This is modern myth-making befitting an epic tale of cultural identity inclusive of mother nature. Cameron’s attempt to go bigger and better than his 2009 magnum opus ‘Avatar’ has been achieved in terms of technology and visual alchemy but the story doesn’t really take us to any new dimensions.
A still from the movie, 'Avatar: The Way of Water'
Film: Avatar: The Way of Water
Cast: Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, Jack Champion
Director: James Cameron
Rating: 3.5/ 5
Runtime: 202 mins
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It's been a 13-year-long wait for this meticulously planned and engineered sequel and the anticipation has reached sky-high by all accounts. So…has the interminably long wait been worthwhile? This is an unprecedented cinematic ambition that’s never been experienced before. The scale is epic, the dollars spent on making this sequel are unheard of and it’s a distinct possibility that this film might take several years to break even. But James Cameron’s execution of hooking the audience with an amazing world they could never imagine is unparalleled.
This is modern myth-making befitting an epic tale of cultural identity inclusive of mother nature. Cameron’s attempt to go bigger and better than his 2009 magnum opus ‘Avatar’ has been achieved in terms of technology and visual alchemy but the story doesn’t really take us to any new dimensions.
Jake Sully also known as “Toruk Makto” (Sam Worthington) and his wife/spiritual “Tsahìk” leader Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) have begun to raise 4 kids; older brother Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), younger brother Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), youngest sister Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), and their adopted oldest daughter Kiri (Sigourney Weaver). Spider (Jack Champion), a young human boy, is an integral part of that unit, Their continued presence in Pandora’s forests puts the entire Na’vi race under threat - by the sky people and their commander Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), who is seeking revenge on Jake. So Jake and his family have no other alternative other than to move home from the familiar forests of Pandora to a new location - numerous enchanting lush Maldives-like islands surrounded by water. Jake, Neytiri, and the kids try to stay undetected in their refuge with the ocean reef people clan of Metkayina but the omnipotent heavily armed enemy is not one to give up on the search.
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“The Way of Water” uses moments from the past to fortify the present. A few “Avatar” scenes get recycled obviously with a new context and Cameron’s affinity for big-ticket action sequences has glorious evocation, as expected. The set-up, story arc, and plot are familiar ground here. The only difference here is that Jake Sully now has an expanding family to protect and he is well aware that the sky people are out to destroy everything he holds dear. The problem though is the languid pace employed for the first 120-plus minutes of the film.
Stunningly beautiful visuals and life-like computer-generated imagery are well-entrenched expectations from the Avatar franchise- so the time spent allowing us to be enchanted by what we’ve already experienced before could have been shortened to a sweeter length. The narrative only picks up the pace when the battle comes to the faraway island nation. And when that comes it’s a fantastic sight to behold.
The advancements in VFX, CGI, and 3D technology are evident but it’s James Cameron’s supremely imaginative world-building that holds you in its thrall. Cameron closes the narration here with a big, fantastic all-guns-blazing battle in which Avatars of humans use never-seen-before sophisticated transport and weaponry against Pandora’s arrows and creatures.
The tech is undoubtedly several notches above what we experienced in Avatar. And when seen on IMAX 3D it’s definitely mind-boggling. Even if you watch it on normal 2D screens there’s enough emotion, drama, action and extravagant beauty to win you over. Even the motion-capture performances by the entire cast is punctiliously laid out.
In Pics: Celebs attend special screening of Avatar: The Way Of Water
Cameron’s large-scale action binge goes full throttle and the big-screen thunder that ensues is far superior to any we have seen or experienced before. The entire experience is immersive and has gripping moments with new dramatic highs- notwithstanding the dreamy pacing of the first half.
James Cameron may have promised something more unique, groundbreaking, and worthy of a 5-film franchise and he may well achieve a bigger portion of that promise. Unfortunately, the story for this new “Avatar” extravaganza hasn’t grown beyond the familiar - even when the tech is beyond compare.
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