Avatar: The Way of Water – An Overview
For over a decade, the sequel to James Cameron’s sci-fi classic Avatar was one of the most awaited films. The latest part of the epic narrative, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” has finally been released in theatres worldwide after a thirteen-year wait. The sequel has effectively recreated the same enchantment of magical realism, while also opening the door to a new frontier of life in Pandora.
Synopsis
The Sully family, comprised of Jake, Neytiri, and their kids, is seen in the sequel while their home is being ripped apart. According to the official summary, the Sully family faces peril, life-or-death combat, and tragedy throughout the movie. Tribal politics are upset when the pair flees their dwellings and enters the Waterworld of the Metkayina. Along with Jon Landau, Cameron both produces and directs the movie.
Cast
Renowned stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana reprise their roles as Jake and Neytiri, respectively, with Sigourney Weaver also returning. Kate Winslet and Michelle Yeoh, two newcomers to the franchise, play significant roles in the enigmatic realm of Pandora. The ensemble movie also stars Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, and Jemaine Clement.
Real actors played out everything
One of the key differences between Avatar: The Way of Water and other films with CGI characters is that all of the actors acted out their scenes, and advanced motion capture technology ensured that their eyes, facial expressions, emotions, and movements were preserved and translated into the CGI character.
Film-specific underwater tanks
Two large tanks were built at Manhattan Beach Studios to aid with Cameron’s wet-for-wet scheme. One tank was utilized for training and personal character moments, while the other measured 120 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 30 feet deep with a 250,000-gallon capacity and was filled with a wave and current devices meant to enhance the action-packed passages
New species were created
While the film appears to have produced 57 new species of sea animals, its no surprise that Cameron’s concepts for Pandora were inspired by aquatic life that exists right here on Earth. Cameron described the Ilu, a somewhat tame reef swimmer, as having the neck of a Plesiosaurus and the body of a manta ray with lower and upper wings. While watching the film, you will see other otherworldly wonders that are nevertheless somewhat familiar to the eye specifically the Tulkuns.
Environmental Activism
Viewers see the world of Pandora through the eyes of the Na’vi people throughout both Avatar films; they sense their innate connection to nature, see how their world’s ecosystems thrive by preserving the balance between elements, flora, and fauna, and relate to the struggles faced when a new hostile species threatens their existence and attempts to exploit their natural world. Everything on Pandora is interconnected, and just like the previous film, Avatar 2 weaves environmental activism throughout the whole film. The movie holds viewers’ attention with stunning visuals and an interesting plot while also delivering a significant message about the tensions between industry, technology, the past, the present, and people and nature. It also serves as a protest against numerous urgent, significant, and challenging issues at once. Avatar’s creator, James Cameron, believes that the environmental message he incorporated into the film would encourage viewers to adopt Pandora’s rules for Earthly existence, save our one and only planet, and start debates about environmental, conservational, and climate change activism.
