Glorious Stupidity – Avatar: The Way of Water

Wyatt and I went and experienced Avatar: The Way of Water over the holidays. For a little over three hours, we were mesmerized by the world of Pandora. Immersed by way of 3D, excellent sound design (which no one talks about), and recliners. It was glorious! I am still in awe over the world that director James Cameron invited us into.

What is weird is that Avatar wasn’t about the story. There was a story, however subtle it may be. Jake, who became an avatar in the first film, finds himself with Blue Girl (Neytiri), raising a family in the Pandorian jungles. Everything is right with the world… until the villain from the first movie comes back as an avatar, and threatens Jake’s family by hunting them down. Knowing that the bad guy will never stop in his quest for vengeance, Jake takes his family and goes to the Water Tribe. There they:

• Find comfort / safety.
• Make new friends with all the aquatic creatures. All of them. Including a 10-15 minute film sequence between a boy and his whale. (You read that right.) What How to Train Your Dragon did with dragon flight, Avatar 2 does with swimming with a whale. I seriously could have watched more of that.
• And then battle against the humans / evil Na’vi, who, to lure Jake out of his water refuge, have started to kill the whales.

It’s epic.

It’s stupid.

And it is glorious, all at the same time.

I have never had a movie, where I can’t even remember the character’s names, stick with me like this. Some odd melding of technology, world building, sound design and beauty.

Removing my 3D glasses and walking out of the theater, I was bummed that I wasn’t in Pandora anymore.

Makes me excited about the future of film and technology. James Cameron brings it in spades.

I can’t wait for Avatar 3: The Fire Nation Rises. Complete with rideable fire slugs.