“Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022)

Not long ago, I was invited by VUE to watch, for the first time on the big screen and IMAX, the original “Avatar”. After that experience, I asked immediately if I could come to “Avatar the way of the water” – I was once again excited about this IP. I have to say that I can’t wait for the others after this one; it is interesting to see how far they go with the franchise and in what directions.

This movie is just stunning; every shot is like a work of art. It’s colourful and delicate, creating endless beauty within the story. The IMAX experience makes it much more impressive, with the 3D adding something extra that nobody could pull off since the original Avatar. The field of filmmaking churns out CGI, and whilst some can be pretty awful, we see here a unique look that has stayed with me since childhood. Not only that, but it has evolved and is quite evident in this movie, the amount of detail it takes to pull off CGI.

3D was always something that I tried to avoid because I felt it lost colour. It always gave me a headache and soon became a phobia because it ruined the story and feeling for me. This is different, and maybe it’s because the IMAX screen at Manchester Printworks is one of the top 5 Biggest IMAX Screens in Europe, making it easier for your eyes to adjust and making the experience take control as usual.

And yes, this movie leaps ahead of the original visually. It is probably leaping ahead of everything out there. It is a look for the SFX Oscars this year, but the characters also got me more interested this time around. We got to see more flesh and pure emotion from these characters, Yes, the story of the first film is better; its plot is more action-packed and developed. Whereas this one has some really weak writing, especially towards the end, where I felt caught in a loop, which had some lazy storyline, where we got inside a place, left, returned, left and returned once more; it started to get on my nerves.

However, it had a bit that made me and my sister tear up. That is impressive for a movie that is so heavy in special effects and one where we have characters that could be hard to connect to, but it was that balance that Cameron achieved in this exciting sequel. There was action, but there was a sense of calm that got us to know Pandora; sadly, that made the movie go over three hours.

I love the score; I know many had issues with it, but I loved it, and the all-sound design was incredible; it carries our emotions and the story; it was bizarre but so is this world. I was utterly immersed, and at points, I felt like I was sinking into my comfy seats and going under the surface with them.

So this is one of the best possible big screen experiences of the year; it’s like a ride into a new and incredible world and can only be thoroughly enjoyed in the biggest IMAX in 3D.

Also check out Big J review of Avatar the way of water here

Have you seen it? What did you think?
Is it better than the original?