Avatar: The Way of Water
Arguably the most anticipated film of 2022, the sequel to Avatar certainly made waves in the media industry. The three-hour-long film amassed $435 million in profit from its box office sales worldwide in only the first week. It is the most popular movie post-pandemic from a financial standpoint and has an audience score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
When the first Avatar was released in 2009, the revolutionary science fiction film instantly became a hit. The concept of humans assuming alien form through 'avatars' astounded professional movie critics and the general public. Other crucial themes underlie the science fiction film. The prolific director, James Cameron, made sure to present humans in the film as the enemy, providing the viewers with many issues to think of. Why must the humans in the film seek out a sister planet to inhabit? And if their old planet, Earth, was no longer the green haven it used to be, why would the first impulse of humans be to discard and replace?
While the theme leaves us with ideas and concerns to chew on, the plot of the sequel leaves us equally impressed and affected. Utilizing emotional bondage, the directors get us viewers to fall in love with the unique characters. In the exiled tulkun, perhaps some people see themselves. And perhaps others, used to being disregarded as a younger sibling, will find themselves relating with Lo'ak. The directors paint every character with a wealth of positive traits and yet no shortage of negative traits as well. In their flaws, we find means of identifying with them. Once the emotional connections were established, the film took its viewers through a roller coaster never to be forgotten.
When our protagonist, Jake Sully, and his Navi family find that their presence is endangering their people, they make the difficult decision to forgo their authority and leave their home in the forest. Miles Quaritch, the arch-enemy of Jake Sully who had been proclaimed dead, turns out to be very well and very alive. He assumes the body of an Avatar so he can experience the physical superiority of the Navi men, just like Jake can. He and his men begin the manhunt for Jake Sully and his entire family, burning through islands to find the runaway family.
In an adventure involving awe-inspiring creatures, beautiful environment and homes, stunning characters, vile poachers, and more, viewers will be left breathless. The three hour film certainly leaves an impression. After a dizzying time in the world of Pandora, what James Cameron hopes to leave you with is the underlying message of an earth pleading for help. So let's not let his efforts and genius go to waste by only seeing the surface of his film. We don't want to ever encounter a time where our Earth becomes uninhabitable. The movie, despite its grandeur, makes it a point not to glorify pollution. One must wonder: why is it that the antagonists in the film are all people?
This is because we are the antagonists of our world. And through this film, James Cameron wishes for us to see this horrible truth. So perhaps from now on, when we feel the temptation to litter or to reject recycling, we can consider making the choice that will benefit our planet. After all, unlike in the Avatar world, we only have one earth.