Avatar: The Way of Water - Review!

[@Vulcanerd]

I’ve said this elsewhere, but Saldana’s agent must be magic. She’s been in Pirates, Trek, MCU, Avatar... that’s just crazy.

[@garrettneiss7297]

Always a little nervous when a review starts with “let’s talk about how pretty this movie looks”

[@MichaelWutsch]

That's all the trailers were saying basically

[@Weaponator18]

Agreed. If you spend a lot on a movie, its almost always going to look fantastic. That compliment doesn't go far anymore

[@josephfisher426]

@@Weaponator18 I do appreciate the attention to verisimilitude as opposed to having the digital art bucks go into sky beams and fights between unkillables.

[@ZoolGatekeeper]

I'm getting a PS5. So the the"look" or the "animation" isn't going to mean much to me. I got tired with the comic book treatment of films ages ago. The story? Is it the 1 frontier story or the 2 colonization story or the 3 justification story 4 OR the story how to get most money of sucker movie goers..5 or something else..ANYway, I've never seen Avatar 1. So never 2. But getting a PS5. That's 6 My story...

[@ScottSullivanTV]

@@Weaponator18 Strong, strong disagree. STRONG disagree. I can name so many big budget Marvel that look like shit, and I can name so many smaller movies that look amazing. This is different. This is James Cameron. He knows how to deliver visuals.

[@halcyionic]

I’m one of the few people who genuinely loved the first Avatar (I was 11 and there was a big domino effect with interests I kept for life) so I am VERY psyched for this

[@rickmcarthur7265]

A lot of people loved avatar.

[@angelods417]

10:32 I dont think this in itself is necessarily a bad thing. Twelve years a slave, the greenbook, shawshank redemption, all character dramas that dont give you sights and sounds but are great movies. Mad max fury road is a visual spectacle with the simplest of stories that can be summarized in 2 sentences without much character depth. Sometimes its okey to be a theme park ride if it knows what it is and delivers what it's set out to do.

[@BioMatic2]

i do think thats a problem. Im still trying to figure out why my father walked out after1 hour and 30 minutes, and one of the answers was the lack of interesting characters or character chemestry during the worlod buillding segment. Using the theme park ride analogy, its lake getting into a roller coaster that as good if no better than anything else but takes twice as much to get started.

[@angelods417]

@@BioMatic2 so you are still trying to figure out why your father walked out of the movie while your father told you exactly why he walked out of the movie? Lol dude u funny

[@WhyteLis21]

It's probably, why people still love the Transformers, Jurassic Park, Fast and the Furious, Star Wars franchises, the superheroes genre, so much. They are all simple theme park movies. Lol.

[@TheAcharyaa]

Personally I think Mad Max has a tonne of character depth.

[@johncra8982]

The "theme park ride" criticism is typically applicable to most blockbusters but honestly, if someone says that about this film, that's pure NPCspeak from people that are way too terminally online. If someone watches the climax of this film and comes away going "that was emotionally shallow, like a theme park ride" that person genuinely needs to log off the internet and get away from the hot take meme machine of twitter for a few weeks.

[@zengamer21]

I realized about halfway through the movie that this one is really more like an episode of a TV series. Many of the characters introduced will matter more in the next movies.

[@binnsy6879]

Exactly! Most of the criticism I've heard just doesn't take into account the fact that it's not a standalone movie. "Why didn't we get a payoff for this thing/character?" Because that's not meant to be in this movie, that's why. Not to say that there isn't any valid criticism, but just that so much of it is short sighted. It's like saying Avengers 1 had a responsibility to explain the weird purple guy after the credits.

[@zengamer21]

@@binnsy6879 I was like wow we're spending a lot of time just chilling in the ocean... how are we going to handle that global human threat... ohhhh. that's the story of the rest of the series.

[@anthonyrodriguez4905]

Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver were the ones that sued to get credit on Jurassic World as they wrote a previous first draft that only included Owen Grady's character and that the park would be open. They didn't write anything else about it

[@siddhantbanerjee3328]

James Cameron really made a movie for gamers. High FPS and awesome graphics

[@hereticverethragna746]

How is it for gamers? It is 48fps... Do you consider 48fps as high fps gameplay?...🤣🤣

[@royaljunior2125]

Gamers two favorite things!

[@sebastianszczesiak9149]

@@royaljunior2125 actually gamers two favorite things are saying the gamer word and hating women

[@siddhantbanerjee3328]

@@sebastianszczesiak9149 way to generalize lmao.

[@jesusblanco7657]

@@sebastianszczesiak9149😂😂

[@themicahnism]

As much as I appreciate trying to push things forward technologically, I just don’t care enough to seek this out in the theater. I go for story and if it’s not there, I won’t be.

[@motherplayer]

I feel similar. If you're not gonna put much effort on the memorable character end, then it better be a shorter affair. It's only gonna stand out worse on a longer watch, but that simplicity will work better for foreign audiences which, let's be honest, they are gonna be the ones that carry this movie financially rather than domestically, helped along with higher ticket prices for the 3D.

