United States |
New York Post
|
"The ingenious sequel we've been waiting for (...) The climactic action of the 'Avatar: The Way of Water' feels full-circle for Cameron (...) As far as blockbusters go, Cameron remains unsinkable (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)" |
POS
|
United States |
IndieWire
|
"Cameron's sequel is what the theatrical experience was made for (...) A staggering improvement over the original (...) 'Going back to Pandora' just became the best deal on Earth for the price of a movie ticket" |
POS
|
United States |
Entertainment Weekly
|
"Bigger and bolder than the first (...) 'Avatar: The Way of Water' has already created its own whole-cloth reality, a meticulous world-building as astonishing and enveloping as anything we've ever seen on screen" |
POS
|
United States |
Rolling Stone
|
"Is James Cameron’s most stunning cinematic journey yet. Yes, the self-described “King of the World” has done it again. (...) It’s a better movie than the first outing because Cameron lets things get weirder, wilder". |
POS
|
United States |
Variety
|
"[It] has scenes that will make your eyes pop, your head spin and your soul race (...) The script is a string of serviceable clichés, the story could hardly be more basic" |
NEU
|
United States |
Time Out
|
"[It] is magnificently out-there, endearingly sincere and unlike just about any other modern day blockbuster you’ll see (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)" |
POS
|
United Kingdom |
Empire
|
"James Cameron has surfaced with a cosmic marine epic that only he could make: eccentric, soulful, joyous, dark and very, very blue. Yes, he's still leagues ahead of the pack (...) Rating: ★★★★★ (out of 5)" |
POS
|
United Kingdom |
The Guardian
|
"The floatingly bland plot is like a children's story without the humour; a YA story without the emotional wound; an action thriller without the hard edge of real excitement (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)" |
NEG
|
United States |
USA Today
|
"A gorgeous and stunning thing to look at (...) An emotionally charged outing that again dips into themes of colonization while adding environmental issues and relatable family drama (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)" |
POS
|
United States |
Polygon
|
"Cameron leans all the way into manic mayhem, smash-cutting from one outrageous image to the next" |
POS
|
United States |
rogerebert.com
|
"The planet of Pandora has become [Cameron's] most ambitious manner of sharing this belief in the power of cinema (...) This wildly entertaining film is as if [he] has moved to Pandora forever and brought everything he cares about (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)" |
POS
|
United States |
The Wrap
|
"There's both too much and not enough going on in this return to Pandora (...) The imagination and scope of 'Avatar: The Way of Water' can occasionally feel quite magical" |
NEU
|
United States |
IGN
|
"'Avatar: The Way of Water' is a clear improvement on its predecessor (...) Its jaw-dropping visuals make this an irresistible return to Pandora" |
POS
|
United States |
Collider
|
"Cameron and his team address the weaknesses of the first film, improving the script and characters, while also creating one of the most extraordinary experiences one can have at the theaters" |
POS
|
United States |
Slant
|
"It’s a masterclass in terms of spectacle, pace, and emotional involvement, one that shames pretty much all of the big-budget Hollywood offerings nowadays (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)" |
POS
|
United States |
The Playlist
|
"This is not just content you ingest. 'Avatar: The Way of Water' is a movie you bodily inhabit for three stunning hours. We come to this place for magic, indeed" |
POS
|
United States |
The Film Stage
|
"Through admiration and exasperation alike one wishes 'The Way of Water' could slow down, scale down, let the eye meet something it can register" |
NEU
|
United States |
The Hollywood Reporter
|
"James Cameron’s mega-sequel delivers on action, emotion and thrilling 3-D visuals" |
POS
|
United Kingdom |
BBC
|
"As impressive as the visuals are, the action never feels real because it's always halfway between a cartoon and a live-action film (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 4)" |
NEG
|
Canada |
Screen Rant
|
"Engaging, enjoyable, and one of the most beautiful films of the year, [it] is a transformative movie experience that energizes and captivates the senses through its visual storytelling, making the return well worth the wait (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)" |
POS
|
United States |
AV Club
|
"Dazzling, epic, and yet surprisingly intimate, Cameron's 'Avatar' sequel expands on this exquisite world in ways both passionate and futuristic" |
POS
|
United Kingdom |
Screendaily
|
"[Its] resplendent presentation couldn't be more breathtaking —the drama unfolding inside that world isn't always as masterfully rendered" |
NEU
|
United States |
SlashFilm
|
"An overstuffed and exciting adventure" |
POS
|
United States |
Mashable
|
"[It] is groundbreaking, ambitious, and even overstuffed with cinematic wonder. But Cameron loses track of his characters, snarls his story, squanders his star power, and then dizzies 3D audiences with so much whiz-bang" |
NEU
|
United Kingdom |
NME
|
"Bold, beautiful and very, very blue (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)" |
POS
|
United States |
Decider
|
"It is brilliantly transporting" |
POS
|
United States |
Chicago Sun-Times
|
"Borderline corny but visually spectacular (...) [It] boasts some of the most dazzling, vibrant and gorgeous images ever seen on screen" |
POS
|
United States |
Vulture
|
"Cameron’s divided self finds its fullest expression on Pandora not just because he can create vast new worlds and matrices of spiritually interconnected beings but also because he can fight battles he can’t fight elsewhere" |
POS
|
United States |
Deadline
|
"It more than fulfills the promise of the original (...) The film is beautiful, obsessive and eventful" |
POS
|
United States |
Austin Chronicle
|
"It transforms from simple wonder to something truly jaw-dropping (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)" |
POS
|
Canada |
Screen Anarchy
|
"[It] offers an often frustrating mix of visual marvels and thematic contradictions" |
NEU
|
United States |
Ready Steady Cut
|
"[It] is a spectacular, immersive, jaw-dropping Hollywood experience that only Cameron can bring to movie theatres (...) Rating: ★★★★½ (out of 5)" |
POS
|
Canada |
JoBlo
|
"You’ve never seen anything quite like it. These days, that’s reason enough to go to the movies" |
POS
|
United Kingdom |
Radio Times
|
"Pandora remains an immersive world in which to lose oneself – even if the film struggles to match its visuals with an emotionally satisfying story (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)" |
NEU
|
United States |
The Verge
|
"A visually stunning but narratively uninspired return to Pandora" |
NEU
|
United States |
CNN
|
"A state-of-the-art exercise that rekindles that sense of wonder and demands to be seen by anyone with lingering interest in watching movies in theaters" |
POS
|