The prestigious film magazine Variety writes that “it is even more immersive than Avatar, but the epic sequel does not have a more dramatic dimension. The underwater sequences are more than dazzling, drawing the audience directly into the action, but the story of Jake Sully and of his family is just a series of clichés.
The New York Times critic goes even further: “The last stretch suggests that even as inventive a writer as Cameron may have run out of ideas when it comes to climactic fight sequences. There are many, in the air and underwater, sad and exciting, but almost all of them will remind you of things you have already seen several times. It’s a shame, because much of the first half is a promise of novelty.”
Director James Cameron for News: I like it when the viewer is amazed
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CNN reports that “James Cameron has done it again. Avatar: The Way of Water is an avant-garde performance that reignites a sense of wonder and literally demands watching from anyone interested in watching movies in theaters.”
Conversely, The Guardian states that ‘thirteen years’ work, one lackluster and overlong film is like a very expensive beached whale. A story that could fill a half-hour sketch looks like it was stretched by an AI program into a three-hour epic. And Cameron’s underwater world is like a trillion-dollar screen saver.”
James Berardinelli of Reel Views admits that “those looking for a rich emotional experience or a complex story will find neither in the film”. But at the same time he adds that “these things have never been the director’s bread and butter.”
A reviewer for Ready Steady Cut magazine summarizes that “Avatar: The Way of Water is a spectacular, immersive and mind-blowing Hollywood experience that only James Cameron can bring to theaters.”
ZEBRÍČEK: He came, he saw, he won. Avatar 2 breaks records
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Detroit News critic Adam Graham was also satisfied, who wrote: “James Cameron is at the top for the third time in twenty-five years. The original Avatar and Titanic are currently number one and number three at the worldwide box office. It remains to be to see if The Way of Water will join them financially. But artistically it’s a triumph in every way.”
