My stance is indifferent. Honestly, the plot can be executed better, and diversity between humans and Na'vi should be more highlighted so that the film gets more depth. As of now, the worldbuilding is the most appealing part with how the films are executed. Like cultures, ecosystems, technology used by the humans etc. Which is fine but the plot does deserve more attention.
Love this. You articulated a ton that was jumbled in my brain about Avatar while also adding so many new ideas I resonate with. The psychological-reactance connection is hella deep and I’m gonna be thinking about it for a while haha. This deserves way more views!
Thanks a ton, man! You have no idea how much I appreciate this, especially coming from you. Glad something good came out of MY own mental struggles with Avatar lol
James Cameron is the master of 3D cinematography and Avatar is the purest and simplest example of his craft. No one in Hollywood can do what James Cameron does so well. He has been immersing audiences the same way since 1984 with The Terminator. He never needed CGI or 3D cameras
But Quaritch doesn't know where the rebel camp is. And even if he knew, there are very few of them to be able to attack it directly. RDA can't help him, because of the Eywa immune response. And when Jake left, they probably stopped raiding convoys so they are no longer a target. But Jakes kids are often playing in the forest, so Jake was scared to death, and he made a not very logical decision to leave. Another thing. Humans wants to colonize Pandora, yes. But they have no intention of exterminating the na'vi, at least not now. There is a scene where Garvin says, that if they hunt Tulkuns here, Na'vi will attack them, and they don't want that, while it is clearly shown they can easily wipe out all water clans. I think humans are just trying to avoid conflicts for now. The disappearance of Metkayina at the end battle. This is a plothole unfortunately. There are scenes with them, but Cameron decided to cut them out because of the pacing problem. I hope for extended cut where we get those scenes. Anyway, good analysis. I'm a huge fan of this franchise. I have every book and comics, saw both movies in theater multiple times. I love both, but the first one a little bit more because of its more focused and straightforward story. For me, it's mainly the world-building and themes that appealed to me the most. For example, that is why I love the middle part in TWoW while most people don't 😅
Thank you! Happy to hear the perspective of a franchise veteran! Quaritch and the RDA seem to at least have an IDEA of where the Omatikaya are. Irrelevant of if the clan is still raiding convoys, they would still be the target, given that the RDA's ultimate goal is to colonize the planet (making the Na'vi permanent targets, as they are obstacles). They don't need to exterminate the Na'vi, but they do need their land; that is the essence of the whole colonization aspect. With Jake gone and the Omatikaya weaker than ever, this was the perfect opportunity for them to go in and take that land. As you've mentioned, the immune response would get in the way, but given that the recombinants have the ability to bypass it, raids and stealth ops are an easy option and could make for a great way to draw the Na'vi out.
I do have an issue with the raids on the rail network... Why don't the humans set up a bunch of automated sentry turrets at the flanks to protect it from an attacker? RDA can also set up small ammunition outposts along the way to maintain these sentry turrets. RDA also just tries to penetrate Ewa's immune response by throwing airframes at it to die which honestly is a really dumb idea. These are some issues I have: RDA isn't particularly competent.
@@heuzame6198 It would cost an absolute fortune to build fully automated weaponry across an entire rail network, and even more to maintain. You could make the argument that the amount of product they lose from attacks outweighs the downsides of the expensive defense system, but they already have an armed escort with the train. It seems like the best of both worlds already.
Just Seeing A New Upload from you made my day! And your analysis didn’t disappoint👏 I like your connection to “Reactance” when themes are perhaps too aggressive or explicit in pushing their message. Your example of pressing an obstacle was easy to understand and encourages the importance of inspired writing! I like how you highlight Cameron’s admirable passion to build a world and share it with us yet a viewer can feel like they’re only able to see what the director wants us to see thus leaving a feeling of limitation possibly leading back to some viewers, for various reasons, feeling a sense of reactance. It’s interesting how you point out the similarity between both Avatar films because I heard a comparison recently that Terminator 2 is the same story as The Terminator just with a larger scope aided by the increased budget🤔 You always increase my understanding of complex concepts while providing helpful tips for aspiring writers and filmmakers! Thank You for your hard work! You’re my favorite channel! Cheers to an Amazing 2023 🍻
Thanks a dozen, Colin, for taking the time to watch the video and for the detailed comment! Glad you enjoyed it, and glad my points came across clear. Thanks for being so sweet and supportive all the time, man. You really make my day. Hope 2023 is awesome for you too!
Honestly, it's kinda like Top-Gun: You go into it knowing what to expect (of course America will win, Tom Cruise will get the girl, and a bunh of 'axis of evil' allagories will be killed in as cinematic a way as possible), but it's not like this plot can't work. Hell, knowing how things will end but watching anyways is a major component of Classic Noir films (Double Jepordy literally spoils it's endgame in the first 4 minutes but you watch the rest of the film)
Omg the chaptering, voice and editing are on par with other great videos ! I am sad about the algorithms really messing up your uploads, maybe you should cut the videos up into 12 or 20 min videos that work better or something, tbh I love the longer videos but these days people do not commit to these beautiful reviews, sadly there are only 800 views on such a greatly scripted and researched video(I'm sad that you even put in time to subtitle it) 😅BUT THANKS FOR THE GREAT VIDEO❤️
Hey, thank you so much! This comment made my day! Really appreciate what you're saying; it's comments like these that make it all worth it, even if the algorithm chooses not to give me much love. Hope you'll be sticking around for more!
Great essay. It makes me really happy to see someone actually taking Avatar's storytelling seriously, even (especially!) when they come to a critical conclusion. This idea that simplistic narratives are automatically bad is basically inseparable from the overall Avatar discourse. It's a really reductive way to look at storytelling. I would never say that The Way of Water has a great or even a particularly good story (and you're definitely not crazy it is just "avatar 1 again but wetter"), but I do think that a lot of the more nuanced takes on these movies get lost in the conventional wisdom of "pretty visuals and bad story." For me personally, the whole movie experience is completely carried by my fascination with the world, the visual splendor, and the simple-but-effective environmentalist themes. I'll be the first to admit that the "plot" is both a bit too simple and a bit overdone (while also understanding that it isn't the most important factor in my enjoyment of the movie). But there is a real snobbishness to way a lot of people like to sneer at both Avatars for being very simple and trope-laden stories, as if something like the original Star Wars trilogy is some masterpiece of complexity. Finding the movies to be too simplistic to enjoy is completely fine, that's just personal taste (though I doubt most of these people complaining about Avatar are out there reading Tolstoy in their free time). But simple =/= bad, ESPECIALLY in the world of blockbuster movie entertainment, and if someone wants to make a decent argument about the relative merits of these movies, they really should do exactly what you've done here, which is meet the movies on their own terms, with an understanding of why they appeal to audiences and what that means in a broader story context.
