Avatar: The Way of Water

[HAL9000.]

But even borrowing specific story points beat for beat can still be immensely satisfying if the characters are likable and the stakes are exciting like we saw with TGM so if Avatar 2 doesn't deliver Cameron won't have any excuse beyond himself. Especially with a decade of fine-tuning the "story" and having a blank check to achieve whatever he wants on screen.

Exactly. What with the fact we're used to high levels of CGI these days, it now all comes back to great story telling, where it should be.

 

[jye4ever]

Glasses free 3D or GTFO

Hey Cameron guess what I bought TGM you know a really excellent thrilling movie that didn’t need 3D

 

[Wor-Gar]

That whole headache/migraine thing concerns me. I forgot about that with the original Avatar.

I wonder who will sue Disney/Cameron for causing migraine trauma with their product? Could be a Class Action suit.

 

[Khev]

After Avatar 2 underperforms at the box office:

Cameron: "I guess people won't go to sequels that come out many years after the original."

Cameron: "Okay fine then I guess people don't want to watch characters who debuted in the 2000's."

Cameron: "Damn it!"

 

[Wor-Gar]

I definitely don't want to see a 3 hour movie that will give me a headache both figuratively and literally.

 

[Mandible]

I remember when the first hit everyone went and saw it because there was so much hype. But out of everyone I know that's seen it (and that's obviously a lot), I've only got one friend that still is really enamored with it to this day and still watches it regularly. And he's the only person I know that is remotely interested in seeing number 2 - but ironically has lost interested in seeing things at the theaters these days as he has a crazy home theater

At the time most of us said we'd give the original a 8(ish) out of 10. But even the 3D for me was average as I'd been used to more 3D things coming "off" the screen straight at you. Avatar's 3D (to me) just gave it a little more "depth."

Either way, I'll watch it at some point out of curiosity, but I've got zero need to rush off and see it at the theaters.

 

[Wor-Gar]

out of everyone I know that's seen it (and that's obviously a lot), I've only got one friend that still is really enamored with it to this day and still watches it regularly.

That's one more than I have.

I don't know anyone IRL who cares about the old film. It's like ET. Those schmaltzy films fade quickly.

 

[jedibear]

Methinks "The Way of the Water" is going to be the sound of a toilet flushing...

 

[HAL9000.]

I really enjoyed The Abyss back in the day. One of my fav' movies. That was fun characters and good story telling first and foremost, thrown into a crucible, with some fantastic practical effects, and one of the first CGI shots into the mix. Even the cheesy parts were forgiveable.

This Avartar franchise has gone from Dancing with Smurfs to Drowing with Smurfs. No cinema for me. I'll wait for reviews and either pick up the 4K or hold out for streaming.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I'm not a Cameron hater. If Spielberg was planning a sequel to 1941, I'd bash that idea too.

 

[spindrift]

Will open big and then start falling. It won't have the long staying power to become a mega-grosser. I could be wrong- Cameron always seems to defy the odds.

 

[Khev]

I'm not a Cameron hater.

Same. And as I stated a while back I revisited both T2 and True Lies this year as well as watched Avatar on the big screen again and IMO all three films (yes even the latter) are still very satisfying and hold up to this day. I just think it's silly how his ego can't possibly allow for the fact that he might release a film that just isn't as popular as other recent releases and has to proactively come up with not just one but two alternate excuses, lol.

 

[ironwez20]

I don’t hate him either but he’s crazy if he thinks this will do any big numbers. Should have released in 2012

 

[Wor-Gar]

Should have released in 2012

Even then, I don't think Pandora has the long term appeal of, say, Lucas's galaxy far, far away.

Pandora has limited possibilities, many of which were burned out in the first film. Water is not different enough -- on a visceral level literally the same color. Cameron would have needed to expand well beyond what was established in the first film to have a chance of opening his "world" into a 5-sequel franchise.

 

[Khev]

Maybe he'll surprise us by having Jake's new flying fish dragon get shot down then he and Norm's son sneak into the human's base where they're still keeping a banshee from the original movie. They'll free it and take flight but not without being pursued by 5th gen helicopters...

 

[Wor-Gar]

Cameron even has the bad guy, Quaritch, coming back -- probably an avatar now.

 

[Khev]

Cameron even has the bad guy, Quaritch, coming back

 

[Mandible]

Interesting how a few of you are saying I don't hate him... I don't hate him either, but, I have lost a lot of respect for him (and I used to love him), as he's come across as a bit of a shill in the last few years.

The fact that he actively advocated those last few Terminator movies (particularly that last abomination - and supposedly co-wrote the story and produced it), but then after they bomb, he puts blame on everyone else. That has really soured me.

As much as I was massively disappointed with the final few seasons of Game of Thrones (after loving the first 5), I don't get annoyed about it as the 2 show runners (can't remember their names) came out and apologized and took responsibility for it afterwards. They admitted they were off-book, they were all exhausted after 10 years, it was rushed, etc. But at least they owned it and could understand the backlash.

On the other hand, I do hate (vehemently) Ruin Johnson. That little **** is the most arrogant, deluded, ignorant, epitome of hubris. Still to the day he thinks The Last Jedi is a masterpiece and can't give acknowledgement/validation to anyone that doesn't like it. He is a vile human being.

 

[Remembermyname]

16th December 2022 in a theatre near you.....I see you.

 

[HAL9000.]

Even then, I don't think Pandora has the long term appeal of, say, Lucas's galaxy far, far away.

Pandora has limited possibilities, many of which were burned out in the first film. Water is not different enough -- on a visceral level literally the same color. Cameron would have needed to expand well beyond what was established in the first film to have a chance of opening his "world" into a 5-sequel franchise.

He presented it in 3D, but it's a very 2D world/story. I think the water tribe is a way (of water) for him to try and expand the lore. But they're still blue monkies, just under the sea, under the sea, darlin' it's better, down where it's wetter. . .