[@bobthegrinch]

@@motherplayer I agree with both. I was curious to see what Dan's thoughts were and it sounds like it has all the issues I had with the first one did but it's even longer. I also think, despite being incredibly rendered the first Avatar was a film I didn't enjoy looking at. The technological feat is impressive, but the design work I find really unappealing.

[@daninbox]

People are saying it has good characters and a improved story though. Around 8 out of 10 are saying so anyway. It's just 10 out of 10 are saying the visuals are incredible.

[@chasehedges6775]

Story and Characters should always come first, in my opinion

[@bibaolaitan5189]

@@chasehedges6775 this!!!..

[@Th3Fr3m]

I just saw it today. I acutally enjoyed this way more than the first. I did notice that jitteriness at times and I turned to my brother at the end and told him it felt like watching a video game cut scene with frame drops. However, the movie is stunning visually and through all senses really. In terms of story, it felt very similar to the first but he motivations of the characters are different for the most part. This is more about revenge from the villain stand point and protection of a nuclear family than a whole civilization. I wouldn't say the story was bad, but it was pleasing enough with good heartfelt moments. Also seeing this movie in dolby 3D was def worth it, going to see it again in IMAX 3D to see how that compares. Its a recommend from me.

[@KerioFive]

I saw it in IMAX 3D and didn't notice any jitteriness . It was very smooth and I was trying to find flaws

[@Th3Fr3m]

@@KerioFive interesting. Maybe it was the Dolby 3D I saw it? It felt like an obvious frame rate drop. So you would've definitely noticed it. However that's good to hear!

[@KerioFive]

@@Th3Fr3m i never watch 3D if i have the choice cause of the frame drops you mention. this was the best ive ever seen

[@orange_turtle3412]

Finally, after 84 years. The sequel we all deserve

[@aperson069]

What do you mean by 84 yrs??

[@lovetheblue6659]

@@aperson069 - Dan opened his Review by stating it’s been 84 years since the first. Perhaps he was referring to the amount of time that passed on Pandora since the first film? I suppose that would mean that the Na’vi have very long lifespans?

[@rumblestylskyn]

@@aperson069 it's a Titanic reference.

[@DanMurrellMovies]

It’s a Titanic joke. Rose opens her story by saying “it’s been 84 years,” which is now a meme

[@aperson069]

@@DanMurrellMovies thanks

[@TheReccafire]

The movie was incredible. Stunning in every frame. 5 stars. Must watch. Will watch it again

[@kaizersosai8560]

Did you like black panther? If so it's a hard pass.

[@TheReccafire]

@Kaizer Sosai I liked the original black panther. I definitely enjoyed the Namor and indigenous cultural take, tbmhe art and design, however felt the story and new panther didn't stood out as before. Avatar 2 keeps you invested and explore this Pandora world to a great length. The fight scenes are great and brief.

[@trevorporter6528]

@@TheReccafire “the fight scenes are great and brief” homie the last hour of this movie is a giant fight scene wtf 😂😂

[@trevorporter6528]

@@kaizersosai8560 Black Panther was great

[@TheReccafire]

@Trevor Porter I liked the part where Quarich was like I'm getting you again another time. And Jake was like, why next time. Let's do it right now 😂

[@ryanleone3007]

The mistake is in thinking that visual verisimilitude equals greater immersion. That's not how our imaginations work.

[@kaytwo_]

The visuals are incredible. The High frame rate made it feel "video gamey" at times but still very good. The plot is fine but the looks make the film

[@SuperFlik]

I have no desire to see this movie, but interested on how it will do on the Charts

[@precioustraveler]

I’m in a similar boat.

[@richardbladehartstewart8675]

Me too. No interest at all

[@REAL6]

Then you're a fool.

[@richardbladehartstewart8675]

@@REAL6 only a fool would write something so moronic in response. 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@REAL6]

@@richardbladehartstewart8675 Then i guess it takes a moron to know one.

[@tylerringer7973]

But is there water bending?

[@StewartFletcher]

This movie is absolutely STUNNING. It's greatest weakness is that it retreads a lot of the same beats (sometimes with the EXACT same musical score), but that didn't diminish the film as a whole. I loved it. It was gorgeous, the action was amazing, the characters were rich, and I was into the world for every second

[@Ironheart73]

Anyone who dismisses this movie because it had a rehashed story which was sometimes predictable is just stupid in my opinion. OK so the story is not very original and predictable.... So???? I did not hear anyone complaining about these with Avengers: End Game. One critic even said that this felt like a park ride! Hell yeah! Exactly! Which is why it was an amazing experience.

