After 13 years of waiting, Avatar finally gets a sequel. Avatar: The Way of Water is the masterpiece of 2022 and so far in 2023, there is nothing to contest it. To say that it was highly anticipated is an understatement. That said, the wait was well worth it, and the entertainment and the uplifting feeling that is with you on leaving the film, cannot be underestimated either.
The press may not have raved about it, but here at Womensdestiny, we think its well worth a trip to the cinema to go see and something not to be missed. We saw it in 3D and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The second episode of the Avatar saga is hugely ambitious, and director and producer James Cameron pulls it off perfectly. It is the sequel to the original feature film released in 2009, which we should remind you, has since been the greatest ever success in the history of cinema.
The Way of Water is a title that sounds rather like a personal development bestseller. It puts the oceans at the heart of the battle for the future of the planet Pandora. This science-fiction fable with strong ecological undertones has kept all its meaning in Cameron's second opus.
The two original stars of the film Jake Sully and Neytiri are now part of a larger family, having had 4 children. Each of these children plays an important role in the Way of Water and creates different kinds of adventures and emotions for the viewer. The battle for Pandora and its ecological balance is still on and there are amazing scenes of CG wildlife, flora and fauna that even exceed the beauty of the first film.
Revolutionary technology and process:
All the aquatic scenes reflect a singular and particular originality, creating a wealth of colours and forms, again enhanced by 3D, which makes the experience even more immersive.
The film is certainly longer than the first, but more impressive, more moving, more mysterious. The Way of Water is not lacking in plot either and the 3 hours 10 minutes of the film fly right by.
Exit the forest, and welcome to the seabed, again with an extraordinary feeling that we rarely experience in the cinema, boosted by 60 frames/second, 3D and the great work of WETA to immerse us in sequences that create moments of pure joy and total absorption.
James Cameron revolutionized the film industry with his 3D technology, a risky bet...The virtual camera used by the director also made it possible to shoot the scenes himself using synthetic images, and created a new production paradigm which allowed him to see the characters and sets in computer-generated image feedback, while he was working with the actors on set.
The director of Terminator and Titanic is used to going beyond the limits of what technology allows in cinema, and once again it's a real feast for the eyes!
The story of the Avatar films has never been one of great complexity, however Cameron has always managed to infuse various narrative plot levels that are exciting, are not overly predictive and which create a real empathy with the viewer. Pandora is a metaphor for the world in which we live, one which is violent, and The Way of the Water" is no exception to the rule.
Surrounded by a mystical universe from every point of view, its contemporary message has nevertheless already marked the world. And here again, James Cameron anchors his story via various myths, whether Hindu (with the very notion of avatar), Mayan or Christian (the myth of Jonah, a prophet who is swallowed by a huge fish, similar to a whale.) and could we say and interpret the Avatar logo as having a slight Masonic character?
One thing is certain: we do not come out untouched from watching Avatar: The Way of Water. It is one of the most beautiful films in the history of cinema, to which is added a profound ecological tale… Avatar: the Way of Water is a roaring success. Go see it if you haven’t already!
