If the essence of cinema is to create a cinematic universe in which reality can be transformed, projected, enlarged or distorted, 'Avatar: The Way of Water' is a great success. After having seen the film, each viewer will understand that the story is about so much more than mankind destroying the beautiful planet Pandora and its friendly inhabitants, de Na'vi. Lots of hotly debated issues are part of the story. The message about ecological destruction is very clear, but the film also deals with the refugee problem, racism, the obsession with youth and health, religion, and the importance of the nuclear family. There's lots to talk about afterwards.
At the same time, this is a blockbuster movie, and providing entertainment has clearly been the first priority of the film makers. The messages are there for those who want to see them, but they are not in-your-face as they were in, for example 'Don't Look Up'. There are many magical moments in the movie, but other scenes made me cringe because of their simplicity or sentimentality. I also was a bit annoyed by the simple good versus bad theme that dominates the screenplay.
The movie is a showcase of the limitless possibilities offered by computer generated images. Many scenes are jaw-dropping. But at the same time, it struck me as too big, too exaggerated, too far removed from a simple, human scale. Only afterwards I realized that the teenage girl Kiri was played by 69 years old Sigourney Weaver. That's because I didn't see Weaver herself, I saw a computerized and distorted version of her.
So is this a great movie? Yes. Anyone watching it will be amazed, will have a great time and will have something to talk about afterwards. Did it dissapoint me? Also yes. Because it prefers to be spectacular instead of sophisticated.
At the same time, this is a blockbuster movie, and providing entertainment has clearly been the first priority of the film makers. The messages are there for those who want to see them, but they are not in-your-face as they were in, for example 'Don't Look Up'. There are many magical moments in the movie, but other scenes made me cringe because of their simplicity or sentimentality. I also was a bit annoyed by the simple good versus bad theme that dominates the screenplay.
The movie is a showcase of the limitless possibilities offered by computer generated images. Many scenes are jaw-dropping. But at the same time, it struck me as too big, too exaggerated, too far removed from a simple, human scale. Only afterwards I realized that the teenage girl Kiri was played by 69 years old Sigourney Weaver. That's because I didn't see Weaver herself, I saw a computerized and distorted version of her.
So is this a great movie? Yes. Anyone watching it will be amazed, will have a great time and will have something to talk about afterwards. Did it dissapoint me? Also yes. Because it prefers to be spectacular instead of sophisticated.