Welcome back to another 'quick-view' everyone! Is this sci-fi epic worth the 13-year wait (since the release of its 2009 predecessor), or is it another instance of a highly anticipated sequel dropping the ball (e.g., Transformers: The Last Knight and Alien 3, to name a few)? Only one way to find out, as we examine:
I had the privilege of seeing Avatar: The Way of Water the day it came out (December 16), and I am certainly pleased to say this is a must-see flick! While the narrative isn't anything on the level of what Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino, or the talent at Pixar Animation Studios have produced, it nonetheless manages to tell a cohesive story that succeeds in being both engaging and well-paced, whilst continuing/expanding upon the pro-environmentalist and anti-colonial themes (to name a few) of the 2009 original. In addition, despite the significant number of subplots that exist alongside the main narrative, writer-director James Cameron manages to ensure that most of them get a reasonable amount of screentime to sufficiently unfold, whilst tying into the thematic messages he's communicating to viewers as well as the overarching plot.
In terms of the cast, Sigourney Weaver, aka Ripley in the Alien franchise and Dr. Grace Augustine in the first Avatar, has to be the biggest surprise as Kiri, the 14-year old adopted daughter of Jake and Neytiri. Despite portraying a character decades younger than herself, Weaver manages to bring Kiri to life so effectively that if one went into the movie not knowing the seasoned actress was playing this new character, they'd likely be hard-pressed to guess it was Weaver! On the other hand, Zoe Saldaña (aka Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), like in the previous film, unequivocally owns the role of Neytiri, infusing her with an emotional multi-dimensionality that makes it pretty easy to get invested in what happens to the character, ESPECIALLY during a pivotal moment in the third act (which I won't give away for spoiler purposes, but those who have seen the movie should likely know what I'm talking about); Saldaña also shines during the various action sequences Neytiri is involved in, bringing the Na'vi warrioress' distinctive physicality and combat skill to life in a way that elevates whatever set piece Neytiri happens to be involved in. The vast majority of the rest of the cast, meanwhile, both returning and newcomers, do a solid job in their respective parts, and collectively serve as an example of how shrewd James Cameron and his casting staff are when it comes to assembling the right actors/actresses for given roles!
Arguably the main highlight of The Way of Water has to be its visual effects (VFX for short), because as revolutionary as the VFX for Avatar may have been (and continue to be), the effects for this movie are on par with, if not superior, to its 2009 predecessor! Potentially the most innovative facet of this part of the movie is the innovations that allowed the filmmakers to use performance capture technology underwater, and 'impressive' probably don't do the end result of what's shown onscreen justice! The underwater scenes depicted onscreen are extremely well-realized, and the work done on them alone are what make The Way of Water a worthy contender for Best Visual Effects at this year's Oscars!
While I'm conflicted about how Avatar: The Way of Water compares to the first Avatar, I feel confident in saying The Way of Water is a clear example of how James Cameron is the guy to turn to if you want a sequel done right! With engaging characters, a more complex (compared to its predecessor) but still coherent narrative, enthralling action sequences, fantastic VFX work, all topped off by a good serving of heart, this is a return to Pandora that's definitely worth watching, especially if you're a fan of sci-fi!
