<p><strong>Avatar The Way of Water movie review:</strong> A man of gargantuan ambitions, James Cameron never settles. His visions are often not possible to attain, so he gets new filmmaking technologies developed to realise them. This guy would rather wait for decades for the technology to catch up to his vision than create something half-baked. And he can do that because he has clout like no other filmmaker working today, born out of a decades-long, immensely successful career.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/critically-speaking-is-avatar-the-way-of-water-worth-the-hype-543816/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>13 years after demolishing the global box office with ‘Avatar’, Cameron is back with the first of many sequels. Titled <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-avatar-the-way-of-water-tracking-for-a--525-million-worldwide-opening-542886">'Avatar: The Way of Water’</a></strong>, the second film features fresh adventures for Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) a paraplegic marine who sided with the Na’vi in the conflict against humans in the original and became one of the tall, lithe, and blue-hued natives himself. He and his native wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) have children now: three of theirs and two adopted. The stakes are higher than ever before.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-avatar-the-way-of-water-interview--jack-campion-trinity-bliss-heap-praise-on-outstanding-james-cameron-543243">'Avatar: The Way of Water' interview | Jack Campion, Trinity Bliss heap praise on 'outstanding' James Cameron</a></strong></p>

<p>As the old foes at the RDA return to complete what they started in the first film with a renewed sense of vengeance, Jake and Neytiri flee their homeland with their children to protect the Omaticaya clan.</p>

<p>They find themselves among the Metkayina, a water-loving Na’vi clan with a paler blue skin colour to mirror the sea. They live around a reef and have amphibious qualities, allowing them to inhabit both worlds. Initially unwilling and hostile, the leaders of the clan, Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and Ronal (Kate Winslet) eventually take the fugitives in and teach them their aquatic ways. Unbeknown to them, the Sullys have brought the war right to their shores.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d9MyW72ELq0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2>The visuals are breathtaking</h2>

<p>Let’s get this out of the way: ‘The Way of Water’ is an astoundingly good-looking movie. That shouldn’t be a surprise considering how pretty the original was. It is gorgeous in a cinematic, dynamic way. The new, amazingly detailed locales will take your breath away. It sounds weird when I say this, but despite being so beautiful, the film manages to be subtle. The visual elements seamlessly blend into one other, and the film encourages one to forget everything you are looking at was created in computers. In a few shots, particularly in the water, I am certain Cameron was showing off. And indeed my jaw was hanging slack, wondering how in the world he did it.</p>

<p>3D here is very simple and yet very, very effective. I’m not a fan, per se, of the technology as it mostly comes off more as a distracting gimmick than anything that genuinely enhances the viewing experience. Except, that is, when Cameron does it. I am a grown man, and no longer get impressed by raindrops that seem to fall in your eyes or birds that appear to flutter right before your face. I, in fact, avoid 3D in movies like the plague. But thanks to sparing but clever 3D elements in ‘The Way of Water’, I found myself trying to protect my face from being scratched by a stray branch. And judging the the "oohs!" in the theatre, I wasn’t the only one.</p>

<p>There is no filmmaker&nbsp;that can come even close to Cameron when it comes to making technologically groundbreaking cinema.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CuyHogczkvw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2>Is the story worth getting invested in?</h2>

<p>If visual beauty is all you believe makes movies worth watching, then ‘The Way of Water’ will automatically become one of your favourite films this decade, maybe even the century. But I am not one of those, and I found a lot to criticise in 'The Way of Water'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Basically, I have the same complaints with ‘The Way of Water’ that I had with the original ‘Avatar’. No one in their right mind would take exception to his vision, but beneath all that eye-candy, the film has a painfully conventional story involving conventional characters told in a traditional Cameron way. The director&nbsp;has never been an&nbsp;impressive deviser of complex, gripping plots and characters beyond surface level. He does have the uncanny ability to build exciting narratives around action set pieces, and 'The Way of Water' is no exception. 'The Way of Water' is, in effect, a typical Cameron movie with all its glories and downfalls.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While still surface-level and written to service the plot, there is more depth to Sully, Neytiri and the rest of the family. Sigourney Weaver is back but since Grace Augustine died, she plays the role of her teenage daughter, now adopted by Jake and Neytiri. It is constantly immersion-breaking to hear a 73-year-old woman giving voice to a teenager. The film tries to create drama out of the kids this time, particularly how they interact with the children of Tonowari and Ronal. The hostility, bullying, and acceptance. There is also trouble between Jake the father and his younger son Lo'ak (Brian Dalton). But sadly, it all comes across as something we have seen before, and done much better.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o5F8MOz_IDw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2>Same-old themes</h2>

