Movie number 41 of 2022
The Film: Avatar: The Way of Water (3D)
The Cinema: Village Cinemas, Rivoli.
Stars: 3.5 (just)
I spent the first two hours of Avatar: The Way of Water, wanting to walk out.
I didn't, and I persevered with it, but hell, it was a slog. And just think, there are three more of these films to come before 2028.
James Cameron, writer and director, has done some good things here. Visual effects. Tick. Environmental aspects. Tick. A franchise that will make a lot of money. Tick. Great action scenes. Tick.
But that's about it.
You don't go to this film if you want a robust script and an intricate plot. In a nutshell, according to IMDB.com, the plot is something like this:
"Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the extrasolar moon Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race to protect their home."
Yeah, that doesn't mean much - and I'm not going to go far into the over-egged, plodding script - but as a better explanation of what goes on, in this film, Space People, or the greedy mankind if you like, are trying to rape the planet Pandora of their resources and the N'avi (indigenous) don't like it one bit and strike back. The militant mankind know that they are being led by Jake, who used to be one of them, but has gone full N'avi - he did this at the end of the last movie. Run out of their home, they go to live with the sea people, where they have to learn a new way of life.
Yeah, confused. It's not that bad.
On the good side of things, I really enjoyed the last hour of the film, but it took a lot to get there.
The decent cast made the best of the dire script. I can't say there were any standout performances - everybody is blue and gangly thanks to CGI? Why would they need to say meaningful words or have a plot that wasn't contrived?
But what makes this film is the special effects. They are phenomenal. We made the decision to see this on a really big screen and in 3D - which was a very good thing. The special effects are spectacular, as are creature that inhabit the sea, land and air of Pandora. Seeing this in 3D, or at your local IMAX cinema is the best way to see it.
It will allow you to forgive the first two hours of this 192-minute film, as it really is a predictable, plodding, badly scripted load of tosh.
The last hour and the big shoot out keep you on the end of your seat. As action sequences go, this is the film's main strength, with some comic relief thrown in for good measure. Jermaine Clement and Brendan Cowell are brilliant as 'whaler' with great comic effect.
Overall, I without the special effects and the last hour of action, I'd be giving this 2-stars. It's that dire. The last hour, however, redeems this movie.
See it in 3D, but don't expect much from the script. It's very pretty to look at.
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