I decided to rewatch the first Avatar last night before watching Avatar 2 and I am always in awe of how stunning the visuals are; it was a crowd-pleaser and more agreeable for the general audience. However, with the first Avatar, the story was basic and simple---it was rather forgettable. The thing is, the Avatar franchise has a simple story but it was told grandly. 'Avatar: The Way of Water' was a captivating visual feast, with every attempt beautifully framed via painstakingly flawless CGI, but the message about protecting your loved ones is not new to us, but it was ingenious. James Cameron's level of perfectionism translates to the audience; the details of every frame are precise and I can't help but wonder how on earth he has done that. It is the simple plot accompanied by such technical achievement that has always been the formula for almost all of Cameron's movies, not just Avatar. Simplicity is not a bad thing.
Just like in the first Avatar, characters are established a lot, and there is not much emotional attachment during the first half. However, the thrill and excitement peaked during the second act were worth it---This is the trick for most highly-budget films, they will entice you with visual and technical achievement, but the story is not that grand nor special for the audience to keep talking about it in the next 5 years. The Pandora world Cameron takes us to is excellent and magnificently conceptualized, but the story is missing the emotional draw that made this film a pretentious masterpiece. Though the visuals are still magnificent, it's difficult this time not to recognize the repetition of the story and the limited character arcs the movie presented. You will remember Avatar---aside from blue people---as a movie with impeccable and out-of-this-world visuals, but the story remains forgettable.
Some films are just pure escapism and sometimes that's what audiences need, and this is what Avatar 2 delivered. Avatar 2 doesn't necessarily check all those boxes to become a great film, but what it does right will offer viewers moments of astonishment, full-body immersion, and beauty. You can easily watch the movie and points out its mistakes and flaws, but it is hard to resist the fun and adventure the film delivers throughout its 192 minutes runtime. It is clear that James Cameron is making this movie for a general audience, and while imperfect, it certainly seems to serve its purpose.
Just like in the first Avatar, characters are established a lot, and there is not much emotional attachment during the first half. However, the thrill and excitement peaked during the second act were worth it---This is the trick for most highly-budget films, they will entice you with visual and technical achievement, but the story is not that grand nor special for the audience to keep talking about it in the next 5 years. The Pandora world Cameron takes us to is excellent and magnificently conceptualized, but the story is missing the emotional draw that made this film a pretentious masterpiece. Though the visuals are still magnificent, it's difficult this time not to recognize the repetition of the story and the limited character arcs the movie presented. You will remember Avatar---aside from blue people---as a movie with impeccable and out-of-this-world visuals, but the story remains forgettable.
Some films are just pure escapism and sometimes that's what audiences need, and this is what Avatar 2 delivered. Avatar 2 doesn't necessarily check all those boxes to become a great film, but what it does right will offer viewers moments of astonishment, full-body immersion, and beauty. You can easily watch the movie and points out its mistakes and flaws, but it is hard to resist the fun and adventure the film delivers throughout its 192 minutes runtime. It is clear that James Cameron is making this movie for a general audience, and while imperfect, it certainly seems to serve its purpose.