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Critique“Avatar 2”, a total spectacle, a blockbuster at the top
With “The Way of the Water”, the great James invites the Sully family to the seaside. A Cameron in good shape despite a hint of recycling.
Neytiri and Jake Sully, now permanent resident in what was his avatar in the first film of the series.
20th Century Studios
Lo’ak shakes hands with Tulkun, one of Pandora’s gigantic sea creatures.
20th Century Studios
In “Avatar” (2009), the first of its name, the Na’vis, a humanoid tribe from the planet Pandora, assisted by ex-soldier Jake Sully, managed to kick the buttocks of a belligerent human corporation more interested in extracting ore at all costs than to respect the natural balance of the territories it polluted. At the end of the film, the drillers and the defeated army are expelled unceremoniously, only a few scientists benefit from the hospitality of a population who have paid in their flesh for the colonization attempt. As for Jake Sully, paraplegic when he returned to his carcass, he permanently gained a healthy and powerful blue body, pointed ears, a long dorsal tail and a companion.
To clearly indicate where we come from, we admire “Avatar” because we like science fiction, because the special effects of the film were the best in 2009, and then stereoscopic 3D, that seemed the future, it was so well brought. As for the story, knowing the little father Cameron – technophile, talented and hardworking – we were hardly surprised to discover a journey right in his boots, perfectly constructed, perfectly interpreted but without ambiguity. Thirteen years later, we remain admirers mainly for these last reasons. Because 3D in the cinema has withered, James is free to try to give it a raison d’être. Also because effects do what all effects do, they age (but pretty good for “Avatar,” that said). The film, on the other hand, remains square, solid and always gives us a great sip of simple pleasure with each new vision of its flat version. Like a good classic would.
The way of the water
Suffice to say that we were waiting for “Avatar – The Way of the Water”, with quivering eyes and a trickle of drool at the corner of our lips.
A trailer for “Avatar – The Way of the Water”
20th Century Studios
After more than three hours of screenings, we come out flabbergasted from the 3D session in Imax (we hoped for no less) and convinced that we had watched the best blockbuster of recent years. As for the film itself, it’s more complicated… We’re getting there.
a few happy days
Jake Sully and Neytiri have founded a family and are living happy days with the people of the forest. But one evening when mom and dad are frolicking without the children (by riding their winged mount, because that’s how we frolic on Pandora), they observe disturbing lights in the sky. The Terrans are back. In strength. And all it takes is for a space station to reach the ground for the retrorockets to trigger a major ecological disaster. That is to say if they have learned nothing.
The following paragraph contains a mini-spoiler, skip it if you deem it necessary even if it is only the first minutes of the film that are revealed here.
As the mother planet is still dying, the vengeful colonizers have decided this time to make Pandora their new Earth and to pacify the natives the hard way. And who do they bring in their luggage to give them a little helping hand? This good old Colonel Quaritch, yet killed by two arrows shot by Neytiri in the first “Avatar”. Because the bosses of the limited soldier had planned everything and had kept his genome on Earth. It is therefore in a brand new Na’vi body that the image of the veteran returns to celebrate Jake Sully. Sensing the threat hovering over the people of the forest, Jake and his family decide to flee and hide far away on the coast, hoping to benefit from the welcome of the people of the sea.
Change of scenery
Here is how “the way of the water” justifies its radical change of scenery. A rainforest once morest an ocean teeming with life. But who says change of scenery, also says other inhabitants, other customs, other mores. And then the water, it wets. You have to learn to swim in it. A large part of the film is therefore devoted to the (difficult) acclimatization of the Sully family and to the discovery of the maritime fauna and flora that surround them. This is the Jacques-Yves Cousteau part where the eyes widen. It was wonderful. We found the water so beautiful that we bathed in it. Without seeing the time pass.
But it was obvious that the time for confrontation was coming. It’s in the genes of the blockbuster and in those of James Cameron himself. Again the filmmaker excels. It benefits from more than opulent means, of course, but in fact, as always, very good use. His staging is totally clear. The action scenes follow one another, the pieces of bravery pile up, everything is efficient and clear with, here and there, a few brilliant shots.
The summit limits
This is why “The Way of the Water” seems to us to be both James Cameron at the peak of his art but also a synthesis of his limits. The story, the tale, the ecological parable ultimately advances very little in this sequel. And then the confrontation between the Sullys and the frontal colonel was already the end of the first “Avatar.” Of course, Cameron knows it, he finds parades, twists in his action, he always manages to surprise in extremis. And “Avatar 2” eventually found its way. But at the same time, Cameron sometimes recycles. Here with a hint of “Abyss”, there with a hint of “Titanic”. For the first time, it felt like some of his thrillers were reshoots. Originality sacrificed on the altar of efficiency.
Last reluctance, even more difficult to avoid this one. “Avatar 2” will be followed by an “Avatar 3” whose shots have been completed. Whatever happens, this sequel will see the light of day. It is thus not only set up but also announced in “The Way of the Water”, which deprives this episode 2 of being a finished object, which is sufficient in itself, as was the first “ Avatar”. It’s a bit like “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” in another galaxy far, far away. It might have been much worse, though.
A bit of masochism
In summary, if you are angry with “Avatar”, first of the name, say because you had found the story a little ass ass the praline, “The way of the water” will probably not change your opinion. On the other hand, if Cameron’s efficiency and classicism won you over, none of our complaints should deter you. Because if some like Cameron (his cinema, of course) despite his faults, we like him for our part also for them. A touch of masochism, perhaps.
