When “Avatar” was released in 2009, it shattered box office records. It took 13 years for the sequel to finally reach movie theatres. After much anticipation, “Avatar: The Way of Water” opened in theatres.
Let’s see if James Cameron, the master filmmaker, managed to recapture the wonder of the original.
Story:
“Avatar: The Way of Water” picks up the story of the Sully family more than a decade after the events of the first film. Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) in his new avatar leads a squad of soldiers who are hell bent on eliminating Jack Sully (Sam Worthington).
Jake takes his family (Neytiri, and their kids) and flees from Pandora to the remote islands led by Ronal (Kate Winslet) and Tonowari (Cliff Curtis). However, Quaritch still manages to track them down.
How will Sully protect his family from the army of Colonel Quartich, who possesses hi-tech weapons?
Artistes’ Performances:
While Sam Worthington is excellent as always in the role of Jake Sully, the spotlight is on the young actors who play Jake Sully’s sons and daughters. In particular, the actors who play Lo’ak and Neteyam are the show-stoppers.
As Neytiri, Zoe Saldana is as fierce as ever. She gives an outstanding performance, and she’s matched by Sam Worthington.
Kate Winslet plays Ronal, the pregnant tribal leader, with a good handful of heft. And as the villainous Colonel Miles Quaritch, Stephen Lang shines.
Technical Excellence:
It’s common knowledge that when James Cameron directs a film, the technicians in charge of the special effects, cinematography, and action sequences all perform at the highest possible level. The cutting edge of technical output can be seen in the 3D version of Avatar: The Water Way.
The technical team’s creation of Pandora Oceans is a world that cannot be adequately described in words. The CGI is completely out of this world. The music in the background is ok.
Highlights:
Second Half
The visual effects and technical wizardry
Immersive narrative
Drawback:
The slow-paced initial portions
Excessive runtime
Some repetitive sequences
Analysis
When “Avatar” was released in 2009, viewers were blown away by James Cameron’s vision of the planet Pandora. A thing like this had never happened before. He set an unrealistically high standard for the use of special effects.
The film industry has evolved tremendously over the past 13 years. The visual effects in even a Telugu film like “RRR” were cutting edge. Everyone was wondering how Cameron would live up to the expectations of today’s audiences.
Right off the bat! The special effects take it to a new level, making it difficult for any other director to live up to Cameron’s standard of excellence.
“Avatar” was filmed on the fictional planet of Pandora, which was home to dense forests. Though the sequel opens in Pandora’s forests, the action quickly moves to the reefs. The remaining 2 hours and 45 minutes of this 3.15-hour movie take place on the ocean.
There’s not much going on in terms of plot. The battle lines are clearly drawn: Jake Sully and his family versus the colonel. However, Cameron places greater emphasis on the story’s human elements and family emotions.
“The Sullys stay together.” This is a story that truly embodies what Jake Sully says at the outset. The film’s middle section focuses on Sully’s kids and their Ocean-going exploits. The sequence of Jake Sully’s younger child befriending a Tulkun is wonderfully told.
The action episodes with 48 frames per second frame rate are truly spectacular.
Similarly, the entirety of the final hour is engaging and contains applause-inducing moments. Fighting sequences featuring the Tulkan are also exciting to watch. James Cameron has also included many Indian cultural references and themes in his story.
The film’s length, however, cannot be justified. It’s almost 3 hours and 15 minutes long, and the beginning is tedious. There are also lots of repeating sequences.
In nutshell, “Avatar 2” is a film that should be seen in IMAX 3D because of the immersive experience it provides. James Cameron delivers worthwhile entertainment despite a slow start and a long running time. Cameron takes us on a ride to a magical underwater world and shows us something truly spectacular. The final moments offer a lot to cheer for.
Bottom line: Visual Treat