One thing you should know about me is that I am a huge film buff. So, when I got the chance to see Avatar: The Way of Water with my best friend, I jumped out of bed as quickly as I could and drove all the way to the theatre.
This film has consistently set all-time highs in the domestic box office, grossing more than 2.1 billion dollars. If it were any other movie, I would have questioned it, but after seeing it three times, I understand all the hype surrounding it.
Leaving that theatre after three hours of watching this film changed my life. Every single moment of it was excellent, from the characters and their dynamics to the scenery and everything in between. It was a cinematic experience I’ll never forget.
Prior to seeing this film for the first time, I watched almost every cast interview from the previous decade, as well as any newer ones. You could say I was completely obsessed with this cast. It was exciting to know that Jake Sully and Neytiri, two of the main characters in the first Avatar film, would have a family and that the audience would get to see their relationship.
One of the questions constantly asked in these cast interviews was, “What is this movie about?” and every actor/actress said the same thing: it’s about family. It’s about a family banding together and doing everything they possibly can to stay together and keep each other safe.
This is one of the reasons why I absolutely adored this film and came out crying at the end of it. The Sully family dynamics, particularly the siblings Kiri, Lo’ak, Tuktirey, Neteyam, and Spider, were very personal to me. As someone who has many siblings, their banter was very real and wholesome to me.
Lo’ak, the second youngest son of Jake Sully, was this misunderstood character who never felt seen by his dad throughout the movie and one that I felt so connected to. This is another reason as to why I resonated with this film this hard. He’s definitely one of my favourite characters to come out of this franchise so far.
The reason, if not the most important one, that this film got me laughing and crying in ways some movies have never done for me was this cast. Not only was it filled with an ensemble cast, starring big names like Zoe Saldaña, Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver, Cliff Curtis, etc. But, they also added younger actresses and actors to this film.
Names like Jamie Flatters, Bailey Bass, Britain Dalton, Jack Champion, Trinity Bliss, Filip Geljo, and others were unfamiliar to me, but they won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Considering that I watched hours of their interviews and interactions together, the cast chemistry was palpable, and it’s what made this film so special.
Jamie Flatters, one of the cast members, created a 14-minute documentary about himself and his co-stars during the years of filming. Knowing that these young actresses and actors grew up together and consider each other family is so heartwarming to think about.
I could go on and on about why I adore this film and its cast, but we’d be here all day. Instead, I’ll be counting down the days until the third Avatar film is released in 2024, where you can find me in the nearest theatre.
