The story behind the Avatar movie franchise is a bit complicated. The first movie came out in 2009, and it was a movie that dared to be bold in many ways. The most significant way was that it aimed to push 3D technology to a place that few movies dared to go before. It would feature fully 3D characters as part of the world as though they were really there instead of “clear CGI constructs.” The story was familiar yet fresh, and James Cameron helmed it. The movie became the biggest box office success ever. Even after a certain MCU came out, it’s on top. That brings us to Avatar: The Way Of Water.
After making the highest-grossing movie of all time, you’d think the sequel would’ve come out a few years later, but that didn’t happen. Instead, James Cameron took years to get things done for one reason or another. First, part of the problem was the script. Then there were filming issues, the pandemic, etc. Finally, however, here in 2022, the movie is about to come out.
The catch is that the first movie’s buzz has long since died down. Moreover, some have started to wonder if the first movie was as good as people thought it was back in 2009. As a result, some have taken to the internet to claim that the movie will be one of the biggest bombs ever and that nothing James Cameron does can save it. Some even threw shade at the director by noting how the sequel would likely be horrible. However, if the critics are anything to go by, it’s far from horrible; it’s great.
The Rotten Tomatoes score for Avatar: The Way Of Water currently sits at 84%. But, just as important, that’s across 125 reviews. Typically, the “first wave” is around 60-80, which is what you see for major comic book movies. This film got double that here, and it still has a high score. For comparison, the original movie got an 82% upon release.
Most of the reviews praised Cameron’s return to Pandora and noted how it’s a “feast for the eyes” and that the very personal story makes it soar above the original.
There were many water puns in the reviews, but why not have fun with them when they’re there? The question is, will moviegoers feel the same way when the film arrives on the 16th? We’ll have and see.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
