Avatar: The Way of Water is lauded by critics as a ‘mind blowing visual masterpiece’

Initial reviews of James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: The Way Of The Water’ are out now, and critics are already singing songs of praise for the highly anticipated sequel.

The response, which was mostly enthusiastic, emerged online shortly after the world premiere of the much-anticipated blockbuster in London on Tuesday, and also from various press screenings in the United States.

Reviewers have since flocked to social media to offer positive reviews for the visually stunning production, noting its intricate plot and meaningful characters, calling it a marked improvement from the start.

Others, however, were less kind, with some declaring the film a ‘silly’ and ‘soggy’ mess, despite the astronomical amount of money that went into making it.

Recently confirmed to be over three hours long, the film, reportedly one of the most expensive to create, needs to make $2 billion just to break even.

The film features a star-studded cast with A-listers like Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet, and is scheduled to hit theaters on December 16 in the US.

The envelope – ‘Cameron is in top form, especially in the final act’

Despite only opening last Tuesday, The Wrap’s Drew Taylor said he’s already seen the three-plus-hour film twice.

The reviewer went on to state that after consecutive viewings, he was “overwhelmed by both its technical mastery and its unexpectedly intimate emotional scope.”

He went on to comment on the film’s deeper themes compared to its predecessor, writing that while “the world expands…the characters are most important.”

He added of the film’s director, a notorious perfectionist: ‘Cameron is in top form, especially in the final act. It’s good to have him back.

Digital Spy – ‘Unsurprisingly, a visual masterpiece’

Ian Sandwell of Digital Spy called the film a visual “masterpiece”, while noting some of the alleged flaws of the yet-to-be-released film.

He wrote, “Unsurprisingly, The Way of Water is a visual masterpiece with rich use of 3D and breathtaking views.”

“It suffers from a weak story and too many characters to juggle, but James Cameron pulls off an extraordinary final act packed with emotion and fast-paced action.”

The Atlantic – ‘Absolutely owns’

David Sims of The Atlantic offered a much more generous analysis, writing that the film left him on the edge of his seat.

“AVATAR: THE WATERWAY absolutely has bones,” Sims wrote. ‘I was pounding my seat, howling, yelling for the Na’vi to wipe out every last one of those damn sky people.

He added that despite a slow start, the film boasts an “incredibly immersive second act with a ton of world-building and cool creatures to exhilarate you”, which is capped off by “an hour of emotionally biting, crystal-clear action.” “.

He stated that the sequel is sure to send viewers “home full and happy” upon its release on December 16.

Entertainment Weekly – ‘A technological marvel’

Entertainment Weekly’s Yolanda Machado, like many of her peers, praised the visual prowess of Cameron’s latest production, but added that it “reminded her of a couple of other movies,” writing how the director and his team concocted old themes. for a modern audience. .

“James Cameron is a master of technology,” he wrote, “and his direction is more precise here.”

He continued: “The film as a whole, while a technological marvel with a stunning world, is just… Dances with Wolves and Free Willy for Gen Z! Pee First.

Empire Magazine – ‘I like it, I didn’t love it’

Amon Warmann of Empire magazine had a more mixed opinion of the film, writing that it was “hit and miss”, but also conceding that it had surpassed its predecessor, released in 2009.

“I liked it, I didn’t love it,” Warmann wrote. “The good news is that the 3D is good again (yeah!) and the action is pretty incredible (especially in the final act).”

He added, “But a lot of the stories feel like you have to stop and start, and the high frame rate was hit or miss for me.”

“However, this movie is nice to watch,” he continued. “Overall, I liked The Way Of The Water better than Avatar 2009, if only because it has less in-your-face white Salvadoranism than the original.”

People: “A little long, but worth it for the great pictures”

People magazine’s Kara Warner prefaced her review by denying that she was “Avatar stan” and that she “had high hopes” for the film.

She wrote: “And for me it totally delivers.”

Admitting that the film was “a bit long”, the reviewer commented that the wait was well worth it, citing “the gorgeous visuals” and “wonderful” new characters.

“A total thrill,” he declared.

Fandango – ‘If you think you’ve seen Avatar, think again’

Nikki Novak, a writer for the movie site Fandango, tweeted: “If you think you’ve seen #Avatar, think again.”

‘The only thing that is repeated about the OG is that “I never experienced anything like this”. Better than the first? Easily.

“The 3D water world and creatures are so surreal it’s downright moving. There is a great tribute to the Titanic.

ComicBook.com – ‘an endless visual spectacle’

ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis praised the film as “a never-ending visual spectacle”.

“It’s a better and more complex story than the first with solid emotion, but the characters could use some more growth,” he wrote.

“It’s definitely long,” the reviewer admitted, adding that the film nonetheless boasted “incredible visuals and techniques.”

firstshowing.net – ‘How to remember you can dream’

Movie review site firstshowing also offered an excellent first impression of the soon-to-be-released sequel, equating its viewing experience Tuesday with “remembering you can dream.”

‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ wrote critic Alex B. ‘To breathe, to cry. Believe in hope again.

He, like others, proceeded to salute Cameron for what is probably the director’s crowning achievement.

“What was once lost is found again,” he wrote. ‘#InCameronWeTrust’.

UPROXX – ‘”most visually impressive part of the movie?”…”all honestly”‘

UPROXX reviewer Mike Ryan also thought highly of the film, which is the second in a planned trilogy, offering an interesting anecdote to illustrate his satisfaction.

“Someone texted me, ‘what’s the most visually stunning part of the movie?'” Ryan wrote.

“And I was like, ‘The whole thing honestly.'”

Rotten Tomatoes – ‘Bigger, Better, and More Emotional’

Meanwhile, Rotten Tomatoes critic Erik Davis, who also writes for Fandango, wrote: Happy to say that ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is phenomenal.

He added: “Bigger, better and more emotional than ‘Avatar,’ the film is visually stunning, visceral and incredibly compelling.

“The history, the spectacle, the spirituality, the beauty: this is filmmaking and storytelling at its best.”

MTV News – ‘Cameron Shows Again… How It’s Done’

MTV News contributor and podcaster Josh Horowitz, meanwhile, raved, “James Cameron once again shows filmmakers how it’s done.”

I’ve said it a thousand times. Never doubt him,’ she wrote.

‘Avatar: The Way of Water is the way to make an epic blockbuster. Emotional, visceral and as big as the movies.

Collider.com – ‘LOTS of film’

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff called it “pretty amazing”, but commented that praise should be reserved for Cameron for his world-building, as well as actor Britain Dalton:

“I had faith that James Cameron would raise the bar with effects, but these images are mind blowing. One stunning frame after another. But what I learned the most is how technical feats always feel in the service of character and world building.

“Story-wise, it’s a LOT of film and I’m looking forward to seeing it a second time to go over some details, but in the first, it’s a powerful and effective exploration of community and family dynamics. The returning cast is great, but the newcomers are the standouts, particularly Britain Dalton as Lo’ak.’

The Guardian – ‘A goofy, motion-soaked, motion-smoothed epic’

Meanwhile, the reaction in the UK has been a bit more critical.

The Guardian’s chief film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote, “Avatar: The Way Of Water is a motion-soaked, motion-smoothed epic of silly solemnity without a single interesting visual image.”

The i newspaper – ‘A film to be more admired than loved’

Christina Newland, Senior Reviewer for i newspaper, was also unimpressed, writing: “Avatar: The Way of Water is a film to be admired rather than loved: remarkable spectacle, some throwbacks to Titanic scenes, some really lovely visual flourishes. “.

“But it’s also endless, laboriously overlong, and more impressive than truly absorbing.”