[@slimdude2011]

@@Ironheart73 That's the point! A movie is supposed to feel like a movie, not a like a theme park ride. If I want to feel a theme park ride, I'll go to an amusement park. A movie is supposed to have strong, convincing characters with real substances, and a good story. The characters in Avatar are hollow with no personality.

[@Ironheart73]

@@slimdude2011 Uh no! Wrong! Every movie is meant to be experienced in a different way. I do not pay for the IMAX seats for all that dramatic dimension bullshit. Go watch some overrated snooze fest like the English Patient then if that is what you want. For me the story was just enough for me to root for the heroes and to care for what will happen to all of them. I was enjoying the visual experience. And besides, All that remarks about shallow Villains and repeptitive clicheic stories are in many MCU installments. THe arrogant hero who finds redemption, the superpowers that came from either a freak accident or a lab experiment or both. A villain who always wants domination. All same same, but people still buy the ticket to watch the CGI extravaganza

[@RicardoMoralesMassin]

I swore Jake Sully (protagonist man) was going to tame a great sea beast this time. And tbh his kid Lo' ak (missunderstood rebel teenager) kinda did.

[@andresstadelmann7583]

@@Ironheart73 i told my friends the same thing when I exited the theater. This is like amusement park ride. But I don't really feel like that's really a great compliment. I love a ride as much as anyone else, it's a thrill and great especially when you don't do it very often. But to me this basically says Avatar isn't really a movie. A good movie is always something that resonates much more than a thrill that pumps you up a lot for a couple of minutes and then you kind of just move to something else until you eventually come back to it. Yes the experience is great, but if you start to watch it too often it becomes really cheap really quick. Not to mention the movie will be so much worse on your home TV screen. Dan hit the nail on the head with how important it is for this movie to be experienced in 3D or IMAX

[@zayn181]

I didn’t want to leave Pandora the film was STUNNING I could of easily watched another hour of this film James Cameron is truly a master 👏🏼

[@slimdude2011]

CGI, 3D gimmicks and copious special effects doesn't make a good movie. It's the storyline.

[@sultanoftippoo3857]

Totally agree with you. After watching the original Avatar in IMAX 3D I was hooked on Cameron’s vision and loved being transported to Pandora for three hours. The comment by that guy slimdude2011 is typical of many who completely miss the point of what JC is creating in this series of movies and see it as just another movie to munch popcorn through. I’ve got my tickets for The Way of Water for next Wednesday and can’t wait to be drawn in again.

[@WhyteLis21]

@Sultanoftippoo It's okay to like theme park ride movies, which Avator is. Nothing more and nothing less, in my opinion. That why major blockbusters, like Avator, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Transformers, Fast and Furious franchises, superheroes genre, Kaiju genre, disasters genre, high action genre, still works for most movie goers. Lol.

[@Reject101Personal]

@@slimdude2011 films are a visual fucking medium. As long as they entertain that's all that matters. Want something that focuses on story go read a fucking book. Cameron tells simple stories in extraordinary ways. You need get your fucking head out your arse

[@anastasyavie6236]

As someone who loves animation, I think visual is also a big part of movie experience. There is definitely story element but the visual also worth the wait. Story with great imagery stick in your mind and creating visual that just so beautiful is worth the wait. Thanks for the HFR information.

[@randomhuman97]

Those saying they want a good story are basically wannabe movie "lovers" who's main aim is to torrent the film and watch it on their measly 6 inch smart phone. A movie with visuals mainly cannot be done like that so they shit on it.

[@Michael-fc7no]

@@randomhuman97 not true at all, wanting a good story executed well is normal want for movies

[@randomhuman97]

@@Michael-fc7no not for the normies. They just want to be entertained and have an escape from reality.

[@DaringDan]

I love that all of Jake Sully's kids are actually his brother's kids because the avatar he uses is his brother's DNA.

[@sharadondorasamy4039]

Wait a minute-

[@higglybiggly1174]

... Which is his DNA lmao. They were identical twins. That's the entire reason he could even link with his brothers avatar.

[@DaringDan]

@@higglybiggly1174 They have identical DNA, but it's not his DNA. There's still a difference unless you're a lawyer tryna grift some money off someone. Are you a lawyer? You have to tell me if you are.

[@TheRedname]

@@DaringDan If you're going to be that technical, then it's neither his nor his brother's DNA. It's the avatar's DNA.

[@DaringDan]

@@TheRedname I mean it's Avatar, homie. Feel how you want with the DNA thing. Cameron plots and character development aren't my guy's forte, yeah?

[@jackc.5525]

I saw this film in 3D and was in awe of the special effects. I kept wondering, how do they do that? 3 hours of fun.

[@shanetaylor761]

Thanks so much for the heads up about the high frame rate and having options with the showings you choose. I remember seeing the hobbit tripping for the first time(don't judge college me lol)and I remember feeling this almost existential confusion as to why every thing looked like a soap opera. Ever since I groan a little whenever I see a movie filmed that way.