Wow, I truly thought a video and channel with this much quality and passion would be bursting at the seams with subscribers, you deserve so much more recognition!! I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who found the way of water to be so similar to the first avatar except with family as it’s central theme. And while I don’t think family isn’t universal, the family dynamics certainly aren’t, and it felt very forced and I didn’t feel true connections between them as I would a naturally developed family in another movie. It’s nice to know that someone who could come into it unbiased and watch both movie back to back shared the same opinions as me about it. Avatar was a really cool spectacle, but the way of water feels dried out, so to speak. Thanks for your awesome discussion!!
Thank you so much for the incredibly kind words! Comments like these really keep me going! Glad we could agree on so much. I guess all that remains now is to see where Cameron takes these family dynamics in the next movie, and to see if things end up being better utilized there now that there has been some setup here.
I expected this to be a video just dunking on avatar and calling it terrible as so many avatar haters tend to do. Im glad it was not, but i do somewhat disagree with some of your criticisms as to the severity of certain plot holes. As to the disapearance of the metkayina clan half way through the battle, obviously this is a hole, and i dont think this was as much of a plot oversight, as it was important scenes just being cut out. James cameron said himself that about a half hour of the movie was cut right before release, and even specifically mentioned that scenes during the final battle involving the metkayina were cut. Obviously this doesnt make the plot hole in the theatrical release of the movie go away, but it does explain why a group of incredibly talented writers ended up putting out a movie with such a glaring hole. They didnt write the plot hole, it just got cut for time. Of course this is disappointing to me, as an avid avatar lover, i would have gladly watched a 4 hour cut of the movie, but a lot of people wouldnt, and so important things get cut for time or focus. They just cut something a little too important. I hope an extended version gets released at some point. Your issues with the reasons for the humans pursuing jake, and the reasons for jake leaving are understandable, but i dont think this is as much of a massive glaring plot hole that shakes the foundation of the movie as one may think. First and foremost, the entire reason jake wanted to leave is just to protect his immediate family. He saw that his children were in direct danger of being killed, and he and his family were being targeted directly, so he panicked and ran. While it wasnt explicitly said in the movie, im guessing the omatikaya stopped attacking when jake left, as obviously they would still be in danger if they were directly interacting with the humans. I would have liked the movie to give some more specifics on this, but i dont think its as much of a plot hole, as just the movie not giving us enough information to know what happened. While this is probably not the best possible decision decision regardless, i can completely understand jakes reason for leaving. As well, at the very end of the movie he does finally come to the realization that running and hiding is not the solution, and they will be making a stand now. Im interested to see what more they explore on that in the sequel. As to the issue with the RDA specifically pursuing jake instead of just attacking the navi to draw him out, or just trying to take them out all together. The fact that they dont know specifically where the navi are is an important point that i think has more weight behind it than people acknowledge. Sure, they have a vague idea that they are somewhere in the floating mountains, but even with the avatars, they may not be able to find or take out the navi clan directly. Just jake and naytiri alone slaughtered half the Recoms on their first outing. Making those avatars is expensive, and the navi, fighting on their home turf have a huge advantage even against the humans technology. It seems reasonable that they would send their avatar strike team to specifically take out the guy with intimate knowledge of the humans, their technology, and their tactics, more than ANY of the navi do, and who is also leading the ongoing insurrection, and coordinating the navi on how to strike the humans at their weakest points with minimal casualties to themselves. Jake IS a serious threat. Jakes human military background makes him a genuinely formidable force that is directly interfering with their goals. We dont know if the omatikaya continued attacking the humans after jake left. They might have stopped, and just remained in hiding, thus not giving the humans an the ability or reason to prioritize attacking the clan specifically, as again, they dont know where they are, and they cant send anything other than the avatars in without getting swarmed. They could be searching for years and never find them if the navi want to hide in the mountains. Yes, the humans still want to deal with the navi regardless, but taking out the most important military leader of your enemy who is capable of coordinating efficient and deadly strikes against you better than anyone else is a genuinely reasonable course of action. Are the forest people still in potential danger after jake leaves? Obviously, and im kinda curious if more will be touched on this in the sequels, but i dont think it hurts the over all plot THAT badly, as jake didnt really leave to protect his clan. He left to protect his kids. And the humans have a genuinely good reason to pursue jake specifically. Jake is the one who showed the navi how to fight the humans effectively. With all that said, i do think that the over all plot of the second movie was a bit weaker than the first. Avatar 2009 honestly is pretty air tight plot wise. I thoroughly enjoy both movie for their themes, messages, and worldbuilding, regardless of the specifics of the plot. The mind-blowing visuals are just a cherry on top. They are genuinely great films, and i dont hate anyone for not liking them. I can see how the very simple storytelling in avatar could be a turn off for some. I cant wait for the next 3 movies.
I loved avatar, kept loving it and never stopped. The same will probably go for The Way Of Water. I've seen it twice and enjoyed it twice. Yet all criticism in this video is valid and i agree to most of it. Yes this movie was very much the same, yes some plotpoints were weird, yes it needed more character developement. And still....it's so high quality and unique that i cannot stop loving it!
I'm genuinely in the middle on this series. It has an amazing level of depth written in it's universe and you can go down this rabbit hole for hours learning about the setting of Pandora. But will it leave any impact on you? Will you carry this movie and little things with you until your grave, or adapt it into your own works if you're a writer because it inspired you? Meh. Maybe? But more than likely, not really.
