On Dec. 8, 2009 Avatar, directed by James Cameron was released in the theater, that movie became the highest-grossing movie of all time making $2.9 billion at the box office. After watching the movie fans were diagnosed with Avatar fever, which put fans into a depression because they could not experience the world of Pandora for themselves. On Dec. 16, 2022, Avatar: The Way of the Water was released, a very highly anticipated sequel to the first film.

While this film has grossed $2.17 billion (as of Feb. 7), it does not live up to its first installment. Although this movie has very good scenery and CGI technology, and a large dedication to accuracy (some of the scenes that were underwater were actually shot under the water), some of the writing was corny and outdated. For example in the scene where Jake Sully’s children are being bullied by the inhabitants of the water island, the insults just felt really unrealistic to me, and it was obvious that realism is what they were trying to go for. 

Rotten Tomatoes critic Christy Lemire states “If you go just for the spectacle and the escape, you will be in awe.”  I agree with this because The Way of Water really is a stunning movie, and if that is the purpose you want to watch the movie, you will surely be satisfied.

Something I really like about this movie is the real-world messages that it portrays in the story. The plot of the movie is that the Navi must flee their homes because it is being destroyed to harvest resources. This relates to the deforestation and climate issues of the world that are happening in the rainforest. It also portrays ancient colonialism and the destruction of native people due to more advanced technology. 

Overall, Avatar: The Way of the Water is a visually stunning movie that tackles themes of colonialism and sustainability. It manages to seamlessly blend ancient messages and traditional stories while still being a box office hit that could be enjoyed by people of all ages. It also provides a chance for viewers to take a step back and reflect on some of the world’s most pressing issues. I think if some of the writing is fixed by the next installment of the Avatar franchise, the films will have a very bright future.