[@cinemapigeon4898]

Cameron said only water scenes and certain other scenes are 48 fps. He said it helps with 3D, avoid headaches, etc.. He also said for simple scenes 48 fps can worsen the experience, too smooth, glassy look.

[@ejromm]

I had a throbbing headache by the end of this pile of shit. If you wanna see it, don't take shrooms. Also, bring a shit ton of water. don't worry about going to the bathroom, you probably won't miss anything.

[@cinemapigeon4898]

@@ejromm Wow very negative. I enjoyed it quite a bit and am seeing it again. I might prefer the first Avatar as I think it has better pacing and is more of a normal movie versus the mini series episodic nature of 2 but I'll have to determine what's what.

[@daijishinomori9161]

No notes. I just appreciate the effort Dan made in pronouncing the ñ in Zoe Saldaña's name. 😊

[@vtrip_]

Thank you for saying Saldaña’s name correctly.

[@pumpkinspicetrashbag]

Holy shit, just got three notifications about reviews. Guess the embargo is up!

[@Brevski]

Best 3D movie I’ve ever seen. Legit felt like you were on another alien world.

[@cfosnacht]

It's crazy how much better James Cameron uses 3D than any other filmmaker. He did an amazing job, again, of uses 3D to put you in the middle of the world instead of being something tacked on.

[@chuck7879]

lol

[@Socalsicem1727]

Couldn’t agree more about the motion smoothing, thank you for bringing this up

[@matthieucote2272]

3:20 AGREED! My screening in IMAX had scenes cutting back-and-forth to 24fps and 48fps, it was distracting and I did not like it.

[@johncra8982]

3:45 this wasn't the reason they used HFR in this film, it's a way for them to take away the jitteriness of the scenes when they're viewed in 3D. It's why the wide angles and scenery shots are all in HFR while tighter angles and relatively slower moving shots are kept in 24fps in order to avoid the soap opera feeling that's so commonly associated with HFR. It was absolutely the right choice for this film, even if some of the transitions been 48fps and 24fps toward the end of the film felt too jarring because of how quickly the scenes were intercut moving into the final act. And no lmao Tom Cruise would not yell at the film, he does that for lazy decisions, not for wise choices made with great intentionality.

[@KMReviews]

Is Dan saying Zoe’s last name right? I never heard anyone pronounce it like that so either he’s the only one saying it right or he’s wrong lol.

[@DanMurrellMovies]

She recently changed the pronunciation to more closely reflect her heritage.

[@KMReviews]

@@DanMurrellMovies okay good to know! I was like why is he saying it like that?? Lol

[@chrisgregg2092]

Okay, was wondering that myself.

[@teruphoto]

Not gonna lie...I was looking more forward to Dan's review than the movie itself.

[@jimmymurphy898]

Oh yeah me too. I didn't like the first Avatar but I love this guy's reviews.

[@bobthegrinch]

@@jimmymurphy898 Same here. Dan is a really articulate and considered reviewer. Even on the occasions I don't agree with his verdict, he always makes the case for his opinion and I understand his point of view.

[@AverageJoe483]

I don’t even watch movies anymore haha just reviews .

[@ANTIStraussian]

@@AverageJoe483 that's not good

[@AverageJoe483]

@@ANTIStraussian enjoyment is subject .

[@cloudedsky88]

Thanks for the mention about the HFR. I absolutely dislike it when the frame rate is off like that. The high ticket price for the movie already made me question whether I want to see it but James Cameron himself sealed the deal with the way he’s been talking about the movie during promotion. The arrogance was too much for me. But I hope those who do go see it will enjoy it.

[@MrBaumGeo]

Avatar was 84 years ago, wow... Time really passes 💀

[@jfess1911]

Somehow, it seems longer than that.

[@anish91000]

Avatar 2 was better than the first one in every regard for me. But the best thing I liked was that James Cameron showed strong female characters without bashing any of the male characters. Zoe Saldana, Kate Winslet and Ripley's characters were all so freaking strong and awesome and so were the male characters too. I enjoyed every single minute of this 3 hour movie.

[@TalLikesThat]

Never stop the puns at the beginning. Never. I love it so much.

[@wolf-bearchief3705]

I remember watching the first film in the theater with my family including my now deceased Mother. It would have been great seeing this new one with her seeing how much she enjoyed the first one

[@WriterusAeternus]

Spectacle over substance. So, the same as the first one. Spectacle sells tickets.

[@boredbyheaven138]

hell no, I'm not sitting in a theatre full of people on their phones to watch 3 hours of blue people

[@marshallscot]

This movie even moreso than the first Avatar really has to be thought of as one episode of an epic saga. All the room temperature IQ comments on KZbin and Reddit complaining about supposed plotholes (many of which are actually explained in The Way of Water if you're paying attention) are forgetting that Cameron actually knows what he's doing, and these questions are probably purposefully left unanswered because they will be explained in later films. The Way of Water is already 3 plus hours long, if Cameron had stopped to answer all these questions in this film I guarantee those same people would be complaining the movie is bloated or exposition heavy. Some people just really love to hate.