This is a surprisingly levelheaded video essay. I was expecting this to be a complete tear down of how much you hate Avatar and that it deserves the hate it’s getting. I thought you would say this franchise doesn’t deserve to be such a success, and people who like it are stupid. I thought this video would just be you saying how much better and more intelligent you are than those who enjoy Avatar for their own personal reasons, and you will never accept their reasons for enjoying something you hate because their opinions are just invalid, claiming that you’re the only person who’s view is correct in the whole world, and that you are so much more enlightened than dumb people who only watch movies for visuals. Sorry, that was a big rant because, believe me, I’ve come across arrogant, closed minded jerks like that who do nothing but spit on this movie and it’s fans. But, oh my gosh, you have my respect, sir. The movie does have issues, but I like how you take into account why that is. It’s not that the writing was lazy. It was that there was way too much. There was too much time spent on the world building and not enough time with the characters , which I totally understand and agree with. I would have liked to have more time getting to know Neteyam, but I heard Cameron didn’t want to spent a lot of time with him to “spare the audience the heartbreak of losing him.” I know that’s not a good reason to not give a character development, but we might see more of Neteyam in future films because Cameron shot quite a bit of the 3rd and 4th movie because the kid actors were aging out. But I understand what you’re saying: The poor handling of the issues with just this movie shouldn’t be justified with future intent… if I’m understanding this right. If I screwed up your intentions, I’m sorry. I’m just so happy to see a fair, levelheaded, critical yet understanding video about this movie.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of that. I really loved reading this comment. I'm glad I could cover Avatar in a fair and balanced light; I put a lot of effort into doing so, and I'm glad it seems to have come across right. I hoped I wouldn't offend any hardcore fans of the franchise, because that is not my intent, but I did wish to recognize every praise-worthy aspect of these movies and every critique-worthy aspect as well, in (mostly) as objective a light as I can. You have understood my intentions correctly. Thank you once again. I hope you'll be sticking around for more (hopefully well-balanced analyses like these in the future!
@@failureoncommand It certainly didn't offend me, quite the opposite. I am very glad that such reviews can be found on youtube. Because like Dgurlie said, lots of them are just pure hate from people, who did not even pay attention to the movies. You take your time with interviews and behind the scene stuff. Even if I don't agree with everything, it was very pleasant to listen.
So glad I found your channel and this video! I agree on much of your points. I genuinely loved the first movie. The simple story almost makes it feel like a fairy tale, which matches the setting. But the second movie was such a disappointment to me. It leaned into the worst impulses of the first film (re-white saviors, cultural appropriation, comically evil villains, etc.) And the plot doesn’t feel simple… it’s feels stupid and convoluted. And there were sooo many characters that I didn’t have time to care about any of them despite the movie’s run time. The first movie made me feel so much and the second movie made me feel nothing.
Well done, great essay…nice editing too. I agree with almost everything you said and I envy the fact that you were not going into the sequel with a 13 year nostalgia gap that needed satiating. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can only marvel at Cameron’s world building vision, his attention to detail is (and always has been) phenomenal. Thank you for persevering with this work, especially after being sick, getting apathetic and then getting busy, kudos. Immediate Sub and Like as a result.
I really appreciate this comment, particularly because you watched all the way through to listen to me explain why the video took so long. I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and am glad to have you aboard!
I too watched avatar 1 a couple of days before the release of The Way of Water, and it is truly when u watch them back to back that u notice the similarity in the plot. This was my biggest disappointment! The movie is esthetically pleasing, however a better plot would have made it soo much better. Great analysis I love that you thoroughly explained what work and what didn’t! So much time, effort, and research where put in this video and im here for it!
Thank you so much for the kind words! Really appreciate it! Nice to see you you had a similar experience with watching the movies, too. Glad I'm not alone in that.
Very interesting break down, especially going into the writing process, a lot of people don't appreciate how much effort went into the scriptwriting for these movies, most of the attention is on the visual effects. It's why I go easy on these movies when trying to figure out why they made certain writing decisions; considering the amount of effort put into them, and they were put together by some of the best in the business, for me to come along and dismiss things without a smidge of the expertise that they have feels unfair, there comes a point when we have to admit that perhaps we're the ones who don't get it. I do appreciate that Cameron has been pretty honest on certain decisions that they made and admits they did cause problems for some audience members, like the Metkayina disappearing from the final battle, and I also appreciate the rationale behind why they did it, and it ultimately comes down to what you're willing to let slide as a viewer. This particular plot hole for instance didn't bother me at all on the first viewing, only becoming noticeable when others brought it up and on repeat viewing. To me I wasn't concerned about the Metkayina during that sequence as much as I was concerned about the Sully family, which is ultimately the core of the movie and where the climax leads to in the end. So for me that choice worked, perhaps spending more time on side characters would've taken away from the main characters and messed up the pacing, ultimately leading to a more drawn out, less satisfying climax, regardless of whether or not it ties up all the loose ends. Sometimes a script doesn't need to tie together perfectly, as long as the main throughline works, which I think it did in the end.
This video does a really great job at explaining what I was also feeling about this movie. I really loved the first movie and the world building, and I just felt sad I couldn't like this one as much. I went into this movie just expecting a spectacle and I still left the theater feeling disappointed. The pacing felt so off to me in a way that it felt surprising the movie was 3 hours long, because it didn't feel like much had happened in that time. I did notice some similarities to the first movie while viewing (particularly at the part with the big predator fish chase scene) and it made me feel like I was being pandered to. I honestly did enjoy the "world building" scenes, because that is what is interesting to me about this franchise. Overall though, it felt like the movie cast so many different lines of the story that it felt unfocused. It just seemed like there was no time given for character development for certain characters that needed it. I feel sad about that, because I did want to enjoy these characters. It's funny though, I actually enjoyed the boat captain and marine biologist characters. They were the most interesting to me while viewing for some reason. Maybe it was just because they were funny? Or maybe everyone else just felt so one dimensional? Along with the pacing I do wonder if this movie suffered from being split up into two movies though. It just ended up feeling unsatisfying to me in a way I can't place, but I feel this video helps to explain that. Movie thoughts aside, this is a really fantastic video and I enjoy your voice! Thanks for making it and sharing your thoughts!
