Ted Reviews: Avatar: The Way of Water 

By: Ted Campbell                Apr 24, 2023

The highly anticipated sequel to the highest grossing film of all time has been released in theaters. Featuring some of the most impressive visual effects ever seen in film, "The Way of Water" has already earned over $2 billion at the box office worldwide.

The most impressive aspect of "The Way of Water" is its visual effects. It is the first film to make use of motion capture technology underwater, an achievement that at least partially contributes to the lengthy gap between this film and the original Avatar in 2009. That being the case, the wait was worth it. Much of the film looks completely realistic, and the water animation is flawless. There were moments where I couldn't believe I was watching a fully CGI environment because of how realistic it was.

The sequel improves upon its predecessor by featuring more engaging characters. We find that the main protagonist, Jake Sully, has started a family and is raising four children of his own. These interactions and his duty to his family are far more interesting to watch than any relationship from the previous movie. 

Another upgrade from the original is the antagonist. Stephen Lang plays the reincarnated form of Colonel Miles Quaritch, the villain from the first film. This revived menace is more interesting than his previous incarnation, in part due to the nature of his existence but also because of his approach to opposing the film's heroes. Unlike his original form, this one uses the nature of Pandora to his advantage. I found this much more interesting than “generic military meathead”.

One of my major criticisms of the film is its runtime. Clocking in at over 3 hours, it can feel like a drag at times. Everything in the film is necessary for the larger narrative, there is no fat that needs to be trimmed… it's simply that dense of a story. Simply put, I didn’t see any filler in this film.

“The Way of Water” has been an ambitious undertaking. Thirteen years after the original, James Cameron has once more brought a tsunami of people to movie theaters worldwide. This serves as the second part of a five-part story, which is set to continue in December 2024. 

After seeing “The Way of Water” twice in theaters, I am extremely excited to see what James Cameron brings to the table with his sequels.