<p>Even the themes are pretty much the same, as sweeping and simplistic as before. Just like 'Avatar', none too delicately, hammered home the point that we should protect our forests, 'The Way of Water' brings our attention to the oceans. New creatures in the film include over-friendly whale-like mammals called tulkun, and naturally there are whalers extracting from their blubber the Pandora equivalent of whale oil, Amrita. Similar to the nectar in Hindu mythology that is supposed to make its consumer immortal, Amrita stops aging.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yes, the natural world and the equilibrium in fragile ecosystems is worth preserving. And yes, many indigenous populations have a strong connection to the flora and fauna in the regions they inhabit. Oh, and technology can often be dangerous. But natives have also made many animals of yore extinct by systematically hunting them until not one member of the species is left. This is why we do not have mammoths roaming around. And technology has lifted millions out of poverty, made our lives easier, and can ultimately lead us away from fossil fuels. So, Mr Cameron, it's not all straightforward.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Add to all that, the film's runtime is punishing. Despite a blistering, action-packed third-act, 'The Way of Water' takes forever to end.</p>


Avatar The Way of Water movie review: A man of gargantuan ambitions, James Cameron never settles. His visions are often not possible to attain, so he gets new filmmaking technologies developed to realise them.

Avatar The Way of Water movie review: A man of gargantuan ambitions, James Cameron never settles. His visions are often not possible to attain, so he gets new filmmaking technologies developed to realise them. This guy would rather wait for decades for the technology to catch up to his vision than create something half-baked. And he can do that because he has clout like no other filmmaker working today, born out of a decades-long, immensely successful career. 13 years after demolishing the global box office with ‘Avatar’, Cameron is back with the first of many sequels. Titled 'Avatar: The Way of Water’, the second film features fresh adventures for Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) a paraplegic marine who sided with the Na’vi in the conflict against humans in the original and became one of the tall, lithe, and blue-hued natives himself. He and his native wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) have children now: three of theirs and two adopted. The stakes are higher than ever before. Also Read: 'Avatar: The Way of Water' interview | Jack Campion, Trinity Bliss heap praise on 'outstanding' James Cameron As the old foes at the RDA return to complete what they started in the first film with a renewed sense of vengeance, Jake and Neytiri flee their homeland with their children to protect the Omaticaya clan. They find themselves among the Metkayina, a water-loving Na’vi clan with a paler blue skin colour to mirror the sea. They live around a reef and have amphibious qualities, allowing them to inhabit both worlds. Initially unwilling and hostile, the leaders of the clan, Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and Ronal (Kate Winslet) eventually take the fugitives in and teach them their aquatic ways. Unbeknown to them, the Sullys have brought the war right to their shores. The visuals are breathtaking Let’s get this out of the way: ‘The Way of Water’ is an astoundingly good-looking movie. That shouldn’t be a surprise considering how pretty the original was. It is gorgeous in a cinematic, dynamic way. The new, amazingly detailed locales will take your breath away. It sounds weird when I say this, but despite being so beautiful, the film manages to be subtle. The visual elements seamlessly blend into one other, and the film encourages one to forget everything you are looking at was created in computers. In a few shots, particularly in the water, I am certain Cameron was showing off. And indeed my jaw was hanging slack, wondering how in the world he did it. 3D here is very simple and yet very, very effective. I’m not a fan, per se, of the technology as it mostly comes off more as a distracting gimmick than anything that genuinely enhances the viewing experience. Except, that is, when Cameron does it. I am a grown man, and no longer get impressed by raindrops that seem to fall in your eyes or birds that appear to flutter right before your face. I, in fact, avoid 3D in movies like the plague. But thanks to sparing but clever 3D elements in ‘The Way of Water’, I found myself trying to protect my face