Avatar: The Way of Water just dropped its official trailer and honestly…it doesn’t look bad. Like you, I’ve been sketptical about this return to Pandora. After all, the first Avatar came out in 2009 aka 13 years ago. And for a singular entry or movie, it’s hard to come back and do a sequel when movies and those who consume them have changed so much. But even then, this movie has the potential to slap and have people seated when it premieres this December.
Why?
Visually it looks stunning. Let’s get that out of the way first. Yes, the 2009 movie was ahead of its time and used technology the likes that we’d never seen before. But in The Way of Water, these lines are crisper and the colors are more vibrant. And it shows that they took the time to work on what they already had instead of reinventing the wheel and going for something new. They have their world, they have their people, now they can elevate it to something more.
And that’s not the only thing. The story even looks better.
Personally, I never cared for the kind of story where some “civilized” person met “savages” and fell in love. Boring. Been there, and seen that. Hate it. It’s weird and makes indigenous peoples of any sort into “the other.” But this sequel, it’s clear that this story is about Jake, Neytiri, and their children. It’s also about the communities they encounter along the way that live and breathe a life where the water is the way. Oh, and the stunning creatures too. Can’t forget that.
Sure, the humans are skulking about, either in their stolen bodies or as themselves, but we don’t care about them. Never have. Never will. If they could leave the people of Pandora alone, that’d be great. Because, personally, I’m here for tradition. I want to see more of this culture, its people, and the others on this planet. I especially want to see how Jake and Neytiri’s children carry on their parents legacies and stand true to who they are and where they come from.
And humans would just be an interference I don’t have time for. No one does.
The final reason why Avatar: The Way of Water looks kind of good is the cast. Sam Worthington is back as Jake Sully and Zoe Saldana as Neytiri. Siguorney Weaver is back for some reason as Kiri, Jake and Neytiri’s daughter. Then there’s Michelle Yeoh as Dr. Karina Mogue, Kate Winslet as Ronal, Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge, and CCH Pounder as Mo’at. And that’s just some of the credits. This cast is stacked!
All together, The Way of Water doesn’t look half bad.
Check out the trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water here:
Avatar: Way of Water hits theaters on December 16, 2022.