Thank you so much for all your kind words. I'm glad I could express your thoughts on the movie somewhat. I agree with practically everything you've said; some of the pacing issues definitely owe themselves to the split, it only makes sense.
Honestly ur the first person ive seen who had trouble distinguishing between the Navi, everyone else ive seen never really had that problem, infact everyone really appreciated the visual distinctions provided by the animators. Idk what could be the cause of this, maybe its a cultural difference, because Navi designs do look more similiar eastern and african cultures, so maybe its an issue for european audiences.
Perhaps there's something there, but to be clear, I'm not European, and if I recall correctly, several of the reviews I read that cited the homogeneity of the Navi were written by Americans. It was a common grievance during my research.
Sure the visuals achieved in avatar 2 is again stunning and shows the tremendous effort it caused. However I do not agree that avatar is not uncanny. I.e. I think it is uncanny. Especially the way the navi look AND move cries out loud: 'artificially created on computers'. I am just not convinced visually and can't shake of the feeling that it is off.
I did not see avatar directly before the sequel, but since it was my favourite movie since I was eight (and also tge first movie I had ever watched, which contributed to my adoration of it) and I remembered nesrly everything about it -- yes. They are way too similar. Some scenes honestly feel like they are copied bit by bit from the prequel, just with some changed scenery (I could predict the actions of a shark that attacked Lo'ak exactly, because the very freaking same thing happened in the first avatar when Jake was chased in the beginning) I liked it, overall. But I felt really, really sad that it came out now. My child self would love it to pieces, they'd dreamt about getting the sequel for so damn long... but I, sadly, am too old to enjoy it that freely, without being bugged with inconsistency and same plotpoints
Avatar 2 is not Avatar 1 at all. Very different movies. Different plot, protagnoists, themes, set pieces, structure, even tone. T2 is closer to The Terminator in terms of story if you aks me.
I don't know much about that; wasn't invested in B99 enough to ever focus too much on it. But if I ever I do a retrospective, I'll remember your words.
Im one of the “BEST MOVIE EVER MADE” camp. I have a bajillion reasons to feel that way but the two video essays by “the angry hippie” really put it best
All of the hard work it took to make this video and where are u 3k+ subs? Yall are fake supporters. Nobody needs yall’s “courtesy” subscription. It’s the views that are what actually make the creator’s effort worthwhile. This is beyond ridiculous and I hope the algorithm gods bless u bro so maybe u could have a loyal group come along instead of these garbage folks 💯
Really appreciate the loyalty and enthusiasm, man, really brings a smile to my face. However, no one really owes me any debt of watch time, you know? People are busy with their own lives and things and what not, and that's completely understandable. They'll see it when they wanna see it, if they wanna see it, and that's okay. I appreciate ya recognizing all the hard work I've poured into this. I really do... But it's as you said; here's hoping the algorithm catches on, somehow. Until then, though, thanks again for your support! Keeps me going!
@@failureoncommand my pleasure bro. I admire your ability to be keep cool and not resent the audience… this is one of the biggest reasons i could NEVER be a content creator… sometimes i feel like people don’t deserve it. By the same token, this is why i respect the hell out of content creators… im rooting for u bro 💯
My other plot hole is why RDA is sent to colonize pandora and not us govt or some other nation i mean if you want historical of this version the east india company was completely dissolved and taken by govt after the indian rebellion so it doesn't make sense to me how this private company can afford the lose and somehow lauch another operation to take back pandora
Not really sure what the RDA's deal is exactly, because that isn't expanded upon in the movies. Makes me wonder if any of the comics/lore books have an explanation for that, cause it's a fair point.
@@failureoncommand well it is kinda implied they are like powerfull as govt tho . I guess you could say they have much power like cooperation of cyberpunk 2077
Well, This is a big disadvantage of the avatar universe. It has a huge world-building, but not everything can be put in the movies, because there would be a lot of exposition. So they put a lot of details like this, in the books and comics. And there will be also games. It is explained that RDA is a multinational corporation with enormous power. Exactly like corporations in Cyberpunk or Blade Runner. There is more lore regarding RDA, but right now, no one knows, what is canon, and whats not, because they withdrew online pandorapedia, the main source of Avatar lore. There were some inconsistencies with the second movie, so they have to correct some things.
I see a lot of praise given to Avatar's "worldbuilding" but very little recognition of how jumbled and contradictory or inconsistent much of the content is. Compared to something like Dinotopia, I really can't have much respect for it even without the heavily colonial, unoriginal, plothole filled and questionable elements and themes he continuously uses as a crutch. Plot holes and consistency aren't strictly barriers for an interesting world - look at Star Wars - but most examples with them are franchises for children rather than adults, like Harry Potter, the Hobbit, Eragon, Chronicles of Prydain etc. Adults generally take far more notice and issue with such problems and have higher standards than a 6yo. I also don't think the visuals are as good as many claim, as while the CGI is high quality, there are much simpler and more obvious problems, like the overuse of the color blue and unnecessarily bland or similar character designs, things that detract heavily from the assumed strengths of Avatar's visuals in either film.
Cameron used to make a lot better balanced films imo. The avatar franchise is strong visually and weak just about everywhere else. Every individual scene plays out so predictably, and done far better in other films
Why do people trash the world of Pandora for being uncreative when every Star Wars world is completely unoriginal. They just gave us a forest planet, a snow planet, a desert planet and lava planet over and over. Oh and how is a city planet original or creative?? Cameron is giving us a more magical and marvelous looking Earth. Theres nothing wrong with that.
I don't think Cameron needs to change anything. Obviously whatever he is doing is working. People can love and hate the same thing. That's what art is.
Themes all cultures struggle with no matter their background ? Ummm colonialism? 😅 White people? Well I guess you could say in a psychological post-colonial way it is still a struggle…
how do you have trouble differentiating Jakes sons lol. They dont look similar at all, and remembering the characters is very easy aswell, mayeb its just me but i find myself in the movie very quickly and memorize things very good
@@failureoncommandyeh I had same issue as well but I was also watching the movie on a plane and with a smaller screen device. Watching the movie in theatre would have probably been better to assess visuals
My stance is indifferent.
