Avatar: The Way of Water
No, every other single review wasn't lying, this really is a visually stunning film.
As expected, this film is mind blowing visually. No matter how much I was told this before going in, it still managed to surpass my expectations. I saw this in IMAX 3D which is the way to watch this film. I've never really been a fan of 3D; I just don't think it particularly enhanced any of the films I saw - I was wrong. This allowed me to be transported to the magical world of Pandora. The depth of field effects that they're able to achieve with this technology is phenomenal, and it doesn't feel like an afterthought, it's clear that the intention of the film being made for this technology was always there.
Much like its predecessor there's issues with the story. Strangely, this film follows the exact same beats as the first one. It is the exact same story just with slightly different characters and locations. For such an interesting world filled with interesting characters, it's so strange that this is the story they decided to tell. However, credit where credits due, this is a better version of that story. It was such a wise choice to focus on the children throughout the film instead of Jake Sully, as they were instantly more complex than him with far more interesting dynamics.
Many people are critiquing this middle section that meanders and doesn't focus on the main plot but instead explores characters and their stories. That to me was far more interesting that the basic plot surrounding it. Cameron has built such an intricate world that I honestly found it more interesting watching the characters breathe and explore these new areas of Pandora. It is unfocused and takes away from the main story, but I don't think it detracts from it.
There's so much going on in this sequel that it isn't able to balance it all. There are so many characters to set up, so many. What ends up happening is some main characters just completely disappear for long periods and then suddenly appear later. This is excusable for some of the insane amount of children in the film, but for Zoe Saldana to just be wasted feels so strange. She just isn't really in the film but is simultaneously always there when she's needed.
This becomes the main crutch of Avatar. There are complex things going on in the characters’ lives, but the film makes no attempt to actually explore what they're feeling in any depth. Having just joined a new tribe, feeling out of place and unable to keep a grip on her children, why isn't how she's feeling explored at all. The same thing happens all over the film, things happen to the characters but there's no real reactions to what happens. Also, just a weird waste of Kate Winslet too, she did nothing. There are just too many characters that they're trying to establish for them to form any meaningful emotional attachment to them.
It's just very strange, the visuals are there, not only the visual effects but also an improvement in how it's shot - I still hate those digital zooms though - the action is a big step up, there's a more cinematic quality all around, but the writing really lets this down. The dialogue is still really clunky in areas, granted it's a vast improvement over what it was, but still it felt ripped out of a cheesy 2000s film.
What these films are great at is the world-building, the best character in the film is Pandora, the more it's explored the more you become invested. All the set-up of exploring this new land really pays off in a phenomenal third act, that makes use of all the set up prior. The entire scene was just beyond visually beautiful and the choreography was insane. I also loved how it was basically a greatest hits of Cameron's films.
It doesn't even really matter what the story is for this film, the fact that it exists is unbelievable. Visuals alone make this a feat of filmmaking. I need a documentary of how this film was made as the whole time I was watching this I had no idea