Currently the third most successful movie of all time, James Cameron’s sequel to 2009’s Avatar (which is at number one on that list) was 13 years in the making. Luckily we won’t have to wait that long for it to arrive on Disney+. It will hit the platform on June 7th.
Just like the original, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana lead an ensemble cast that also includes Kate Winslet and Sigourney Weaver. As you might expect for an Avatar film this is a visual masterpiece (that again won the best visual effects Oscar) but with a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 92% it’s not just a pretty face.
Set a decade after the original, Way of the Water follows Jake Sully (Worthington), Neyteri (Saldana) and their young family as they defend their home planet once again from human greed. Expect some beautifully animated Pandoran wildlife to steal your heart like the flying creatures of the original.
Critics on the other hand were more polarised by the film. A 76% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes is solid, but they tended to go one of two ways. Mark Kermode of the Guardian gave it a measly two stars, describing it as “A lumbering, humourless, tech-driven damp squib of a movie.” (tell us how you really feel Mark) while others like Corey Chichizola of Cinemablend gave it four and a half stars.
With some critics loving it and others left feeling blue, perhaps it’s best to watch and decide for yourself. Curiously Way of the Water is also set to arrive on HBO’s Max streaming service at the same time as Disney+ so there’s little reason not to give it a go when it lands.