Honestly, the plot can be executed better, and diversity between humans and Na'vi should be more highlighted so that the film gets more depth. As of now, the worldbuilding is the most appealing part with how the films are executed. Like cultures, ecosystems, technology used by the humans etc. Which is fine but the plot does deserve more attention.
Great points all around.
Love this. You articulated a ton that was jumbled in my brain about Avatar while also adding so many new ideas I resonate with. The psychological-reactance connection is hella deep and I’m gonna be thinking about it for a while haha.
This deserves way more views!
Thanks a ton, man! You have no idea how much I appreciate this, especially coming from you. Glad something good came out of MY own mental struggles with Avatar lol
@@failureoncommand Totally! I haven’t seen glass onion yet but looking forward to your newest video when I do
James Cameron is the master of 3D cinematography and Avatar is the purest and simplest example of his craft. No one in Hollywood can do what James Cameron does so well. He has been immersing audiences the same way since 1984 with The Terminator. He never needed CGI or 3D cameras
I watched the movie in 3d
But Quaritch doesn't know where the rebel camp is. And even if he knew, there are very few of them to be able to attack it directly. RDA can't help him, because of the Eywa immune response. And when Jake left, they probably stopped raiding convoys so they are no longer a target. But Jakes kids are often playing in the forest, so Jake was scared to death, and he made a not very logical decision to leave. Another thing. Humans wants to colonize Pandora, yes. But they have no intention of exterminating the na'vi, at least not now. There is a scene where Garvin says, that if they hunt Tulkuns here, Na'vi will attack them, and they don't want that, while it is clearly shown they can easily wipe out all water clans. I think humans are just trying to avoid conflicts for now. The disappearance of Metkayina at the end battle. This is a plothole unfortunately. There are scenes with them, but Cameron decided to cut them out because of the pacing problem. I hope for extended cut where we get those scenes. Anyway, good analysis.
I'm a huge fan of this franchise. I have every book and comics, saw both movies in theater multiple times. I love both, but the first one a little bit more because of its more focused and straightforward story. For me, it's mainly the world-building and themes that appealed to me the most. For example, that is why I love the middle part in TWoW while most people don't 😅
Thank you! Happy to hear the perspective of a franchise veteran!
Quaritch and the RDA seem to at least have an IDEA of where the Omatikaya are. Irrelevant of if the clan is still raiding convoys, they would still be the target, given that the RDA's ultimate goal is to colonize the planet (making the Na'vi permanent targets, as they are obstacles). They don't need to exterminate the Na'vi, but they do need their land; that is the essence of the whole colonization aspect. With Jake gone and the Omatikaya weaker than ever, this was the perfect opportunity for them to go in and take that land. As you've mentioned, the immune response would get in the way, but given that the recombinants have the ability to bypass it, raids and stealth ops are an easy option and could make for a great way to draw the Na'vi out.
I do have an issue with the raids on the rail network...
Why don't the humans set up a bunch of automated sentry turrets at the flanks to protect it from an attacker? RDA can also set up small ammunition outposts along the way to maintain these sentry turrets. RDA also just tries to penetrate Ewa's immune response by throwing airframes at it to die which honestly is a really dumb idea. These are some issues I have: RDA isn't particularly competent.
@@heuzame6198 It would cost an absolute fortune to build fully automated weaponry across an entire rail network, and even more to maintain. You could make the argument that the amount of product they lose from attacks outweighs the downsides of the expensive defense system, but they already have an armed escort with the train. It seems like the best of both worlds already.
@@KaneSoulbreaker fair point
Just Seeing A New Upload from you made my day! And your analysis didn’t disappoint👏 I like your connection to “Reactance” when themes are perhaps too aggressive or explicit in pushing their message. Your example of pressing an obstacle was easy to understand and encourages the importance of inspired writing! I like how you highlight Cameron’s admirable passion to build a world and share it with us yet a viewer can feel like they’re only able to see what the director wants us to see thus leaving a feeling of limitation possibly leading back to some viewers, for various reasons, feeling a sense of reactance. It’s interesting how you point out the similarity between both Avatar films because I heard a comparison recently that Terminator 2 is the same story as The Terminator just with a larger scope aided by the increased budget🤔 You always increase my understanding of complex concepts while providing helpful tips for aspiring writers and filmmakers! Thank You for your hard work! You’re my favorite channel! Cheers to an Amazing 2023 🍻
Thanks a dozen, Colin, for taking the time to watch the video and for the detailed comment! Glad you enjoyed it, and glad my points came across clear. Thanks for being so sweet and supportive all the time, man. You really make my day. Hope 2023 is awesome for you too!
im all about the story too, but Avatar is the only exception where i would watch a movie just to be immersed in its world.
Glad you like it so much!
Honestly, it's kinda like Top-Gun: You go into it knowing what to expect (of course America will win, Tom Cruise will get the girl, and a bunh of 'axis of evil' allagories will be killed in as cinematic a way as possible), but it's not like this plot can't work. Hell, knowing how things will end but watching anyways is a major component of Classic Noir films (Double Jepordy literally spoils it's endgame in the first 4 minutes but you watch the rest of the film)
Omg the chaptering, voice and editing are on par with other great videos ! I am sad about the algorithms really messing up your uploads, maybe you should cut the videos up into 12 or 20 min videos that work better or something, tbh I love the longer videos but these days people do not commit to these beautiful reviews, sadly there are only 800 views on such a greatly scripted and researched video(I'm sad that you even put in time to subtitle it) 😅BUT THANKS FOR THE GREAT VIDEO❤️
Hey, thank you so much! This comment made my day! Really appreciate what you're saying; it's comments like these that make it all worth it, even if the algorithm chooses not to give me much love. Hope you'll be sticking around for more!
