Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

 

5/10

 

Starring

Sam Worthington

Zoe Saldaña

Stephen Lang

 

Directed by James Cameron

 

One of the major challenges with this movie is its length and uneven pacing, which made it boring at times. Honestly, it’s a miracle I managed to sit through it without falling asleep. I yawned so much from boredom that I questioned my ability to see it through to the end.

This movie feels like James Cameron’s personal Everest—a challenge he’s determined to conquer at all costs. His hope is that the box-office returns from this sequel and the upcoming third installment will pave the way for Disney to commit to parts four and five.

This sequel has been thirteen years in the making, with the first Avatar premiering in 2009. While the plot of the original was decent, I never felt the need for a part two. The first Avatar felt like a visually stunning Pocahontas rip-off, and while Cameron’s dedication to completing his story of Pandora is admirable, here we are with part two.

It’s tough to critique something without it being labeled as negativity or bias, but the truth is, the story felt like a two-year-old trying to walk in their dad’s size 46/12 (Euro/US) shoes—clumsy and overstretched. The movie is packed with too many things happening around a small, weak plot, paired with bland dialogue.

One of the biggest issues is how Avatar diminishes the weight of death. Colonel Quaritch’s return highlights this point: consciousness can now be backed up and reloaded into an Avatar. This concept reminded me of the book Altered Carbon (later adapted into a Netflix series). While it’s an interesting sci-fi idea, it cheapens the stakes. Bringing back characters just for nostalgia or to tease their roles in future sequels felt lazy and unnecessary.

The film also wasted an opportunity to explore a more compelling reason for the human invasion. Initially, the motive was survival, but it shifts to something as uninspired as serum harvesting. Yes, serum. And if you’re wondering what happened to unobtanium, so am I.

The central theme of greed persists, but the film abandons its earlier premise of Earth’s desperation for survival. Instead, humans are now after a serum for anti-aging, harvested from a Pandora creature that dies once the serum is extracted. What’s the endgame here? Kill all the creatures and run out of serum? A more compelling plot could have involved humans attempting to capture and rear these creatures for the serum while the Na'vi fight to stop them. But alas, I don’t have Cameron’s pull.

This sequel clings to the Pocahontas-esque narrative of the first movie. We’re introduced to Kiri, the new “chosen one” who is destined to reunite and lead the tribes. Her full heroic potential isn’t realized yet, but it’s clear she’ll play a major role in the next films. The story also hints at Grace’s mysterious rebirth in the Avatar world, leaving us with unanswered questions meant to build anticipation for future parts.

While the underwater visuals were breathtaking, and the technological achievements are undeniable, this movie has killed any excitement I might have had for part three. I know it has a massive fan base, and my disinterest won’t affect them, but for me, the thread of enthusiasm has snapped.

Strange World (2022)

Strange World (2022)

5/10

 

Starring the voices of

Jake Gyllenhaal

Dennis Quaid

Jaboukie Young-White

Gabrielle Union

Lucy Liu

 

Directed by Don Hall

 

Strange World is a Disney box-office flop, and it’s not just the poor marketing to blame—the plot is boring and overly reliant on recycled ideas we’ve seen countless times before.

Disney’s 61st theatrical production failed to impress, and while the movie’s LGBT representation has sparked some discussion, it wasn’t as deep or prominent as some have claimed. It’s there, but it’s not “in your face” as some might suggest. The animation features a mix of CGI and 2D styles, but the voice acting didn’t stand out, and the characters felt flat and one-dimensional. This lack of complexity made the story overly predictable, more like something you’d expect from a TV animated movie rather than a theatrical release.

When the movie made its big reveal at the end, it did catch my attention and made me reflect on the story a bit more. However, by that point, the boredom I’d endured had already soured my opinion of the film. Aside from that twist, Strange World fails to live up to the standard of engaging and fun Disney animations we’ve come to expect since Frozen had everyone singing Let It Go.

The plot revolves around a land called Avalonia, which is surrounded by mountains. The people of Avalonia rely on explorers to discover new resources and ways to improve their land. The story’s hero and top explorer is Jaeger Clade. Jaeger and his family, including his son Searcher, are renowned adventurers tasked with exploring new territories in their world.

However, Searcher doesn’t share his father’s passion for exploring. During one expedition, they discover a plant that Searcher names Pando. Believing this discovery has the potential to change Avalonia for the better, Searcher wants to focus on studying the plant, while Jaeger insists on continuing their exploration. This difference in priorities leads Jaeger to venture onward alone, leaving his team behind.

Fast forward twenty-five years, and Pando has become the lifeblood of Avalonia. It powers everything—from their vehicles to their daily lives. But trouble arises when Pando starts dying, threatening the entire way of life in Avalonia. A new expedition is launched to the center of the land to uncover the cause of Pando’s decline and find a solution.

Unfortunately, I find it hard to recommend Strange World to anyone. The story is likely to go over the heads of younger audiences, and adults might find it as dull as I did.