Avatar

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is the sequel to James Cameron’s 2009 blockbuster hit ‘Avatar’. This film takes place on the distant planet of Pandora. The story picks up several years after the events in the first film. Just like in its predecessor, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ tells the story of the conflict between the indigenous alien species of Pandora, the Na’vi, and the humans who are invading their home.

The visuals of the film are amazing. The world of Pandora, with its dense forests, floating mountains, beautiful oceans, and strange and incredible creatures are brought to life in amazing detail. The special effects and CGI are exceptional, making it feel like you are actually there.

The story, however, is where I personally think the film falls short. The film unfolds at a snail-like pace, with a lot of the scenes devoted to world building and character introduction and development. While this is fine in and of itself, it makes the average movie goer quite bored, due to the lack of urgency or tension. The film’s main antagonist, the avatar clone of Miles Quaritch (Avatar’s main antagonist) is also a bit one-dimensional and lacks complexity. It seems that revenge is the only thing on his mind and nothing else. The other characters are a toss up. The returning characters, like Jake and Neytiri, are well written and have good chemistry with each other. However, the new characters fall flat and don’t quite manage to leave the same impression as Jake and Neytiri did in the first Avatar film. It feels as though they aren’t a significant part of the story.

In conclusion, ‘Avatar : The Way of Water’ is a visually breathtaking film that immerses the viewer in the mesmerising world of Pandora. The CGI is to die for, creating a truly believable alien planet. However, the story is slow-paced and lacks action, and several new characters fail to leave a long-lasting impression. While loyal fans of the franchise will enjoy the film,  no doubt, it’s not quite the blockbuster the first Avatar was.

Felix Ivander Salim, Level A

12 MIPA, SHB 3