[@IsaacV24]

Everyone drops their Avatar 2 review. Me: this is the only review that matters

[@wingman772]

This film should be seen on the worlds biggest screen and if possible in 3D. can't wait to see it again.

[@kevinjohnson6331]

No, not planning to line Cameron’s pockets. If his movie can’t stand on its own on a regular cinema screen, he should stop making movies and design theme park rides

[@cinemapigeon4898]

Jake Sully is (pardon the pun) an avatar for us the viewer, at least in the first one. Stephen Lang was a badass villain though, super tough, unstoppable, never stops unless speared to death by massive arrows.

[@juneius_]

Simple story does not mean bad, Top Gun mavericks story is nothing special or original but was still an amazing movie.

[@zenquantum1246]

Thanks the warning about 48fps HFR. Glad Cameron and cinemas are giving viewers the options because I have yet to see HFR used in a way that doesn’t pop me out of the theatrical experience. Personally, it seems like it would be better used for documentaries or simulcast live events like theater and sports

[@tronam]

I thought Cameron was using HFR selectively in this on a scene by scene basis, like only in the parts where there’s a lot of fast action or heavy panning.

[@zenquantum1246]

@@tronam yes, that’s my understanding as well. I’ll probably see this in theaters once without and once with, but after seeing “Gemini Man” in HFR, I’m not sure it’s good for fictional cinema

[@tronam]

@@zenquantum1246 I’ve never liked HFR in movies, but for some reason 60fps in video games doesn’t bother me at all and I actually prefer it, even in story cutscenes where there’s no gameplay. I’m not sure why there’s a disconnect there for me. It kind of doesn’t make sense.

[@UltimateKyuubiFox]

@@tronam No parts of a video game are live action typically unless the game is specifically catered to it, so the medium has its own visual language. 60fps when everything is artificial is fine. But we’re just too used to seeing real people have motion blur-especially in real life, actually.

[@zenquantum1246]

@@tronam yes, it can look great. It’s so sharp, it’s like looking through a window rather than at a screen! I just haven’t seen a cinematic movie where it has worked for me. I keep noticing all the wrong details. I did hear good things about what Ang Lee did with HFR in “Billy Lind’s Long Halftime Walk”, but haven’t seen it yet

[@dantan1249]

Netyri fighting did something for me. The acting was top notch

[@brianhanks8842]

My GF loved the first Avatar, and has been extremely excited for this one for literally years. So yeah I am gonna go see it haha.

[@jojosoni]

ngl, my biggest takeaway from this movie was how much emotionally invested i was in the characters. i was scared for them. avatar 1 didn't do that for me.

[@HariOmRadhaKrishna]

We have next Wednsday off, for the hour drive to the local Theatre, for the matinee of Avatar 2.

[@cvolante8032]

I remember liking the first Avatar movie when it came out but never watching it again after. I'm not invested enough in the world of Pandora to sit in a theater for 3.5 hours, but I'm looking forward to watching it on Disney+ with unlimited shnacks and bathroom breaks.

[@9751matt]

You might fall asleep though. Its exciting at the beginning then mind numbingly dull for the most of the rest of it. Its not even a good chill movie, just boring with very little direction : /

[@xlmlghazexl1005]

Sorry for your loss. I was in the same boat with avatar 1, until I saw it re-released in imax 3d. Watching it how it's SUPPOSED to be watched did make the film more immersive. I watched doctor strange 2 in imax 3d, and I can saw the best part of that movie was the imax 3d preview of avatar 2. But to each their own.

[@TomCamies]

@@xlmlghazexl1005 the best part of Avatar 2 was the IMAX preview of Tom Cruise’s insane motorcycle base jump for Mission Impossible.

[@xlmlghazexl1005]

@twitty camies respect that as I'm looking forward to that movie or any movie of his tbh. That said I doubt I'll feel the same, even if you saw that in imax 3d, that scene alone isn't better then avatar 2....imo. avatar 2s imax 3d tech is above his movies.

[@kagithkagith]

Avengers Endgame: *has a 3hr runtime* Audience: ... Avatar 2: *has a 3hr 10min runtime* Audience: OWW MY BLADDER NO WORKIE UWU

[@JAFOpty]

the sad part is that the awards go to 3 or 4 guys... when there are hundreds of artists that actually did it all, and they don't receive any additional compensation most of the time

[@royalgreenlantern]

Saw it and loved it. so much action that I did not think about it being 3 hours long

[@travissmith6380]

Fantastic Review, Ive tried rewatching the 1st movie twice this week to get in the mood for Way of Water. Fell asleep both times less then an hour in.

[@davadh]

lol that's so true with me but for the OG Star Wars. I also fall alseep in Empire, even if it's my favorite.