Great essay. It makes me really happy to see someone actually taking Avatar's storytelling seriously, even (especially!) when they come to a critical conclusion. This idea that simplistic narratives are automatically bad is basically inseparable from the overall Avatar discourse. It's a really reductive way to look at storytelling. I would never say that The Way of Water has a great or even a particularly good story (and you're definitely not crazy it is just "avatar 1 again but wetter"), but I do think that a lot of the more nuanced takes on these movies get lost in the conventional wisdom of "pretty visuals and bad story." For me personally, the whole movie experience is completely carried by my fascination with the world, the visual splendor, and the simple-but-effective environmentalist themes. I'll be the first to admit that the "plot" is both a bit too simple and a bit overdone (while also understanding that it isn't the most important factor in my enjoyment of the movie). But there is a real snobbishness to way a lot of people like to sneer at both Avatars for being very simple and trope-laden stories, as if something like the original Star Wars trilogy is some masterpiece of complexity. Finding the movies to be too simplistic to enjoy is completely fine, that's just personal taste (though I doubt most of these people complaining about Avatar are out there reading Tolstoy in their free time). But simple =/= bad, ESPECIALLY in the world of blockbuster movie entertainment, and if someone wants to make a decent argument about the relative merits of these movies, they really should do exactly what you've done here, which is meet the movies on their own terms, with an understanding of why they appeal to audiences and what that means in a broader story context.
Wow, I truly thought a video and channel with this much quality and passion would be bursting at the seams with subscribers, you deserve so much more recognition!! I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one who found the way of water to be so similar to the first avatar except with family as it’s central theme. And while I don’t think family isn’t universal, the family dynamics certainly aren’t, and it felt very forced and I didn’t feel true connections between them as I would a naturally developed family in another movie. It’s nice to know that someone who could come into it unbiased and watch both movie back to back shared the same opinions as me about it. Avatar was a really cool spectacle, but the way of water feels dried out, so to speak. Thanks for your awesome discussion!!
Thank you so much for the incredibly kind words! Comments like these really keep me going!
Glad we could agree on so much. I guess all that remains now is to see where Cameron takes these family dynamics in the next movie, and to see if things end up being better utilized there now that there has been some setup here.
loved your analysis!! it's always interesting to hear an honest opinion about the movie without the additional factor of nostalgia
Thank you so much! Yeah, definitely gave me a fresh perspective, ya know?
I expected this to be a video just dunking on avatar and calling it terrible as so many avatar haters tend to do. Im glad it was not, but i do somewhat disagree with some of your criticisms as to the severity of certain plot holes.
As to the disapearance of the metkayina clan half way through the battle, obviously this is a hole, and i dont think this was as much of a plot oversight, as it was important scenes just being cut out. James cameron said himself that about a half hour of the movie was cut right before release, and even specifically mentioned that scenes during the final battle involving the metkayina were cut. Obviously this doesnt make the plot hole in the theatrical release of the movie go away, but it does explain why a group of incredibly talented writers ended up putting out a movie with such a glaring hole. They didnt write the plot hole, it just got cut for time. Of course this is disappointing to me, as an avid avatar lover, i would have gladly watched a 4 hour cut of the movie, but a lot of people wouldnt, and so important things get cut for time or focus. They just cut something a little too important. I hope an extended version gets released at some point.
Your issues with the reasons for the humans pursuing jake, and the reasons for jake leaving are understandable, but i dont think this is as much of a massive glaring plot hole that shakes the foundation of the movie as one may think. First and foremost, the entire reason jake wanted to leave is just to protect his immediate family. He saw that his children were in direct danger of being killed, and he and his family were being targeted directly, so he panicked and ran. While it wasnt explicitly said in the movie, im guessing the omatikaya stopped attacking when jake left, as obviously they would still be in danger if they were directly interacting with the humans. I would have liked the movie to give some more specifics on this, but i dont think its as much of a plot hole, as just the movie not giving us enough information to know what happened. While this is probably not the best possible decision decision regardless, i can completely understand jakes reason for leaving. As well, at the very end of the movie he does finally come to the realization that running and hiding is not the solution, and they will be making a stand now. Im interested to see what more they explore on that in the sequel.
As to the issue with the RDA specifically pursuing jake instead of just attacking the navi to draw him out, or just trying to take them out all together. The fact that they dont know specifically where the navi are is an important point that i think has more weight behind it than people acknowledge. Sure, they have a vague idea that they are somewhere in the floating mountains, but even with the avatars, they may not be able to find or take out the navi clan directly. Just jake and naytiri alone slaughtered half the Recoms on their first outing. Making those avatars is expensive, and the navi, fighting on their home turf have a huge advantage even against the humans technology. It seems reasonable that they would send their avatar strike team to specifically take out the guy with intimate knowledge of the humans, their technology, and their tactics, more than ANY of the navi do, and who is also leading the ongoing insurrection, and coordinating the navi on how to strike the humans at their weakest points with minimal casualties to themselves. Jake IS a serious threat. Jakes human military background makes him a genuinely formidable force that is directly interfering with their goals. We dont know if the omatikaya continued attacking the humans after jake left. They might have stopped, and just remained in hiding, thus not giving the humans an the ability or reason to prioritize attacking the clan specifically, as again, they dont know where they are, and they cant send anything other than the avatars in without getting swarmed. They could be searching for years and never find them if the navi want to hide in the mountains.
Yes, the humans still want to deal with the navi regardless, but taking out the most important military leader of your enemy who is capable of coordinating efficient and deadly strikes against you better than anyone else is a genuinely reasonable course of action. Are the forest people still in potential danger after jake leaves? Obviously, and im kinda curious if more will be touched on this in the sequels, but i dont think it hurts the over all plot THAT badly, as jake didnt really leave to protect his clan. He left to protect his kids. And the humans have a genuinely good reason to pursue jake specifically. Jake is the one who showed the navi how to fight the humans effectively.
With all that said, i do think that the over all plot of the second movie was a bit weaker than the first. Avatar 2009 honestly is pretty air tight plot wise. I thoroughly enjoy both movie for their themes, messages, and worldbuilding, regardless of the specifics of the plot. The mind-blowing visuals are just a cherry on top. They are genuinely great films, and i dont hate anyone for not liking them. I can see how the very simple storytelling in avatar could be a turn off for some.
I cant wait for the next 3 movies.
I loved avatar, kept loving it and never stopped. The same will probably go for The Way Of Water. I've seen it twice and enjoyed it twice.
Yet all criticism in this video is valid and i agree to most of it. Yes this movie was very much the same, yes some plotpoints were weird, yes it needed more character developement.
