When Avatar first released in 2009, I wasn’t completely sold on it. For a long time, I was one of those people who thought that no one cared about Avatar anymore. Sure, it was the highest grossing film of all time, but it couldn’t possibly be relevant anymore, right? Well, I was feeble-minded back then and I didn’t understand or care about cinema on the level that I do now. When the first film re-released in 4K earlier this year, I watched it on the big screen for the first time in IMAX 3D. I can confidently say that it was one of the greatest cinematic experiences I’ve ever had. With The Way of Water‘s wonderful trailers and my hype from rewatching the first film, I was all-in on returning to Pandora.
Avatar: The Way of Water improves upon every shortcoming of the first film. Firstly, the dialogue is vastly better. There’s a lot less 80’s action movie banter, so it feels more natural. I was also pleasantly surprised by how mature the approach to storytelling was. Like Eywa is the heart of Pandora, family is the heart of this narrative. Jake Sully and Neytiri now have four children and they will do whatever they must to protect them. They had been living peacefully on Pandora for years until the humans seemingly returned. An event forces the Sullies to hide with the water tribe, far away from their home. This is where they learn the way of water. It’s more difficult for them because the water Navi have different physical features to traverse the water more easily, so the Sullies have to learn to adapt. While the story isn’t as grand scale as Avatar (2009), the stakes feel much higher because of looming danger that follows them. I just really appreciate the thought and care that Cameron put into improving the narrative flaws of Avatar (2009).
Avatar: The Way of Water perfectly encapsulates what I love to see in blockbusters; stunning visuals, emotional depth, and loveable characters. This film is more than a worthy sequel and the long wait was well worth it. Whether you’re a fan of the franchise, or just want to have a fun time at the theater, I highly recommend seeing it on the largest screen available. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another thirteen years for the next sequel. If you enjoyed reading this you can check out my previous review here.