from being scratched by a stray branch. And judging the the "oohs!" in the theatre, I wasn’t the only one. There is no filmmaker that can come even close to Cameron when it comes to making technologically groundbreaking cinema. Is the story worth getting invested in? If visual beauty is all you believe makes movies worth watching, then ‘The Way of Water’ will automatically become one of your favourite films this decade, maybe even the century. But I am not one of those, and I found a lot to criticise in 'The Way of Water'. Basically, I have the same complaints with ‘The Way of Water’ that I had with the original ‘Avatar’. No one in their right mind would take exception to his vision, but beneath all that eye-candy, the film has a painfully conventional story involving conventional characters told in a traditional Cameron way. The director has never been an impressive deviser of complex, gripping plots and characters beyond surface level. He does have the uncanny ability to build exciting narratives around action set pieces, and 'The Way of Water' is no exception. 'The Way of Water' is, in effect, a typical Cameron movie with all its glories and downfalls. While still surface-level and written to service the plot, there is more depth to Sully, Neytiri and the rest of the family. Sigourney Weaver is back but since Grace Augustine died, she plays the role of her teenage daughter, now adopted by Jake and Neytiri. It is constantly immersion-breaking to hear a 73-year-old woman giving voice to a teenager. The film tries to create drama out of the kids this time, particularly how they interact with the children of Tonowari and Ronal. The hostility, bullying, and acceptance. There is also trouble between Jake the father and his younger son Lo'ak (Brian Dalton). But sadly, it all comes across as something we have seen before, and done much better. Same-old themes Even the themes are pretty much the same, as sweeping and simplistic as before. Just like 'Avatar', none too delicately, hammered home the point that we should protect our forests, 'The Way of Water' brings our attention to the oceans. New creatures in the film include over-friendly whale-like mammals called tulkun, and naturally there are whalers extracting from their blubber the Pandora equivalent of whale oil, Amrita. Similar to the nectar in Hindu mythology that is supposed to make its consumer immortal, Amrita stops aging. Yes, the natural world and the equilibrium in fragile ecosystems is worth preserving. And yes, many indigenous populations have a strong connection to the flora and fauna in the regions they inhabit. Oh, and technology can often be dangerous. But natives have also made many animals of yore extinct by systematically hunting them until not one member of the species is left. This is why we do not have mammoths roaming around. And technology has lifted millions out of poverty, made our lives easier, and can ultimately lead us away from fossil fuels. So, Mr Cameron, it's not all straightforward. Add to all that, the film's runtime is punishing. Despite a blistering, action-packed third-act, 'The Way of Water' takes forever to end.

'Avatar The Way of Water' movie review: Visually gorgeous, James Cameron's film repeats original's mistakes

<p>Latest film 'Mid-Century’&nbsp;has wrapped production on&nbsp;‘Sonja O’ Hara’s (Doomsday). The horror thriller explores the dark side of the American aesthetic featuring Bruce Dern, Stephen Lang and Shane West.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The film also stars Sarah Hay, Chelsea Gilligan, Mike Stern, Vanessa Williams, Annapurna Sriram and Jon Park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the film, Stephen Lang plays an occult-obsessed architect of mid-century modern homes who haunts his masterpieces long after a grisly death. Dern appears as Lang’s mentor in the supernatural, and Hay is the housewife forever trapped in her home after perishing at the hands of her husband. West and Gilligan star as a modern-day couple vacationing in the glass home who find the ghosts of the past are very much present – and have a sinister plan for them.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-george-clooney-has-no-plans-of-joining-politics-i-would-actually-like-to-have-a-nice-life-420067" hreflang="en">George Clooney has no plans of joining politics: I would actually like to have a nice life</a></p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-ben-affleck-jennifer-lopez-stun-on-red-carpet-at-the-last-duel-premiere-in-nyc-420056" hreflang="en">Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez stun on red carpet at 'The Last Duel' premiere in NYC</a></p>