[@Lavolpeengreece]

🤣🤣🤣 you described my viewing experience the first time I saw the original

[@Vincinate]

You might have sleep apnea

[@travissmith6380]

@@Vincinate or it could just be an extremely boring movie??? you know that billion dollar film that NOBODY quotes or talks about a cool scene or anything else

[@JuanHernandez-ze3si]

I do have to say that the 48 FPS worked for all underwater scenes

[@riculfriculfson7243]

I only ever watched the original once. When I came out I started listing the faults and have never stopped. Visual spectacle isn't enough for me so I'll save my money.

[@ProuvaireJean]

Admitting you're gay does make you more prone to render critical judgment...

[@higglybiggly1174]

Lmfao. "I've never stopped listing the faults for 13 years" that's just sad bro. Nobody cares about your irrelevant opinion that you've been spouting for over a decade.

[@filelps1178]

have you listened to any non fault videos? If you only surround yourself with one set of onions you're never gonna hear them get rebutted. I have a few to recommend if you want to watch any for the sake of it. Promise they're fun videos haha

[@carrieconner2021]

@@ProuvaireJean 🤣🤣🤣

[@cpa889900]

I have never seen part one so I don't mind missing part two

[@bbrev106]

Saw this in IMAX 3D last night, I agree with your review. I really couldn't connect with the first Avatar because of the cardboard characters and Worthington's acting. This one for me is much more acceptable from story and acting. Then the action is incredible. Loved it. Weakest part was story but for me it was better than last time.

[@Cotsos88]

Thanks for the review Dan, I will see it in theatres for the visuals, but I will adjust my expectations for a decent story straight to the bottom .

[@MrBrock314]

I mean, the bottom is far below the first Avatar. It wasn't the best story, but it was passable.

[@randomhuman97]

Those saying they want a good story are basically wannabe movie "lovers" who's main aim is to torrent the film and watch it on their measly 6 inch smart phone. A movie with visuals mainly cannot be done like that so they shit on it.

[@randomly_random_0]

@@randomhuman97 AGREE

[@vincenthalfprice9930]

Thanks to Dan's review, I'm more than comfortable waiting to watch this on 3D Blu-ray Disc. I know the format is practically dead, but the same was true in 2019 when Cameron pushed for Alita: Battle Angel on 3DBD.

[@DukeBaWue]

Just watched it.... I wanna watch it again. Even though some parts of it are kinda stupid. But everything else was just intense and awesome.

[@edvaira6891]

The first Avatar was a remake of DANCES WITH WOLVES…not a bad film to rip off, but it didn’t make me want to see it again…and I haven’t

[@chrisburns514]

The first movie was cool. That’s about the extent of my opinion. I don’t plan on seeing this in theaters, but that’s only because I don’t really make time to go to the theater as of late

[@ayleenramirez6348]

bought my tickets to see it, and I can't wait I loved the first one because its is a reflection of what is happening in this world and how we are destroying it.

[@user-tt7uq9qj3r]

Excited to see your review and I'm excited to see this in theaters (for the first time side 2019). However, as a VR aficionado I'd like to see HFR rates in 90+ FPS. Unfortunately 48 FPS is still pretty low for human perception and side effects like nausea, whereas 90 or 120 really do get into beneficial immersion.

[@jokersson21]

My gf is a huge fan of avatar and has been waiting for this movie since the first. I’m a little more critical on it for similar reasons as most, in particular the bare bones story. Visually, the movie is very impressive. Based on your review, I can safely assume I’ll feel the same about this one and would add my gf is probably going to love it more than I will.

[@MrBrock314]

Just keep in mind the mantra "happy wife, happy life". Go see it, listen to her rave about it and all will be well. :)

[@educate3d]

None of James Cameron films have great stories. That’s not why you go see a James Cameron film

[@HalE14]

Review Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio next! I’d love to hear your thoughts! 😍

[@justin.channels]

"I was worried that Spider was cold, if you know what I'm saying." ... so there was too much 3D with regards to his costume?

[@nickgjenkins]

If I weren't dealing with a very sick and ailing pet, I would go see this in theaters. Part of that is I just love Cameron's work, process, and growth. Even if I don't really like the first Avatar, the rest of his filmography has given me so much that I will never just ignore a movie from him. Am I disappointed that it looks like the end of his career will be nothing but Avatar films? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that he delivered 6 films of the highest quality that I dearly love (for different reasons).

[@solvseus]

❤ to you and your pet

[@mywalkabout]

Great opening line 😂 seeing it Thursday in 24 fps and can’t wait!

[@xxvimilia]

Imo, the hate for the first film wasn't that it was bad, it was that its unmemorable story didn't justify it being the highest grossing film ever

[@RavenTheVelociraptor]

The irony of it all was that the world was designed to have this ethnically rich and unique identity, but its success and memorability came mostly out of the spectacle and the ride. In a way, it was the most blockbuster and the least culturally rich movie ever.

