Avatar: The Way of Water

★★★★★

I don’t know if it will have longevity in the physical media format, or that its breathtaking spectacles would translate well on the small screen, but Avatar: The Way of Water is a sight to behold on IMAX 3D. James Cameron may be asking us to pay a little more than twice the ticket price to see it, but boy did he make every cent count! The 3D effects were fantastic, but what’s more impressive is how the CG has gotten so advanced that my eyes just surrendered and accepted that Pandora and every living thing on it is real. The attention to detail is also just insane (wait till you get to the underwater bits), and is integral in selling the realism. The visuals are truly a huge part of what made this movie amazing, thus it is imperative that you see it on an IMAX 3D theatre.

But all is for naught if the storytelling wasn’t good. I have to admit, the story here is pretty standard affair, but a very well executed one. The reason the film was three hours long was because Cameron actually took the time to establish all of his characters, and gave each one a distinct and likable personality, so that when things got real serious, you’d actually care. Once you’re emotionally invested with the characters, it doesn’t really matter if the same plot device from the first act was recycled for the finale. I was impressed that they even created some shades of grey to some of the characters on both sides of the fight that added an interesting dynamic to their relationships. This actually made me want to watch the sequels now because I’m dying to know how this is all going to turn out in the end. So, yes, generic story, lazy even, but done better than any crowdpleasing affair like this ever deserved to be.

Overall, Avatar: The Way of Water is visually stunning, emotionally engaging, and one heck of a thrill ride! A true blockbuster film in every sense.