<p>Mid-Century, is an Astral Plane production in association with Moo Studios. Co-producers are DJ Dodd, Anthony &amp; James Gaudioso and Chinyere Nwodim.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/a-murder-free-real-life-squid-game-is-taking-place-in-abu-dhabi-420051" hreflang="en">A murder-free real-life Squid Game is taking place in Abu Dhabi</a></p>

<p>Stephen Lang and Shane West are executive producers alongside Preston Bebas, Jay Burnley, David Lyons, Ian Michaels, Jen Russo and Jeremy Walton.</p>


Latest film 'Mid-Century’ has wrapped production on ‘Sonja O’ Hara’s (Doomsday). The horror thriller explores the dark side of the American aesthetic featuring Bruce Dern, Stephen Lang and Shane West.

Latest film 'Mid-Century’ has wrapped production on ‘Sonja O’ Hara’s (Doomsday). The horror thriller explores the dark side of the American aesthetic featuring Bruce Dern, Stephen Lang and Shane West. The film also stars Sarah Hay, Chelsea Gilligan, Mike Stern, Vanessa Williams, Annapurna Sriram and Jon Park. In the film, Stephen Lang plays an occult-obsessed architect of mid-century modern homes who haunts his masterpieces long after a grisly death. Dern appears as Lang’s mentor in the supernatural, and Hay is the housewife forever trapped in her home after perishing at the hands of her husband. West and Gilligan star as a modern-day couple vacationing in the glass home who find the ghosts of the past are very much present – and have a sinister plan for them. George Clooney has no plans of joining politics: I would actually like to have a nice life Also Read: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez stun on red carpet at 'The Last Duel' premiere in NYC Mid-Century, is an Astral Plane production in association with Moo Studios. Co-producers are DJ Dodd, Anthony & James Gaudioso and Chinyere Nwodim. A murder-free real-life Squid Game is taking place in Abu Dhabi Stephen Lang and Shane West are executive producers alongside Preston Bebas, Jay Burnley, David Lyons, Ian Michaels, Jen Russo and Jeremy Walton.

Stephen Lang, Bruce Dern, Shane West star in horror thriller ‘Mid-Century’

<p>Veins popping through those sculpted biceps, trembling lips and a little girl in tow that he is hell-bent on keeping all to himself, "I am trying to protect you," justifies the 'blind old man' aka Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang). It's been eight years since that&nbsp;fatal fire and Phoenix (Madelyn Grace) still&nbsp;doesn't get to venture out on her own. That the man's got his own demons to fight and subdue, is evident through his interactions with parallel actors.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
What transpires (hint: an intrusion) between the former Navy Seal's insecurities and the little girl's quench for freedom is what constitutes the skeleton of 'Don't Breathe 2'--sequel to the iconic psychological thriller 'Don't Breathe' (2016).</p>

<p><img alt="Lang as the 'blind old man' in 'Don't Breathe 2'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a72f690a-c4cd-4bc4-a8ed-76bf44407d1c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-17T152145.473.jpg" /></p>

<p>First things first, this hellraising thriller franchise has had a shift of creative hands--the debut instalment was helmed by Fede Alvarez, while the current offering is by Rodo Sayagues (with writing credits split between the two)--and this piece of information is crucial to its review primarily because the intensity of ghast and gore vary in&nbsp;degree in 'Don't Breathe 2'. Unlike its predecessor, which was unapologetically brutal in its treatment of the script and more so of the characters, this one infuses drama in the narrative: an irreparable damage to the diegesis. In a character-driven thriller, we need the story to move at a lightening speed for it stay edgy, with able support from background-score department, cinematography and 'bloody' good actors (pun very much intended). Not a beginning-middle-end format based storyline, please!&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-sex-education-3-review-wilder-sexual-urges-bolder-tropes-this-time-round-413686">Sex Education 3 review: Wilder sexual urges, bolder tropes this time round</a></p>

