The review embargo for Avatar: The Way of Water has finally lifted, but what do critics make of James Cameron's long-awaited Avatar sequel? It's been thirteen years since that groundbreaking 3D blockbuster was released, and with this follow-up promising to push the boundaries of technology with dazzling underwater sequences, expectations are high.
However, it might be wise to at least somewhat temper those.
While the general consensus appears to be a positive one thus far, Avatar: The Way of Water definitely isn't being hailed as a masterpiece. Empire, however, does award it 5*, saying: "James Cameron has surfaced with a cosmic marine epic that only he could make: eccentric, soulful, joyous, dark and very, very blue. Yes, he’s still leagues ahead of the pack."
The Guardian, on the other hand, goes in the opposite direction with a 2* verdict that concludes by asking, "[What] do we find aside from the high-tech visual superstructure? The floatingly bland plot is like a children’s story without the humour; a YA story without the emotional wound; an action thriller without the hard edge of real excitement."
That gives you a good idea of how much opinions are varying, with the overhaul consensus being that, while the VFX impresses, the sequel is overlong with a hit-and-miss story.
Of course, the best way to gauge the response to a movie like Avatar: The Way of Water is with that all-important Rotten Tomatoes score. As of right now, it sits at 83%. That's a great score and equivalent to roughly a 4/5 or 8/10. However, it's not the one we expected for a movie that was hailed as some sort of groundbreaking masterpiece in those social media reactions!
Overall, we're definitely glad to hear that the sequel doesn't disappoint, and it sounds like we're in for a fun, albeit bum-numbing, experience this coming weekend. Just like Avatar, though, we anticipate some people loving it and others not understanding what all the fuss is about.
Are you still excited to check out Avatar: The Way of Water on the big screen?