MPAA Rating: PG-13/ Genre: Sci-Fi/Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, CCH Pounder, Jamie Flatters, Britain Dalton, Chloe Coleman, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Duane Evans Jr., Matt Gerald, Alicia Vela-Bailey, CJ Jones, Jack Champion, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, Giovanni Ribisi, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement/Runtime: 192 minutes

I think it is a reasonably safe statement to make that in the close to 15 years since iconic film helmer James Cameron first dropped Avatar on eyebrow-raised movie goers only to then completely and utterly astonish them with his skill and technical craftsmanship, those initial skeptics (much like the human antagonists in this slice of cinema) have returned with a serious vengeance for this sequel and yet I can’t say that I really don’t blame them. Indeed with over decade having come and gone since the first adventure on the world of Pandora even I too was left curious as to just what path Cameron could find for Jake and the rest of the characters still around (including a couple of unexpected ones) to traverse in a follow-up. Not only that, but would the final cinematic product rationalize why it took over a decade for Cameron to make this sequel let alone announce that there would be at least two-three more in the near future? On the other hand though, if the previous follow-ups Cameron has been at the helm of consisting of Aliens in 1986 and Terminator 2 in 1991 respectively showcased anything for movie goers before anything else, it would have to be the fact that Cameron is one of those rare film helmers who can take something that has already been established phenomenally well and in the process tinker with what made the first entry so fantastic and make an follow-up that was on that same level. To that end, we see that with the film I am reviewing today, 2022’s newest release Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron manages to take his quite expansive set of cinematic tools and utilizes them to flesh out the world of Pandora courtesy of going under the surface of the oceans on the celestial body. With that in mind, it should be noted that this is one follow-up that in nearly (key word being nearly) every way possible blows past the gauntlet thrown down by the already mind blowing original. Yes I can only imagine that there will be countless stories penned about the leaps forward cinematically in order to get this slice of cinema to the finish line. At the same time though, there is no doubt that what Cameron has managed to achieve here is no more and no less ensuring he can still keep an audience hooked on a cinematic outing that not only is able to top a lot of other “blockbusters”, but also manages to earn a distinction of being a slice of cinema that can only really be compared to other James Cameron movies both in ways that are good and in ways that are disappointingly frustrating.

The plot is as follows: Taking place a solid decade after the events witnessed in the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water gets its narrative underway as we see that, in the time since we were last on Pandora, our main hero Jake Sully has not only become Chief of the Omaticaya Clan, but has also managed to get a family going with his loving wife Neytiri. A family that includes their 2 sons Neteyam and Lo’ak, their daughter Tuk, and their adopted kids Kiri and Spider respectively. As tranquil and peaceful as the family’s lives have been however, we soon see that their idyllic life together is soon thrown for a serious curve when both the RDA along with Jake’s old nemesis Colonel Miles Quaritch, in a way that I won’t spoil here, return with a vengeance and, especially in the case of Colonel Quaritch, a serious axe to grind. However, in the aftermath of some truly visceral combat, we see that Jake comes to the realization that if he wants to keep the tribe that has come to call him one of their own safe is to take off with his family and seek safety elsewhere. To that end, we see that it isn’t long that both Jake and Neytiri decide to scoop up their kids and embark on an odyssey to find a clan of water based Na’vi. Upon finding this clan, we see that they are initially treated with what can best be described as a chilled respect, but the leader Tonowari and his wife Ronal do decide to let Jake and the family reside safely within their tribe. Unfortunately, we see that this refuge soon comes with a price tag attached. Namely that Quaritch has no limits to how far he will go to get his revenge on Jake. Thus can Jake, his family, and their newfound allies put a stop to the latest machinations of both Quaritch and RDA or is this one fight that is too much for even them to handle? That I will leave for you to discover for yourself dear reader…..

Now right off the bat, I would like to say that in terms of ingredients behind the camera it should come as no surprise to learn that this slice of cinema is no more and no less than genuine movie magic at its finest. More than that though, I don’t honestly think I can really begin to try and describe for you the technical advancements that this slice of cinema makes. If I could though, I would say that this is one slice of cinema that is as close to “Cinematic Virtual Reality” as I have ever seen. Even taking that into account however, there is no denying that the visual effects on display are just as incredible and the CGI utilized here is engaged in novel ways to further expand on the top-tier world construction the first entry in 2009 started. On top of that, we see that not only are the action beats in this masterfully filmed as well as efficiently choreographed, but Cameron and his creative team also manage to do a phenomenal job in raising the suspense and tension to such extraordinary levels that I can honestly say that you have no idea who really is going to make it to the film’s end. Along with that, it should be noted that even though there aren’t that many human characters in this slice of cinema, the mo-cap utilized by the majority of the cast in this is top-flight in every sense of the word. As for the 3D in this however…..well let me see if I can put it as gently as I can: if you thought that the first slice of cinema did nothing less than miraculous things with 3D technology then get ready because what The Way of Water does with 3D here is no more and no less than a complete and utter reinvention of the format for the cinematic medium as a whole. Indeed it might ruffle a few feathers to hear me say this, but I am prepared to say that if you are going to see this slice of cinema the way it was meant to be seen then definitely go out of your way to see this in 3D. Suffice it to say that if the land of movie magic actually pays attention to what this slice of cinema is trying to convey about how best to utilize 3D in a movie then I think we might be on the precipice of a new frontier for both movie magic and the movie theater viewing experience in general. Finally, I should also point out here that in terms of constructing a cinematic world, it isn’t easy to find a film helmer (save for Peter Jackson and maybe 2 or 3 others) who is as skilled as Cameron is in this art. Indeed whilst the first Avatar takes place mostly in the forest, this slice of cinema occurs in the oceans and some other new yet equally as exciting regions that both give this movie its own distinct cinematic flavor whilst also growing the canvas that this blossoming franchise is playing with even further.

