Well, it's not as bad as the first one. I had a serious dislike of the first Avatar film, and not just because I watched it with my ex-wife. Part of it, put bluntly, was political. The movie was a commentary on colonialism. It, being written with a liberal bent, failed to point out that literally every successful species in the history of the Planet Earth (think ant mounds, beehives, and fields filled with wild flowers) is a colonizing species. It was full of stereotypes commonly bandied about by liberals: The oppressed minority, the warmongering military officer, the Noble Savage...
I could go on. It honestly didn't offend me. I mean, stereotypes come from somewhere, and just about any place you can find a stereotype you can find a member of the group that is being stereotyped that acts that way. Stereotypes, at their core are an easy way of communicating. I get it. I mean, even if I use the term "lazy" you don't have to. The thing is, in the first film, they pretty much substituted stereotypes for a story. Avatar: The Way of Water contains all of the same stereotypes (even bringing back a dead man to keep up the pretense) but at least it has a bit of a story to it as well. I mean, there's even an actual character arc and everything.
One thing I will never take away from either one of these movies is their special effects. Both were beautiful. The reef was stunning. The aquatic life was amazing. The special effects team put some serious work into Avatar: The Way of Water. I seriously hope that the special effects team pulls down the Oscar this year. I haven't seen anything else that came close. Seriously, if this thing had been any more beautiful I'd have proposed to it.
The actors did a decent job with a so-so script as well. Avatar beat the political drum for the whole movie and Avatar: The Way of Water does the same. It's all there, up to and including making the human race look racist because it wants to do what's necessary to survive. I guess I get the point of view that the ends don't justify the means, but I disagree in this case. It's weird how some people like to fantasize about their own extinction. Well, get to it, goofball. As for me and my house, we will see to our own survival while you're dying off because you don't want to offend anyone. Don't worry though. I recognize your right to not participate.
The politics of the Na'vi make sense, too. Sometimes a change is necessary at the top. Sometimes, it's not easy to manage a peaceful transition of power if the old guy is around. Exile, following a mock execution, is a smart way to clear out problems before they start. I liked his part. I got this part. I may just bogart it for my own work someday. Seriously, it's not necessary in every society but it works for the Na'vi. It also gives the movie the push it needs to really get started.
And, let's face it, the new guy comes to town is an effective story (ask my buddy Tom what the two types of stories are) for two reasons: One, because it provides the basis for a narrative. Two, because the audience can discover things about the society he has visited/joined and the audience gets taken along with them. It's a trope, but the reason it's a trope is because it works. The writers actually used the tool very effectively here.
It's also possible to use that same tool to create tension when the new guy (in this case, new family) doesn't really know how to fit in right and are either persecuted or screw up. Sometimes it's both. In Avatar: The Way of Water it's definitely both. It works though, and the story actually moves here. I feel bad for the kid in this movie. He's a dork and gets picked on a lot. That works back to the politics, because it makes his father look bad...
Yeah, somebody passed their class at script writing school. They might've even gotten a B.
Of course, the antagonists were a bunch of humans cum Na'vi with military training and bad attitudes. They kind of sound like a villainous version of American GIs in World War II propaganda films. Think the troops in the Starship Troopers movie, only more stereotypical and with less personality. Seriously, the lack of command responsibility for the troops is deplorable, and I'm not even Hillary Clinton. The fact remains that they do, indeed, serve a purpose in the story. And that's about as good as anything in this flick.
I'm still trying to figure out why these movies make as much money as they do. Someone has to be a fan, right? I mean, I've watched them both, the first on DVD and the second on streaming but I didn't really love them. I've talked to a whole freaking bunch of people who saw the first one and didn't like it. I haven't spoken to anyone who has seen the new one. I haven't even seen anyone post about seeing it on social media and that's really weird. People love posting about things they enjoy. They get downright wicked and gleeful when posting about things that they hate. The silence around Avatar: The Way of Water has been deafening, at least in my little corner of the nerdiverse. So who, pray tell, is watching this movie?
In short, I wasn't mad about wasting two hours of my life the way I was when I saw the first one. I've definitely seen better movies, but I haven't seen worse. I am hereby sentencing myself to watch at least one Godfather movie on my next day off as a form of penance though. Or maybe it's redemption? I feel like I've earned it at least.
Bottom Line: 3.5 out of 5 Scratched Chests
Avatar: The Way of Water
James Cameron, 2023
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