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“Avatar: The Way of Water” makes a splash in cinematic history BY KATIE CHIN
T
hirteen years after Pandora captured the hearts and imaginations of audiences, “Avatar: The Way of Water” revitalizes the imaginative world of the Na’vi and heroes Jake Sully and Neytiri in fantastic glory. The highly anticipated sequel of the 2009 box office phenomenon brings viewers back to the ethereal moon and introduces Sully and Neytiri’s brood of daring and adventurous children alongside the oceanic Metkayina clan. While raw and emotionally powerful scenes pierce the hearts of viewers, they may very well be lost within an arguably thin plotline and a haphazard medley of cliched young adult fiction tropes. In 2009, James Cameron’s original “Avatar” shattered the box office with fanfare, becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time. Above the alluring storyline, the film, nominated for nine Academy Awards, was acclaimed for its unfathomably stunning visuals and the vibrant, nearly tangible universe of Pandora — borne from Cameron’s inventive CG approach to filmmaking. With “Avatar: The Way of Water”, Cameron has once again revolutionized filmmaking technology. The crew constructed an enormous tank,
replicating real ocean conditions and capturing the actors’ performances underwater — a feat never before accomplished in the history of cinema. With Performance Capture, which transforms the actors’ real time movements into their CG characters, set up both underwater and on the surface, Cameron brought a graceful, jawdropping reality to underwater scenes on the big screen. Yet beyond the sensational cinematography, the meandering, thin storyline progresses with little surprise, leaving the audience yawning through the 3 hour 12 minute film. In comparison to the striking, yet straight-forward “good-guy” hero 2009 film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” stutters in finding its definition, and the story’s several underwhelming and loosely related plotlines lethargically drag on the film. Opening with a snapshot of the Sully family, the story quickly hops from one scene to the next as the forest-dwelling Sullys migrate to the oceanic Metkayina clan in the blink of an eye. Much of the film is dedicated to the Sully children’s adaptation to the underwater universe and their struggle to fit in among the foreign clan. Hilariously grappling w i t h awkward dialogue, the ragtag team face a variety of cliched tropes and are regrettably reduced to a juvenile, archetypal portrayal of teenagers. Eldest son Neteyam is defined simply as the “golden boy” whom his younger brother Lo’ak looks up to with jealousy.
Adopted daughter Kiri, born from the first film’s Grace Augustine’s avatar, wields a graceful, powerful connection to Pandora similar to that of her mother’s. Along with the adorable youngest daughter Tuk, Pandora-born human Spider completes the young cast, grappling with his differences from his Na’vi friends. Character development is few and far between, with each teen reduced to a singular attribute and remaining solely determined and wellintentioned throughout the film. The film is interspersed with beautifully raw, tearjerking scenes and dialogue — the delicacy of which aligns with its arresting cinematography and magnificent nature of Pandora. Zoe Saldana, as Neytiri, delivers heart-wrenching lines sure to capture the attention of any viewer. Woven between long threads of plot, emotionally compelling scenes accompanied with a riveting soundtrack return audiences to the heart of “Avatar”. The blatant anti-imperialist stance of the film perfectly mirrors that of the 2009 film and retains its lack of nuance, leaning on crude analogs of indigenous peoples in the Na’vi and a depthless depiction of strongarmed humans coldly destroying Pandora and its natives. Built off a brew of worn tropes, “Avatar: The Way of Water” places strong emphasis on family values with Sully’s line, “A father protects. It’s what gives him meaning,” echoing through the closing scenes of the movie. Though the film’s familial theme sparks a familiar flame within viewers and the anti-colonialism commentary stands, the story struggles to delve any deeper than a one-dimensional strand. With tremendous shoes to fill following
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t h e f i r s t “A v a t a r ” installation, it isn’t all too surprising that “Avatar: The Way of Water” has stumbled its way across the big screen. Yet, it is a film worthy of applause for its once again breathtaking illustration of Pandora and collection of heart-wrenching scenes. While frustrating, the opening of a myriad of Pandora’s boxes of plotlines set the table for the addition of three sequels to the franchise over the next six years, which may just be what “Avatar” needs to secure its place within the great film franchises of cinematic history.
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Alumni and students document cross-generational bonds in “Her Image” BY JASON SHAN
“W
hen I look at you, I see so much of myself. But so much of you is not in the image of me.” This line from the closing scenes of “Her Image,” a short film with a crew including nine Lynbrook alumni and students, captures the heart of the narrative: Asian American mother Jenny Ma realizes that, although her daughter’s values may differ from her own, she still accepts and loves her for who she is. The creation of “Her Image” began in the summer of 2022 when alumni Suanna Zhong and Austin Tong decided to collaborate on a passion project. Zhong drew from her personal experiences when brainstorming the plot, reflecting on her relationship with her mother. Following the idea’s conception, Zhong and Tong reached out to students in Lynbrook’s ASB Tech Commission and other alumni to help out. “During production, I learned to give back by bringing people on the set and giving them this professional experience,” Tong said. “I hope the film inspires others to create their own stories through mediums like filmmaking.” The title, “Her Image,” is captured through a prominent symbol in the film: a vintage camera. The title represents the multiple interpretations of “image” — a physical photograph and the way a person is viewed by others — and the film plays
on this duality to underscore the crossgenerational understanding that the two protagonists come to at the end. Miller teacher Betty Chan was cast as the mother, Jenny, and actress Alyssa So played the role of the daughter, Isabella. So applied through the online platform Backstage after reading the casting notice and was intrigued by how the themes paralleled her own experience in an immigrant family. “A lot of students at Lynbrook have parents from different cultures, which is reflected in the film,” senior and director of photography Katie Chung said. “The conflicts you go through with parents are natural, but remember to always love each other.” Small details in the set design help bring the film’s message alive. The outfits of every character was an extension of their inner personality: Isabella and her sister wear complementary colors to show their tightknit relationship while Jenny dresses in neutral-toned colors. The ending where Isabella and Jenny bake a pie together is a full-circle moment, showing their new connection, and contrasts the beginning
where Jenny cooks alone. “Another theme in the film is looking up to your elders,” gaffer and grip Gio Cabaltica said. “During the film’s production, as the youngest member on set, I was looking up to Austin and Suanna who taught me so much. Next year, as a senior, I want to be able to similarly help other underclassmen.” The film explores the dichotomy between Isabella’s maximalism and Jenny’s minimalism. Although the two argue about their differing values, they begin to connect at the end of the film when Isabella pulls out a vintage camera from her bag that Jenny recognizes as the same type of camera she had when she was younger. As they each look through the lens to take a picture of the other, they realize that they each have their own similar, yet unique image that transcends cultural and
generational boundaries. “I would like students to see from their parents’ perspectives and be more conscious that their concerns are valid,” Zhong said. “I know that one short film won’t resolve a complex relationship that someone might have with their parents, but I hope for someone out there, it can help with just one step forward to better understanding the older generation.” GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY FEATURES SECTION. PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION FROM SUANNA ZHONG.