James Cameron’s film The Way of Water, which is set on the planet of Pandora decades after the conflict between the humans and the Na’vi over Pandoran land and after the humans were exiled to Earth, was released in 2022 after a long wait since 2009. James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water invites viewers to visit Pandora once more after a thirteen-year gap. The expectation for the follow-up, Avatar: The Way of Water, has been growing for the past thirteen years. The film achieved an all-time record for box office success.
This time, the viewers are taken to a whole new world different from that in the first part. The Na’vi live in peace, and Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) have children. However, the happiness does not continue for very long. The sky people (humans) have returned, and this time they are far more destructive and technologically advanced. They are not only returning for valuable resources but also to prepare Pandora for colonisation. Among the returning humans are Na’vi avatars that have been implanted with the minds and memories of Colonel Miles (Stephen Lang) and his marines.
The film depicts Jake and Neytiri’s efforts to keep their land and family safe. They arrive at a water village where a different native tribe lives, and they must adjust to fit in and bear their share of the burden. The plot is predictable yet introduces enough fresh concepts to improve the current aesthetics and characters.
The second act of the movie contains the most compelling storytelling, as our main characters adjust to and explore the new tribe. The viewer is given the chance to fully immerse themselves by giving the world time to breathe and exist apart from the intense narrative. As Cameron simultaneously uses all of his creative skills for more than three hours, the lovely narrative is matched with stunning visuals.
After three hours in Pandora, I had the craziest feeling when I left the theatre. Every minute of the thirteen-year wait was more than justified since Avatar: The Way of Water is truly amazing. You probably won’t even be aware of time for around two-thirds of the film. The movie does a fantastic job of captivating you in the experience and capturing your imagination since that is the world Cameron has created for us.