[@zacharyosborne4943]

One thing I want to point out given some of these Avatar: Way of Water reviews: a simpler plot does always not make a film worse, and a complicated plot does not always make a film better. You can make an effective movie that people can relate to with a simple story, and Avatar: The Way of Water accomplishes that. Having a simple plot is often used as a negative point for these Avatar films in reviews, but it shouldn't be.

[@overkillphil514]

In the first film, they establish that Pandora has a lesser gravity than Earth. Explaining why the Na'Vi are 10 feet tall and the humans need to exercise to maintain their strength. Is there continuity between the first and second movies maintained in this way?

[@CBrown]

It felt to me like what everyone hated about the first Avatar from the narrative perspective was the "white savior" aspect of it. The Navi didn't get to save themselves, the white dude who was a huge part of their problem did and they unfathomably forgave him. It was just dumb and maybe a little safe.

[@SimonBuchanNz]

That's probably a big underlying issue. My immediate issue was... What was Jake even trying to do? He spends forever screwing around (sometimes literally) when we're told multiple times he should be trying to convince them to leave the tree. What am I supposed to think of him? Is he taking the long road to earning their trust first? Is he just distracted by this hot girl and feels like it would ruin everything to bring up? Did he just forget, despite the repeated reminders? It feels like a script issue, not a character issue, and it just breaks the movie for me. I can handle dumb main characters (that's most of Shakespeare!) but tell me what they're thinking!

[@filelps1178]

"The Navi didn't get to save themselves" ................. lol what? Yes they pretty much did (if you consider Eywa as na'vi in some way like poeple symbolically think of the judeo-Christian god as somewhat "human"). Neytiri literally killed (well maybe not literally haha) our main villain. Eywa saved everyone's asses by calling the creatures of Pandora to fight back or else they would have lost. They were losing to the humans until then. Jake did..... what? He got everyone to try fighting by getting on a symbolic sky bird and gave them important tech to communicate and gave intell on what he knew? even that wasn't enough to save them bc the literal god of the planet had to step in lol. I think it's important to also consider that our "white savior" literally gave away his white man body, changed his entire mindset, way of life, and changed his religion because he no longer could identify with his old life and preferred the way the na'vi lived. Typical white savior films would have the white man save the indigenous because of his whiteness. So let's slow down for a second here, bc this is not a through and through white savior story. And considering back in 2009 when the film first released, a bunch of indigenous groups reached out to james cameron because of the movie, which got him into proper activism in the first place, shows that people saw beyond this. I'm not saying the film was flawless on all of this, but you seem to have forgotten a lot of elements of this movie so it would be fun to not just throw around the same old talking points you've been hearing for the last 10 years and just analyze it and the white savior trope for yourself.

[@aaroncampos4654]

I'm watching it tomorrow, the first one blew me away, can't wait!

[@cornhusker221]

The weak, preachy plot is what killed the first one for me. Sounds like we had "learning to fly" and now it's "learning to swim". Maybe we can have "learning to think" at some point.

[@PopCultureguy]

Wait hold up dan those writers also wrote new plant of the apes series

[@DanMurrellMovies]

I wanted to make a simple Jurassic World joke and I’m paying for it.

[@PopCultureguy]

@@DanMurrellMovies Sorry hahahahaha i know am not biggest fan of Jurassic World either but i prefer wriers original treatment of Jurassic world the trevorrow version

[@davadh]

Everyone: Avatar took too long for the sequel to come out! Top Gun Maverick: It's been 36 years

[@benzaiten933]

good point but Top Gun Maverick was absolutely worth the wait and the passage of time actually added to the story.

[@davadh]

@@benzaiten933 I love Top Gun! Imagine all the hate if it wasn't good though

[@juancuelloespinosa5495]

as you said, there were many story beats, even sequences, I recognized from the first one. but I enjoyed there were great performances, particularly from zoe, and the message that fammily is important is never a bad thing to see in a story

[@Zay-e5p]

Thanks for the review Dan! I’m trying to see it on Thursday in IMAX 3D

[@auntiegarfunkel]

Visual spectacle, can't say the antagonist didn't disappoint and the clustered characters didn't detract from their own arcs though. The awe and heart in both its messages and effects more than made up for that though and I enjoyed every second of staring. Hopefully the third film will focus on establishing more of the characters morals than the world. [SPOILERS] -The death of [that one character] at the end didn't hit at all I found, and I'm very disappointed we didn't get more of him with his siblings to feel the hurt of such a moment. Did anyone think similarly or different to that?

[@matthewbertram4312]

Essentially, everything that made the first Avatar good in 2009 is good for 2022, and everything that was lacking in 2009 is lacking in 2022.

[@TheWisestWizards]

I am heading back to Pandora, on Disney+ in 2D in a few months! You couldn't pay me to sit in a theater for 192 minutes with 3D glasses on.

