Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

If the first film was forest, this one is sea. After a thirteen-year wait, James Cameron deploys water as a new element in his sequel to once again dazzlingly unfold Pandora. This time the Metkayina ocean tribe provides the new stage, and the technology Cameron developed for underwater shooting realizes a submarine world previously unseen on screen. Avatar: The Way of Water is visually wondrous. That alone is a considerable reason. My rating is ★4.0.

What it’s about — Setting off to the sea tribe, the Metkayina

As the human forces attack Pandora again, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) leave their forest home to protect their family and head to the territory of the Metkayina sea tribe. Adaptation to the new environment, the growth narratives of each of the children, and the threat of a returning enemy unfold simultaneously. The main villain Quaritch (Stephen Lang) from the first film is resurrected in avatar form and pursues Jake. The appearance of Metkayina leader Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and his wife Ronal (Kate Winslet) shows the diversity of ocean culture that this film addresses, and the process of being accepted by an unfamiliar tribe forms the emotional foundation of this installment. The story of Spider (Jack Champion), who wrestles with his identity between humans and Na’vi, is the most interesting subplot in this film.

Direction — The realism created by underwater shooting

The technologies Cameron developed for underwater shooting are directly reflected on screen. The physical realism and beauty of the underwater scenes makes the boundary between CGI and actual underwater filming almost imperceptible. The 192-minute runtime is clearly divided into two halves — the first half builds world and character, and the second half is filled by a climactic battle sequence. The scale of the naval battle scenes extended yet again the limits of what Cameron can do.

Performance — The weight that shifts to the children

Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana have made their places in this series entirely their own. The emotional weight of this installment shifts more to the children’s characters. Kate Winslet’s brief appearance as a Metkayina warrior was also a talking point.

What the work says — Jake and Neytiri as parents

The Way of Water is a story about family. The choices Jake and Neytiri face as parents, and the process of the children finding their own identities, are the emotional center of this installment. The themes of belonging and being a stranger that emerge from the relationship with the new tribe are also an extension of the first film. The ecology of the sea and the ocean as elements enrich Pandora’s world further, reinforcing the series’ theme of the interconnectedness of an entire ecosystem.

Ratings & reception

TMDB score is 7.6. IMDb score is 7.5. Rotten Tomatoes freshness is 76%. It earned over $2.2 billion worldwide at the box office, placing it in the all-time top tier. Critical praise for the visual technology coexists with criticism of the long runtime and simple narrative.

What doesn’t work

192 minutes is a long runtime by any measure. The world-building section in the first half is somewhat slow, and with so many characters some characters’ stories are shallow. There are also criticisms that the narrative depth is weaker than the first film. The ending is again in the form of setting up the next installment.

Verdict

Avatar: The Way of Water is a film whose true value is hard to experience outside a theater. In terms of visual polish, it sits at the absolute top of what humanity can currently create. In particular the scenes of Na’vi coexisting with marine creatures feel less like CGI and more like looking into a living ecosystem. The fact that Cameron actually trained actors in scuba diving and shot them underwater for extended periods is reflected directly on screen. For audiences who prioritize spectacle over narrative, this is a clear choice — for the reverse, adjust your expectations accordingly.

Recommended for

• Those who enjoyed Avatar 1
• Those who want the best possible video and audio experience in IMAX or similar
• Those interested in James Cameron’s technological ambition