“Avatar” was released in 2009. I think it should have won the AA for “Best Picture” in 2010, but Cameron’s ex-wife (Kathryn Bigelow) won for “The Hurt Locker” instead. (I consider this decision to be a travesty!) This sequel was scheduled for release in 2017, but the technology to film the under-water sequences wasn’t quite ready yet. This movie was filmed simultaneously with a third Avatar film. The entire saga will take five films. (Unfortunately, I may not be alive when the final one is released, so I may have to re-incarnate to see the last one!) My only criticism is that the film was 192 minutes and I think 175 would have been better. The film is equal in quality to “Avatar” and has improved special effects. The cinematographer (Russell Carpenter) did an amazing job. The underwater sequences are beyond phenomenal! There are too many important characters to name, so I am not going to refer to most of them, but the large cast did an excellent job. Cameron – who, at this point in his career, has nothing to prove – demonstrates once again that he is a master of the film medium.
The basic plot is straight-forward. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is living on the planet Pandora. He is now married to Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and they have two sons and a daughter. Unfortunately, the “sky people” return. The leader of the troops is Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), who is now an Avatar version of a Na’vi. He wants to take revenge on Jake for destroying his human form. He is accompanied by hundreds of former-human-but-now-Avatar-Na’vi soldiers.
Jake realizes that Miles wants him (and possibly even his family) dead. He decides that his chances of survival are better if he leaves his homeland (Omaticaya) and flees to Metkayina, where the reef natives live. When they arrive, they are met with hostility, but the leader, Tonowari (Cliff Curtis), agrees to let them stay. The family doesn’t know how to function by the sea, since they were forest people, but they are forced to adapt and learn the ways of the Metkayina clan. Unfortunately, Quaritch is hot on their trail and will even commit war crimes in order to take Jake out! Among those victimized are whale-like creatures (Tulkuns) who are even smarter and more spiritual than humans. An evil, greedy corporation, Resources Development Corporation (RDA), is funding the mission. RDA’s main purpose is to extract Amitra from the Tulkuns. (Amitra stops aging, and a small vial of it is worth many millions of dollars.)
The film has many themes and they are laid out well. Does one flee or fight for survival? Are we going to let the military industrial complex continue to become more powerful, and possibly even destroy our planet? The film also emphasizes how important spirituality is for compassion, connectedness, community, meaning, and purpose in life. The movie also has a few fantastic chase scenes!
This movie must be seen on the big screen or it’s pointless. I saw it in 3-D, which darkened the film. I would recommend IMAX, without the 3-D. If you liked “Avatar,” you will feel the same way about “Avatar: The Way of the Water,” although it won’t quite have the “wow” factor, since it’s a sequel.
Bottom Line: “Immerse” yourself in “Avatar: The Way of the Water” for a great entertainment experience. It’s a MUST-SEE and will be one of my Top 3 picks for 2022.