And still....it's so high quality and unique that i cannot stop loving it!
I understand. It's just one of those _magical_ movies, and no one can deny how well it's captured the hearts and minds of A LOT of its viewers.
I'm genuinely in the middle on this series. It has an amazing level of depth written in it's universe and you can go down this rabbit hole for hours learning about the setting of Pandora. But will it leave any impact on you? Will you carry this movie and little things with you until your grave, or adapt it into your own works if you're a writer because it inspired you? Meh. Maybe? But more than likely, not really.
This is a surprisingly levelheaded video essay. I was expecting this to be a complete tear down of how much you hate Avatar and that it deserves the hate it’s getting. I thought you would say this franchise doesn’t deserve to be such a success, and people who like it are stupid. I thought this video would just be you saying how much better and more intelligent you are than those who enjoy Avatar for their own personal reasons, and you will never accept their reasons for enjoying something you hate because their opinions are just invalid, claiming that you’re the only person who’s view is correct in the whole world, and that you are so much more enlightened than dumb people who only watch movies for visuals.
Sorry, that was a big rant because, believe me, I’ve come across arrogant, closed minded jerks like that who do nothing but spit on this movie and it’s fans.
But, oh my gosh, you have my respect, sir. The movie does have issues, but I like how you take into account why that is. It’s not that the writing was lazy. It was that there was way too much. There was too much time spent on the world building and not enough time with the characters , which I totally understand and agree with. I would have liked to have more time getting to know Neteyam, but I heard Cameron didn’t want to spent a lot of time with him to “spare the audience the heartbreak of losing him.” I know that’s not a good reason to not give a character development, but we might see more of Neteyam in future films because Cameron shot quite a bit of the 3rd and 4th movie because the kid actors were aging out. But I understand what you’re saying: The poor handling of the issues with just this movie shouldn’t be justified with future intent… if I’m understanding this right. If I screwed up your intentions, I’m sorry.
I’m just so happy to see a fair, levelheaded, critical yet understanding video about this movie.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of that. I really loved reading this comment. I'm glad I could cover Avatar in a fair and balanced light; I put a lot of effort into doing so, and I'm glad it seems to have come across right. I hoped I wouldn't offend any hardcore fans of the franchise, because that is not my intent, but I did wish to recognize every praise-worthy aspect of these movies and every critique-worthy aspect as well, in (mostly) as objective a light as I can.
You have understood my intentions correctly. Thank you once again. I hope you'll be sticking around for more (hopefully well-balanced analyses like these in the future!
@@failureoncommand It certainly didn't offend me, quite the opposite. I am very glad that such reviews can be found on youtube. Because like Dgurlie said, lots of them are just pure hate from people, who did not even pay attention to the movies. You take your time with interviews and behind the scene stuff. Even if I don't agree with everything, it was very pleasant to listen.
@@Taronyu_SVK Thanks, man! Happy to hear that.
So glad I found your channel and this video! I agree on much of your points. I genuinely loved the first movie. The simple story almost makes it feel like a fairy tale, which matches the setting. But the second movie was such a disappointment to me. It leaned into the worst impulses of the first film (re-white saviors, cultural appropriation, comically evil villains, etc.) And the plot doesn’t feel simple… it’s feels stupid and convoluted. And there were sooo many characters that I didn’t have time to care about any of them despite the movie’s run time. The first movie made me feel so much and the second movie made me feel nothing.
I wish there's a 100 like button. The logic and explanation of this video are perfect ;))
Thank you so much! Means a lot to hear that, and glad you enjoyed!
Well done, great essay…nice editing too.
I agree with almost everything you said and I envy the fact that you were not going into the sequel with a 13 year nostalgia gap that needed satiating.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can only marvel at Cameron’s world building vision, his attention to detail is (and always has been) phenomenal.
Thank you for persevering with this work, especially after being sick, getting apathetic and then getting busy, kudos.
Immediate Sub and Like as a result.
I really appreciate this comment, particularly because you watched all the way through to listen to me explain why the video took so long. I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and am glad to have you aboard!
I too watched avatar 1 a couple of days before the release of The Way of Water, and it is truly when u watch them back to back that u notice the similarity in the plot. This was my biggest disappointment! The movie is esthetically pleasing, however a better plot would have made it soo much better.
Great analysis I love that you thoroughly explained what work and what didn’t!
So much time, effort, and research where put in this video and im here for it!
Thank you so much for the kind words! Really appreciate it! Nice to see you you had a similar experience with watching the movies, too. Glad I'm not alone in that.
Very interesting break down, especially going into the writing process, a lot of people don't appreciate how much effort went into the scriptwriting for these movies, most of the attention is on the visual effects.
It's why I go easy on these movies when trying to figure out why they made certain writing decisions; considering the amount of effort put into them, and they were put together by some of the best in the business, for me to come along and dismiss things without a smidge of the expertise that they have feels unfair, there comes a point when we have to admit that perhaps we're the ones who don't get it.
I do appreciate that Cameron has been pretty honest on certain decisions that they made and admits they did cause problems for some audience members, like the Metkayina disappearing from the final battle, and I also appreciate the rationale behind why they did it, and it ultimately comes down to what you're willing to let slide as a viewer. This particular plot hole for instance didn't bother me at all on the first viewing, only becoming noticeable when others brought it up and on repeat viewing. To me I wasn't concerned about the Metkayina during that sequence as much as I was concerned about the Sully family, which is ultimately the core of the movie and where the climax leads to in the end. So for me that choice worked, perhaps spending more time on side characters would've taken away from the main characters and messed up the pacing, ultimately leading to a more drawn out, less satisfying climax, regardless of whether or not it ties up all the loose ends. Sometimes a script doesn't need to tie together perfectly, as long as the main throughline works, which I think it did in the end.
This video does a really great job at explaining what I was also feeling about this movie. I really loved the first movie and the world building, and I just felt sad I couldn't like this one as much.