Of course, if there is any issue that this slice of cinema could have up its sleeve, it would be in terms of how three-dimensional both the narrative as well as the cast of characters in this could turn out not to be due to the overwhelming emphasis placed on this slice of cinema’s components behind the camera and (surprise surprise) this issue that plagued this slice of cinema’s predecessor is very much on display here. Indeed there really isn’t anything that distinct about this slice of cinema’s narrative especially its core thematic concepts dealing with parenthood and gender roles respectively. Now in all fairness even though Cameron’s flair for either dialogue or characterization has not gotten all that better since…. well since the first Avatar, there are a few things this sequel does manage to do a wee bit better in that department than the last one. Perhaps the key example of this that I can think of is the fact that there are not that many mentions to the metal the antagonistical RDA was mining for in the first one and thank goodness because one drinking game surrounding that substance is more than enough for this film critic. Instead, and all jokes aside, this film actually comes up a substance that not only makes sense in the framework of the narrative, but also to one of the most phenomenal action beats in this film’s arsenal. As for the cast of characters, they are all performed admirably well. Indeed, in the returning roles of Jake and Neytiri, we get fairly great work from Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana respectively who not only bring back the wonderful chemistry they had with one another in the first film, but they also do terrific at expanding on their characters in new and seemingly organic ways. We also get fantastic work here from the returning Sigourney Weaver in a different yet still vitally connected to her role from the first in ways I shan’t spoil here. I also think props should go to both Cliff Curtis and Kate Winslet as the leader of the reef people clan of Metkayina Tonowari and his wife Ronal respectively. Indeed both manage to bring not only a fantastic sense of authority, but also (and I know the irony present here) a wonderful degree of humanity as well respectively. Finally, I also would like to give praise to the always-enjoyable Stephen Lang as the returning Colonel Miles Quaritch although thankfully his arc in this is by no means a retread of the one he possessed in the first one. Instead, this is one that is comprised of an equal mix of (among other elements) scheming vengeance, white-hot anger, and yet also intriguingly fatherhood (even if the latter is more often than not just a means to a sinister end). Suffice it to say that yes there are still issues in both of these categories, but at least they aren’t as prevalent as they were in the first installment.

All in all and at the end of the day let me be as honest as I can with you dear reader: There is only one type of cinema that James Cameron has shown us that he can make with a skill and degree of heart that is truly second to none and those are what could best be described as “event films”. By that I mean this is a subgenre of movie magic that exists for the seemingly sole purpose of showcasing for the audience that no matter how many streaming services are created, how many physical copies are sold, or even how big your television at home is there is still nothing quite like going to see a film at your local movie theater (extravagant cost of popcorn and other snacks notwithstanding). With that in mind, it should be noted that in a significant departure from his early filmography, neither the first Avatar from 2009 or this first sequel really do have that many in terms of iconic characters that will stand the test of time. As a result of this lack of admiration not only is there no anticipation for where these characters are going to go next, but this is also why I feel that the original from 2009 doesn’t have as much in the way of cultural heft in the time since it has come out (though lack of merchandising and other factors also might have kinda sorta definitely played a part in that). With that in mind then, you are most likely wondering why in the world I appreciate this slice of cinema on the level that I ultimately do. Well this is because, as previously stated, this and its 2009 follow-up are two slices of cinema that promises audiences “110% more of the spectacle than 98% of the rest of the film release schedule for that given year”. It is when looking at this slice of cinema through that distinct prism therefore that I can safely say that Avatar: The Way of Water is a resounding success in every sense of the word. Suffice it to say then that a lot of popcorn will be consumed, and eyes will bug out of their skulls with this film, but don’t be surprised if your emotional investment leaves your local theater way before your physical form chooses to. Sure this slice of cinema’s length of over 3 hours and the fact that the characters, despite a collection of commendable performances, are nowhere near as three-dimensional as they ought to be, but there is no denying that this is easily one of the most phenomenally crafted and sculpted slices of cinema the year 2022 sought fit to give us as movie goers. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give Avatar: The Way of Water a solid 4 out of 5.