Thirteen years in the waiting since Avatar with Jake Sully now living as a Na’vi with his family in the forests of Pandora. But the familial idyll is threatened, forcing them to leave and find protection elsewhere.
Happy family life of Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) in the forests of Pandora is threatened by the return of a too familiar adversary. Except a cloned Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and his grunts are in a very different guise. With Jake targetted for revenge, the family leave the forests to protect their people and find a home in the coastal settlements of the webbed Na’vi, led by Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and his initially unwelcoming wife, Ronal (Kate Winslet).
Unsurprisingly, Avatar: the Way of Water is a visual feast as James Cameron takes us into the depths of Pandora’s oceans and a gamut of new creatures, friendly or otherwise, and environments fill the screen. But as a narrative, it feels little more than the repeat button has been firmly pressed but with an increase in cuteness as young family members feature. The result is a tedious overlong slog of same, same. It does not bode well for films 3, 4 and 5.
Nominated for 4 Oscars in 2023 including best film, production design, sound – won 1 for best visual effects.
Rating: 57%
Director: James Cameron (Avatar, The Terminator)
Writer: James Cameron (Avatar, The Terminator)
Main cast: Sam Worthington (Clash of the Titans, Transfusion), Zoe Saldana (The Adam Project, Infinitely Polar Bear), Stephen Lang (The Independent, The Lost City)
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