Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) – Movie Review

“This family is our fortress.”

Yes, Avatar: The Way of Water was worth the wait. Like its predecessor, Way of Water was filled with ground-breaking and breathtaking special effects featured within the fascinating world of Pandora. It is also one of the few movies that is elevated by seeing it in 3D.

In The Way of Water, Jake Sully and his family must flee their home in the Pandoran forest and take shelter among the water tribes. Mostly an aquatic tribe, Sully and his family must learn an entirely new way of life and find their place among a different group of people.

Some argue about the lack of cultural impact that Avatar has had, yet it is still the number one highest-grossing movie of all time for a reason. Like many famous movies that have introduced something revolutionary to the world of cinema, Cameron is raising the bar with special effects and world-building with his Avatar universe. The reason for the 13-year delay between the first and the second Avatar movies was that Cameron was waiting for the technology for the underwater special effects to be invented. Had he just been interested in making money versus making a quality movie, he wouldn’t have waited so long.

But while the special effects were fantastic, The Way of Water’s plot line was lacking, and the pacing was a bit off. Some plot points came across as lazy or too convenient. The film additionally shared many similarities to the plot in the first movie, with Jake Sully being introduced to a new culture where he knows nothing and must prove that he belongs. Although, how The Way of Water differs is that now his entire family must prove themselves, as well.

Overall, Avatar: The Way of Water is a visual masterpiece and a worthy sequel. I’d rate it 4 ½ / 5 stars and highly recommend seeing it in the theater in 3D. For most movie releases, it is OK to wait a month or two for it to release on a streaming platform, but The Way of Water is one movie worth catching on the big screen. If Avatar is not your thing, I can respect that, but all I’ll say is this: I will watch as many Avatar movies as Cameron decides to make, which at this point, there at least three more planned to release in the next six years.