Initial reactions to Avatar: The Way of Water are broadly positive

Following the release of its press screenings, James Cameron’s long-awaited Avatar sequel has received a glowing early reaction from critics.

The Avatar franchise has long been a curious part of our pop culture landscape. The original movie (released in 2009) is one of the most financially successful films ever created, but it’s not one we’ve talked about much in the years after its release. However, that may be about to change – as its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, has gone down well with its first audiences.

Set ten years after the original, Avatar: The Way of Water returns us to the alien world of Pandora. Its alien inhabitants – the Na’vi – are facing new threats from a human invasion force, who wish to mine Pandora for its natural resources. The sequel mixes things up by setting the action on Pandora’s oceans – reflecting director James Cameron’s long love affair with underwater exploration.

But is it a better film than the original? The broad consensus appears to be ‘yes’ ­– provided you still appreciate the visuals over the storytelling. The Hollywood Reporter has rounded up several quotes from attendees of press screenings, with critics praising both the lush visuals and (in some cases) narrative refinements.

“#AvatarTheWayOfWater is pretty incredible. I had faith James Cameron would raise the bar w/ the effects but these visuals are mind-blowing. One stunning frame after the next. But the thing I dug most is how the technical feats always feel in service of character & world-building,” said Collider’s Perri Nemiroff.

#Avatar/#AvatarTheWayOfTheWater is a visual marvel with mesmerizing beauty in every frame. James Cameron’s sequel thrives when it explores new terrain, crafting bigger and better emotional stakes. The definition of epic,” said Cheatsheet’s Jeff Nelson.

That said, it seems that the lush visuals don’t always have an impressive story to accompany them. “Unsurprisingly, #AvatarTheWayOfWater is a visual masterpiece with rich use of 3D and breathtaking vistas,” said Digital Spy’s Ian Sandwell. “It does suffer from a thin story and too many characters to juggle, yet James Cameron pulls it together for an extraordinary final act full of emotion and thrilling action.”

As such, it’s probably set out to achieve what the vast majority of film audiences would want it to. It may also help you to justify the future purchase of sets in the LEGO Avatar theme. Nine minifigure-scale Avatar sets have been announced in the run up to the sequel’s debut, with five drawing inspiration from The Way of Water’s events.

Avatar: The Way of Water will debut in cinemas on December 15, with full critic reviews appearing two days before that. The LEGO sets it inspired will be available at LEGO.com from January 1, 2023 – although the sets inspired by the original Avatar movie are available right now. 

(Header image: 20th Century Studios)

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