<p>Lang's older-than-'blind old man' avatar is reclusive, burdened with shame and guilt and a combat veteran who is quick with his reflexes: everything that had kept us on the edge of our seats back in 2016. At 69, Lang packs punches better than most kids half his age--actors or not. His deep-set voice--although sounds partially caricaturish--adds to the insanity that is 'Don't Breathe 2'. Madelyn Grace is the little ninja that the old man needed in his stand-alone act. As Phoenix--a metaphor to&nbsp;her back story--Grace is fast, feisty, curious and emotes through her eyes.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Lang and Grace in a still from 'Don't Breathe 2'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b7862fde-0f9a-4deb-844b-021d2997eec1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-09-17T152015.477.jpg" /></p>

<p>True, in a movie like 'Don't Breathe 2', there's only so much one can do, but that, in no way, means one gets to inculcate drama and disturb the flow of an already hit psychological-thriller franchise. If we were you, we would still watch it for Stephen Lang, the high-octane action sequences and Lang mouthing the blind old man's&nbsp;iconic dialogue--"Now you're gonna see what I see."<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-scenes-from-a-marriage-ep-1-review-jessica-chastain--oscar-isaac-infuse-modern-easy-into-this-old-saga-413109">Scenes From A Marriage EP 1 review: Jessica Chastain &amp; Oscar Isaac infuse 'modern easy' into this old saga</a></p>


Veins popping through those sculpted biceps, trembling lips and a little girl in tow that he is hell-bent on keeping all to himself, "I am trying to protect you," justifies the 'blind old man' aka Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang).

Veins popping through those sculpted biceps, trembling lips and a little girl in tow that he is hell-bent on keeping all to himself, "I am trying to protect you," justifies the 'blind old man' aka Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang). It's been eight years since that fatal fire and Phoenix (Madelyn Grace) still doesn't get to venture out on her own. That the man's got his own demons to fight and subdue, is evident through his interactions with parallel actors. What transpires (hint: an intrusion) between the former Navy Seal's insecurities and the little girl's quench for freedom is what constitutes the skeleton of 'Don't Breathe 2'--sequel to the iconic psychological thriller 'Don't Breathe' (2016). First things first, this hellraising thriller franchise has had a shift of creative hands--the debut instalment was helmed by Fede Alvarez, while the current offering is by Rodo Sayagues (with writing credits split between the two)--and this piece of information is crucial to its review primarily because the intensity of ghast and gore vary in degree in 'Don't Breathe 2'. Unlike its predecessor, which was unapologetically brutal in its treatment of the script and more so of the characters, this one infuses drama in the narrative: an irreparable damage to the diegesis. In a character-driven thriller, we need the story to move at a lightening speed for it stay edgy, with able support from background-score department, cinematography and 'bloody' good actors (pun very much intended). Not a beginning-middle-end format based storyline, please! Also read: Sex Education 3 review: Wilder sexual urges, bolder tropes this time round Lang's older-than-'blind old man' avatar is reclusive, burdened with shame and guilt and a combat veteran who is quick with his reflexes: everything that had kept us on the edge of our seats back in 2016. At 69, Lang packs punches better than most kids half his age--actors or not. His deep-set voice--although sounds partially caricaturish--adds to the insanity that is 'Don't Breathe 2'. Madelyn Grace is the little ninja that the old man needed in his stand-alone act. As Phoenix--a metaphor to her back story--Grace is fast, feisty, curious and emotes through her eyes. True, in a movie like 'Don't Breathe 2', there's only so much one can do, but that, in no way, means one gets to inculcate drama and disturb the flow of an already hit psychological-thriller franchise. If we were you, we would still watch it for Stephen Lang, the high-octane action sequences and Lang mouthing the blind old man's iconic dialogue--"Now you're gonna see what I see." Also read: Scenes From A Marriage EP 1 review: Jessica Chastain & Oscar Isaac infuse 'modern easy' into this old saga

Don't Breathe 2 review: Stephen Lang renders you breathless in this tired sequel

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'Avatar The Way of Water' movie review: Visually gorgeous, James Cameron's film repeats original's mistakes

Stephen Lang, Bruce Dern, Shane West star in horror thriller ‘Mid-Century’

Don't Breathe 2 review: Stephen Lang renders you breathless in this tired sequel