[@hunnerdayEDT]

High frame rates literally makes me nauseous. And 3D gives me migraines. So I guess this confirms that I'm waiting for Disney +.

[@bricked2343]

I love the first Avatar, but I don’t think that story was groundbreaking…it was Dances with Wolves, the Last Samurai, Ferngully, Pocahontas, and any other movie where someone goes in to infiltrate or is captured, and ends up sympathizing with those people, and turning on their own. Good review though. Excited to see the movie!

[@sauronthegreat5799]

The Mission with robert deniro.

[@MrBrock314]

I mean, literally all of those movies (outside of Fern Gully? don't know that one) did well and were excellent movies so that's good company to be in.

[@oliviathefairie6394]

I love how Tom Cruise was standing there like a Hurricane FEMA PSA.

[@defur45]

I had no desire to watch it in the theater before this review. I really want to see the spectacle now.

[@adroxx_]

I had very little interest in Avatar 2… I saw the first film in the cinema back in 2009, and was never able to sit through it again. After seeing this and Stuckmann’s review, I’m definitely waiting till D+. I’m sure it’s still going to make bank, I just don’t know if it’s going to have the same legs the first film had. Will be interesting to see how it plays out. Great review, Dan!

[@rocky8838]

You have to be insane to wait for a film that has to be seen on the biggest screen possible to hit streaming so you can watch it on your TV. Makes literally no sense whatsoever.

[@adroxx_]

@@rocky8838 It makes perfect sense if you have little-to-no interest in seeing it! 🥴

[@MrBrock314]

To be fair, nothing had the legs the first one had so that would be an unrealistic expectation for it to be twice in a row on that. That's like expecting to win 12 Super Bowls in a row.

[@adroxx_]

@@MrBrock314 Not quite; however, yes, the circumstances surrounding the first film were unique - mostly due to the revitalisation of 3D. The “gimmick” for this film isn’t quite as appealing (and profitable) as the first, so it’s success will depend more on story, which doesn’t sound like much of an improvement from the first film. Time will tell. 🤷‍♂️

[@randomhuman97]

Those saying they want a good story are basically wannabe movie "lovers" who's main aim is to torrent the film and watch it on their measly 6 inch smart phone. A movie with visuals mainly cannot be done like that so they shit on it.

[@likestoospooge]

HFR is a deal breaker. If my local theater is only showing it in HFR there's no way I'm going.

[@vomithaus1]

I would suggest seeing the high frame rate version and judge for yourself.

[@kriswillman2779]

This is gonna end up like Jurassic World money wise. Lots of spectacle, meh story but enough elements to draw general audiences in.

[@Stickykobe420]

Dude it’s going to double that just internationally, sorry but you don’t know what you are talking about. Avatar is huge worldwide. The tracking is off the charts. Avatar 1 worldwide it’s number in most countries, this will like be on the same boat. I doubt it will reach those numbers but simply 1/3 of it and it’s going to reach close to 2b worldwide.

[@brianegendorf2023]

I think its kind of funny that I didn't realize Cliff Curtis was in this film, but as soon as I saw his character, the way he sounds and moves, I KNEW it was him.

[@user-ct8my8rv9c]

"..who also wrote the script for Jurassic World..UH OH".. haha, accurate

[@toddhollen]

Great, so sounds like it's going to be like the first one. Medicore movie that makes way too much money. I would really love for it to lose the Best Visual Effects Oscar to Everything Everywhere All At Once though. When you have a decade, more money than some countries and multiple teams it just makes sense that your movie will have great effects. But make a movie that looks like EEAAO with 5 people and a comparatively tiny budget and it's much more impressive.

[@El3mental1]

Watched it yesterday and I'm about to go watch it again in 1 hour. I've never felt so immersed into a world, I want to live on Pandora!

[@LPChipi]

I was surprised at Worthington's performance here. It helped that he was doing a Joe Bernthal impression.

[@edvaira6891]

Also, Dan…Avatar:Flight of Passage is at Animal Kingdom, NOT EPCOT!

[@DanMurrellMovies]

I KNOW! I rode it a few months ago. I didn’t say the rides were at Epcot, I said the movie feels like an Epcot attraction.

[@ChenkwentiWangia]

When the first film came out I was a freshman in highschool with no kids. Now I'm 28 with two kids

[@RicardoMoralesMassin]

I'm not only planning to go back to Pandora's poor and predictable script, after this review I'm planning to pay 3D to watch with the kids

[@Liam_Mellon]

It’s kinda mean to reduce Jaffa & Silver down to just your least favorite movie of theirs. They wrote Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dan. That’s how you ought to introduce them.

[@TepidShark]

For the Metreon in San Francisco on AMC's website they list multiple options but there is no mention of High Frame Rate.

[@leonthesleepy]

The variable framerate didnt work for me. I noticed it everytime it dropped to 24frames. And in 48frames it does look videogamey. That said i liked avatar 2 a lot!