Sequel 10 years in the making smashes box office

BY WYATT ASHLOCK Guest Writer

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)” begins to tell the story of the Sully family: Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and their kids, the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure.

Director James Cameron brings the world of Pandora back to life with some of the most beautiful cinematography to ever grace the big screen. Cameron’s vision is extraordinary when it comes to the different races of the Na’vi, the culture of the Na’vi and all of the different creatures. From the forest creatures to the sea creatures, it all looks real. There are certain times when it felt like a video game cutscene, but other times, it felt like a documentary.

Not only is this film cinematically beautiful, but it has a great story with a strong message about stealing land and adds new topics of discussion including hunting, preservation and family.

All of the actors and actresses do a phenomenal job of bringing their characters to life. The three that stood out the most to me were Saldana, Sigourney Weaver (Kiri) and Britain Dalton (Lo’ak). Saldana’s range of emotions is exceptional, and how she shows a mother’s love for her children is heart-wrenching. Weaver brings a 14-year-old version of herself to life that somehow works in this film. Dalton is the stand-out actor when it comes to the children in the film. Dalton’s portrayal of Lo’ak, a Na’vi who feels like an outcast from the rest of his people, is a very relatable performance.

Simon Franglen does an excellent job at composing a score that immerses the audience in the world of Pandora while at the same time not overwhelming the film. Franglen creates different scores for the different environments, which helps give each biome its own identity.

This film is slowly climbing to the top of the box office charts for top lifetime grossing being in the top four of all time, along with “Avatar (2012),” “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) and “Titanic (1997).” I predict that by the end of its theatrical run, it will climb to the number one spot.

“The Way of Water” has no beginning and no end, and the same rings true with a runtime of three hours and 12 minutes. While the runtime may be a tad long for the average moviegoer, I loved every second of it. I’ve seen the film three times so far and every time I noticed details that gave me a deeper appreciation for the film. I can’t wait to see where Cameron takes the Sully family in the next installment.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” is an intense roller coaster from beginning to end earning it a 4 out of 5 film reels. Carve three hours out of your Saturday and watch this must-see movie. This film is exclusively in theaters until July 8, when it will come to Disney+.