Thoughts on Avatar: The Way of Water

Contains some spoilers but let's be real, you're not watching Avatar for the story.

At a runtime of 3 hr 12 min, you certainly get your money's worth with Avatar: The Way of Water. But beyond length, James Cameron and his team have delivered another picture that will undoubtedly mark a colossal leap in technical storytelling.

The Way of Water does not tread into any thematic or narrative uncharted waters. The story leans on reliable tropes such as the introduction of the Sully children consisting of the noble eldest son, the disappointing middle child, and the youngest sibling who provides comedic relief. At the head, Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neyteri (Zoe Saldaña) lead their clan on a deadly run from redoubled murderous efforts from the avatar reincarnation of Col. Quaritch (Stephen Lang). Whilst fairly unimaginative, the plot is compelling enough which leads to the heart of this review: the visual effects elevate every aspect of this movie. The Na'vi are so expressive and their integration with humans on screen is seamless. The emotion really comes through so you buy into the struggles and you believe the stakes. The script is not particularly special but the Na'vi are so flawlessly animated and voiced that every joke and every pained monologue hits as if delivered by an physical actor. The environments, flora, and fauna are so alien (duh) but you don't question them for a second (a jellyfish backpack that lets you breathe underwater? Why not). Simply put, your disbelief is suspended for the entire ride. That is the magic of this film. It is a feat that far less ambitious projects fail to achieve. Weta digital and all those involved with the visual effects deserve every accolade and award they receive.

Arguments can be made that this kind of exclusively digital production is counterproductive to good film making. For example, actor performances lose nuance and individuality both during production and for the viewing audience. However it's a tool like anything else. Its use or non-use is a conscious decision. Ultimately, if it services the story, it has its purpose and therefore its place. At that point, it's the audience's choice to support its adoption. Any discipline or industry requires innovation or risk becoming stale. This is showing what is possible and hopefully inspires film makers the same way Jurassic Park did in the early 1990s.

This movie is not particularly special but it's still loads of fun and commands your attention. Go watch Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron's latest boundary-expanding cultural event. If you have seen it, let me know what you think below.

Favorite parts:

• I really enjoyed the dialogue-less scenes of characters exploring the waters of Pandora. Just the most beautiful visual treats sprinkled through the story without disrupting the flow. They're so life-like, you'd half expect David Attenborough to start narrating.
• While very focused on family, I appreciated the storyline that emphasized the theme of humanity's tendency to carelessly waste natural resources for financial gain. Humans found a giant sea creature on a foreign planet and were super quick to exploit the animal. The parallel to real world whaling is very on the nose. But it also reminds you that this movie is meant to be painfully transparent (humans never learn).

Least favorite parts:

• There's no way around the insane runtime. My fellow small-bladdered people, you're going to miss something.
• Not a huge fan of the Col. surviving at the end. Hopefully he has more complex motives in the third installment than "kill Jake Sully". Especially since he is a Na'vi himself now.