It's been 13 years since the original "Avatar."
Was the sequel worth the wait? Here's what critics had to say.
"No movie can please everybody. But enough people. … Anyway, that's my explanation."
"Avatar: The Way of Water," the first of several planned
follow-ups to James Cameron's 2009 megahit, is nearly here.
The original film was not only one of the biggest box office success stories ever,
but it was also a pioneering accomplishment in visual effects and 3D filmmaking.
The early social media reactions to the hotly-anticipated sequel offered some glowing
praise of Cameron's latest visual feat, but now that the official review embargo has lifted,
what are critics on Rotten Tomatoes saying about "The Way of Water"?
After all, the cinematic landscape has changed quite a bit since the first "Avatar" was released,
and 2009 almost seems like another era entirely. Entries from franchises like
Marvel and DC have been dominating the blockbuster movie landscape,
which may leave many curious about how Cameron's original vision will fare. But
based on the reviews that have come in so far, it seems that audiences who were blown away by
their first trip to Pandora will be more than happy with this long-awaited sequel.
"Why do you come to us?"
"I just want to keep my family safe."
As of the making of this video, "Avatar: The Way of Water" boasts a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer
score of 85%. That might not be an A+, but that early average score still puts it on track to be
a certifiable critical success. And, as of now, the sequel boasts a better critical reception
than the original "Avatar," which locked into an 82% critics score when all was said and done.
For many reviewers, the sense of wonder and awe felt in the first
film is very much present in its sequel. According to The Atlantic's David Simms,
The feature's epic scope and non-stop visual splendor have been mentioned
in several glowing reviews of the movie.
Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt also pointed out the grandeur of the film by writing,
Similarly, in his review for the Chicago Sun-Times, Richard Roeper declared,
Roeper also went on to add that "Pandora remains one of the most
amazing worlds we've ever seen on the big screen."
While many reviewers' assessments have been positive, there are some
middling critical takes amongst all the praise.
"I need you with me, and I need you to be strong."
When "Avatar" was released, not all film reviewers were over the moon with
praise for what would become a planned saga about Pandora. And the response to "Avatar:
The Way of Water" is no different. While many reviewers were transported by the
grandiose visual worldbuilding, others were left cold by the plot and characters.
Kyle Anderson of The Nerdist said of the film,
Meanwhile, Mashable's Kristy Puchko noted that the thinly written characters didn't
live up to the technology used to bring the actors' performances to life. While
Puchko had praise for certain aspects of the film, she ultimately concluded,
For some critics like The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw,
the film's narrative details simply did not come together in a satisfying way. He observed,
Still, even with these middling to negative reviews taken into account,
the overall assessment from critics appears to be that "Avatar: The Way of Water" is a worthy
successor to the original and another stunning visual accomplishment from James Cameron.
"If you got any more, send 'em in. I'm always happy to talk about 'Avatar.'"