Friday, December 30, 2022

Rob's Review: Avatar - The Way of Water


I finally had the opportunity to see Avatar: The Way of Water today with my sons, Jordan and Jonah. We ended up seeing the movie in 3D down near the Cities. Here are my initial impressions.

The movie is obviously a spectacle and special effects masterpiece. It should definitely be viewed in the theater for the full impact. I don't know that 3D is necessary (especially given the premium prices 3D commands), although it was excellently done and not distracting at all. I would also be interested in seeing it in standard 2D for comparison, but I'm not sure I'm up for another 3 hour 10 minute movie experience real soon.

The movie will do well partly because there's nothing else out right now that's especially compelling as far as movies go. And it's a greatly-made movie, if not a great movie. It's certainly enjoyable enough, especially as I went in with low expectations. 

I enjoyed the characters and the rudimentary plot, but I wish they had spent as much time on the story as they did on the special effects. The acting was top notch, but I wish the characters were developed a little better or at least had more to do. There was a lot of time spent "sightseeing" and showing off the special effects, but it did little to add to the actual story being told. The run time could have easily been pared down to 2.5 hours or less with some judicious editing. I imagine they didn't want to cut costly effects, but the movie suffers as a result. 

Would I recommend it? Sure. It's fun to watch - good eye candy - and a great way to kill several hours. But I doubt if I'll be watching it again any time soon. 

My grade: B+

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