“Avatar: The Way of Water,” is a new film that came out December 16, 2022 after 13 years since the first film “Avatar” broke multiple box office records. Soon enough it was known as the highest grossing movie of all time, making 2.922 billion dollars in the year 2009. 

When the first “Avatar” movie came out in December 2009, it was revolutionary for CGI effects in the film industry with James Cameron creating new ways to create realistic effects. Cameron created the whole technique of having a camera in front of your face to capture facial features to use in CGI effects and those techniques were used in Marvel movies and multiple other famous movies. Since this Avatar way of water movie is mostly filmed underwater, Cameron decided to make special underwater cameras for this film mostly so that the light from above doesn’t reflect uneven light.

“Avatar” starring Kate Winslet is said to have learned to hold her breath for seven minutes breaking the record of holding their breath for a film beating Tom Cruise who held his breath for six minutes. 

Sigourney Weaver who played the character called Grace in the first Avatar film is playing a different character called Kiri, the biological daughter of Grace. This must be a very interesting acting journey for Sigourney Weaver at the age of 73 and playing a 14 year old girl.

In the beginning of filming the second movie, “Avatar: the Way of Water,” James Cameron hired expert free divers to teach the cast to hold their breath underwater for large amounts of time and also teaching them different breathing techniques. Cameron also wanted to get the actors very used to the water and had the actors be in the water for as long as they could. Cameron also created a sound mechanism under the water so that the actors could hear him speaking to them and giving directions to the actors when they needed it underwater.  

This movie is a continuation of the first film following the characters Jake and Neytiri who were the main characters. With this second movie those characters have kids and it follows their lives as a family. With the villain Quaritch from the previous film coming back for revenge, the family has to seek refuge in a new place and learn new ways of life.

As a person who has been to watch this film in theaters not only once but three times, I think this is a beautiful movie with effects that are absolutely breathtaking. When I was watching this three hour and 12 minute film, I just felt like I was getting lost in the screen and one hundred percent invested in what was going to happen next. I left the theaters speechless, wanting to go back and watch the whole movie again. I definitely recommend this film to everyone I know, so that they can experience this beautiful film.

I can’t wait to see the next films. James Cameron announced that there will be five movies total. He said that the third movie, “Avatar The Seed Bearer”, is already filmed and will be released December 20, 2024 and so is the beginning of the fourth, “Avatar The Tulkun Rider,” releasing in theaters December 18, 2026. Last but not least the fifth movie is set to release December 22, 2028 rumored that the name will be called  “Avatar: The Quest for Eywa.”  

What had caught my attention about the Avatar movies is that it tells a story about how these people on another planet take care of their home while the humans go and try to destroy this land for a type of mineral. During the movie we may think ourselves as the good guys trying to protect our planet, but in reality we are the other guys who are trying to only find resources for money and willing to do anything for it including destroying a planet.