we get to see him in a Na’vi body as he also adapts to the natives’ lifestyle as he continues to hunt down the Sullys for revenge.
Jake and Neyetri play vastly different roles this time around from the first film. Jake goes from being the boy scout in the military to a devoted husband and father to his wife and children. He tries to keep his kids out of trouble when he can, but it’s clear that he is also struggling to be the father he wants to be for them. Sam Worthington does his best to convey that in his performance and works to his credit despite not getting a whole lot of screen time. Saldana’s character Neyetri doesn’t get too much to do in the film, but we do get to see her in action as she plays more of the protective mother to her children and does what she can to keep them safe. We also don’t get to see much of the leaders of the Metkayina tribe, but it is a good setup to learn about this community in the film and whatever comes next in the franchise.
Even though Jake and Neyetri are the core pair of characters we follow, it is their children who take most of the spotlight. We get to see them learn about their new home while also facing pressure from their patriarch to live up to expectations. We also see them face some prejudice for being half-human from the water tribe and get into some scuffles with them. The siblings tend to stick together no matter what situation they get themselves in. Adopted daughter Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) taps into her spiritual side as she learns about her connection to Pandora and her birth mother. Younger son Lo’ak tries to live up to his older brother Neteyam, but he ends up becoming his person as he explores the ocean and bonds with the creatures he encounters. Spider, the only human child adopted by the Sullys, shows a lot of energy and gets some great screen time with the siblings when he’s not with them.
Avatar: The Way of Water is a visual spectacle that is ripe for a great film experience in the theater. Cameron has improved a lot with this film from the original with the story as well as the breathtaking CGI that mesmerizes the entire screen from start to finish. It expands more into the Avatar lore with the discovery of new locales and tribes that exist outside of the rainforest. The oceans are far and wide, leaving a lot of beautiful shots of the environment and its creatures. The story is an emotional journey of a family at the centerpiece of the film. Despite its long runtime, audiences won’t feel bloated by the film and will feel lost in this stunning world. Cameron is pushing the boundaries of what cinema can capture, putting a new perspective on visuals through technology. The Way of Water is a reminder that films like this provide escapism from reality and transport us into a new realm of possibility.
Avatar: The Way of Water releases in theaters on December 16th.
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