Summary

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)” begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure.

Breakdown

The director, James Cameron, brings the world of Pandora back to life with some of the most beautiful cinematography to ever grace the big screen. Cameron’s vision is extraordinary when it comes to the different races of the Na’vi, the culture of the Na’vi and all of the different creatures. From the forest creatures to the sea creatures, it all looks almost real. There are certain times where it felt like a video game cutscene but other times it felt like a documentary. 

Not only is this film cinematically beautiful, but it has a great story with a strong message about stealing land and adds new topics of discussion including hunting, preservation and family. 

All of the actors and actresses do a phenomenal job at bringing their characters to life. The three that stood out the most to me were Saldana, Sigourney Weaver (Kiri) and Britain Dalton (Lo’ak). Saldana’s range of emotion is exceptional and how she shows a mother’s love for her children is heart wrenching. Weaver brings a 14 year old version of herself to life that somehow works in this film. Dalton is the stand out actor when it comes to the children of the film. Dalton’s portrayal of Lo’ak, a Na’vi who feels like an outcast from the rest of his people, is a very relatable performance. 

(L-R) Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) prepare to fight to protect their kids. Courtesy 20th Century Studios.

Simon Franglen does an excellent job at composing a score that immerses the audience in the world of Pandora while at the same time not overwhelming the film. Franglen creates different scores for the different environments which helps give each biome its own identity. 

Final Thoughts

“The way of water has no beginning and no end,” and the same rings true with a runtime of 3 hours and 12 minutes. While the runtime may be a tad long for the average movie goer, I absolutely loved every second of it. I’ve seen the film three times so far and every time I noticed details which gave me a deeper appreciation for the film and I can’t wait to see where Cameron takes the Sully family in the next installment. “Avatar: The Way of Water” is an intense roller coaster from beginning to end earning it a 4 out of 5 film reels. 

Image 1: Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) riding a Skimwing. Courtesy 20th Century Studios.
Image 2: Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) takes aim with the bow her father gave her before he died. Courtesy 20th Century Studios.
Image 3: (L-R) Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) greet Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and Ronal (Kate Winslet), the leaders of the Metkayina Clan. Courtesy 20th Century Studios.
Image 4: (L-R) Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) teaches Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), his oldest son, how to hunt. Courtesy 20th Century Studios.
Image 5: (L-R) Ronal (Kate Winslet) and Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) lead the Metkayina Clan in a traditional ceremony. Courtesy 20th Century Studios.
Image 6: (L-R) Spider (Jack Champion) and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) fight off enemies. Courtesy 20th Century Studios.