Immersive Avatar sequel carries legacy

I recently watched “Avatar: The Way of Water” – without even watching the first “Avatar” movie – in a different language and country. I went to the Cinemex in my second home of Morelos, Mexico, to watch this latest highest-grossing movie.

I can say from this experience that you can really enjoy a sequel without watching the first movie. I think it makes the sequel so much better; while watching this movie I was just putting information together and I was able to understand the sequence of events. I experienced the Avatar sequel in 3D, and I definitely felt immersed in the water, so much that I think I faced my fear of the fathomless ocean.

I didn’t exactly wait anxiously during the 12 years of production for the 2022 film like others did, but I am glad I was able to experience the aqua-blue aesthetic Avatar has brought to the screen.

I had some knowledge about Avatar: I remember some scenes of the blue creatures because my family enjoyed the 2009 sci-fi movie. In the first Avatar movie, Jake Sully is sent to Pandora to learn and create a connection to the Na’vi people.

With the new sequel comes a new adventure that does bring up past characters. It begins with Sully, his wife, Neytiri, and their children, focusing more on the children and how they have to adapt to their new home. Their lives are in danger because the ‘sky people’ are back to destroy Sully: The antagonist, Col. Miles Quaritch, is in search of Jake and his family.

Sully and his family join a new clan that lives and thrives in the ocean. The Metkayina clan teaches them everything, from swimming with sea creatures to the importance of connecting

with the ocean. A specific scene was quite nerve-racking, when one of Jake’s sons, Lo’ak, goes off to a far area of the ocean to bond with boys of the Metkayina. He is then left stranded in the middle of nowhere, not knowing how to get back. A large whalelike creature, called a tulkun, saves Lo’ak and actually helps the family and Metkayina clan when they are captured by Col. Quaritch and his army.

There are two more scenes that are worth mentioning without too many spoilers. Neytiri plays such a beautiful and strong role as mother of her children. In one scene, she displays immense pain and anger that were somewhat frightening but also reasonable reactions to what happened to her son. And I think a very touching and eye-watering scene was Jake and Neytiri staying with the Metkayina clan and reconnecting with their memories where they see their son, Neteyam, one last time.

I think I was like many people who watched the movie, expecting a lot of blue visuals but not knowing what would happen from the overall plot. ‘The Way of Water’ is a beautiful film that I recommend watching, possibly best on the big screen with popcorn and with limits on liquids (you wouldn’t want to miss any scenes for bathroom breaks, and the movie is three hours long!).

We will have to see what “Avatar 3” will bring, and hope to not have to wait 12 more years again.