I went into this movie just expecting a spectacle and I still left the theater feeling disappointed. The pacing felt so off to me in a way that it felt surprising the movie was 3 hours long, because it didn't feel like much had happened in that time. I did notice some similarities to the first movie while viewing (particularly at the part with the big predator fish chase scene) and it made me feel like I was being pandered to. I honestly did enjoy the "world building" scenes, because that is what is interesting to me about this franchise. Overall though, it felt like the movie cast so many different lines of the story that it felt unfocused. It just seemed like there was no time given for character development for certain characters that needed it. I feel sad about that, because I did want to enjoy these characters. It's funny though, I actually enjoyed the boat captain and marine biologist characters. They were the most interesting to me while viewing for some reason. Maybe it was just because they were funny? Or maybe everyone else just felt so one dimensional? Along with the pacing I do wonder if this movie suffered from being split up into two movies though. It just ended up feeling unsatisfying to me in a way I can't place, but I feel this video helps to explain that.
Movie thoughts aside, this is a really fantastic video and I enjoy your voice! Thanks for making it and sharing your thoughts!
Thank you so much for all your kind words. I'm glad I could express your thoughts on the movie somewhat. I agree with practically everything you've said; some of the pacing issues definitely owe themselves to the split, it only makes sense.
Honestly ur the first person ive seen who had trouble distinguishing between the Navi, everyone else ive seen never really had that problem, infact everyone really appreciated the visual distinctions provided by the animators. Idk what could be the cause of this, maybe its a cultural difference, because Navi designs do look more similiar eastern and african cultures, so maybe its an issue for european audiences.
Perhaps there's something there, but to be clear, I'm not European, and if I recall correctly, several of the reviews I read that cited the homogeneity of the Navi were written by Americans. It was a common grievance during my research.
Sure the visuals achieved in avatar 2 is again stunning and shows the tremendous effort it caused. However I do not agree that avatar is not uncanny. I.e. I think it is uncanny. Especially the way the navi look AND move cries out loud: 'artificially created on computers'. I am just not convinced visually and can't shake of the feeling that it is off.
I did not see avatar directly before the sequel, but since it was my favourite movie since I was eight (and also tge first movie I had ever watched, which contributed to my adoration of it) and I remembered nesrly everything about it -- yes. They are way too similar. Some scenes honestly feel like they are copied bit by bit from the prequel, just with some changed scenery (I could predict the actions of a shark that attacked Lo'ak exactly, because the very freaking same thing happened in the first avatar when Jake was chased in the beginning)
I liked it, overall. But I felt really, really sad that it came out now. My child self would love it to pieces, they'd dreamt about getting the sequel for so damn long... but I, sadly, am too old to enjoy it that freely, without being bugged with inconsistency and same plotpoints
Wait, this video has how many views? Damn. It certainly deserves better. Great work, great vid, thanks
Avatar 2 is not Avatar 1 at all. Very different movies. Different plot, protagnoists, themes, set pieces, structure, even tone. T2 is closer to The Terminator in terms of story if you aks me.
Would love to see a video about “Brooklyn 99 paradox” - A show that was so great in the first 5 seasons until NBC (corporatism) took over.
I don't know much about that; wasn't invested in B99 enough to ever focus too much on it. But if I ever I do a retrospective, I'll remember your words.
Also on another note why colonize a moon where you cannot breathe i mean Cameroon don't give human enough screen time
Im one of the “BEST MOVIE EVER MADE” camp. I have a bajillion reasons to feel that way but the two video essays by “the angry hippie” really put it best
Nice editing
Thanks. I had some unpaid interns working on this video for 18+ hours a day at gunpoint.
All of the hard work it took to make this video and where are u 3k+ subs? Yall are fake supporters. Nobody needs yall’s “courtesy” subscription. It’s the views that are what actually make the creator’s effort worthwhile. This is beyond ridiculous and I hope the algorithm gods bless u bro so maybe u could have a loyal group come along instead of these garbage folks 💯
Really appreciate the loyalty and enthusiasm, man, really brings a smile to my face. However, no one really owes me any debt of watch time, you know? People are busy with their own lives and things and what not, and that's completely understandable. They'll see it when they wanna see it, if they wanna see it, and that's okay.
I appreciate ya recognizing all the hard work I've poured into this. I really do... But it's as you said; here's hoping the algorithm catches on, somehow. Until then, though, thanks again for your support! Keeps me going!
@@failureoncommand my pleasure bro. I admire your ability to be keep cool and not resent the audience… this is one of the biggest reasons i could NEVER be a content creator… sometimes i feel like people don’t deserve it. By the same token, this is why i respect the hell out of content creators… im rooting for u bro 💯
Totally get where you're coming from, and really appreciate the kind words. Thanks a dozen, man!
@@jp32123 N
I watched avatar the way of water in 3D
My other plot hole is why RDA is sent to colonize pandora and not us govt or some other nation i mean if you want historical of this version the east india company was completely dissolved and taken by govt after the indian rebellion so it doesn't make sense to me how this private company can afford the lose and somehow lauch another operation to take back pandora
Not really sure what the RDA's deal is exactly, because that isn't expanded upon in the movies. Makes me wonder if any of the comics/lore books have an explanation for that, cause it's a fair point.
@@failureoncommand well it is kinda implied they are like powerfull as govt tho . I guess you could say they have much power like cooperation of cyberpunk 2077
@@failureoncommand but since James Cameroon wanted more sequels i guess we will learn more about on them from the new movie
@@axel665 True, true
Well, This is a big disadvantage of the avatar universe. It has a huge world-building, but not everything can be put in the movies, because there would be a lot of exposition. So they put a lot of details like this, in the books and comics. And there will be also games. It is explained that RDA is a multinational corporation with enormous power. Exactly like corporations in Cyberpunk or Blade Runner. There is more lore regarding RDA, but right now, no one knows, what is canon, and whats not, because they withdrew online pandorapedia, the main source of Avatar lore. There were some inconsistencies with the second movie, so they have to correct some things.
I see a lot of praise given to Avatar's "worldbuilding" but very little recognition of how jumbled and contradictory or inconsistent much of the content is. Compared to something like Dinotopia, I really can't have much respect for it even without the heavily colonial, unoriginal, plothole filled and questionable elements and themes he continuously uses as a crutch. Plot holes and consistency aren't strictly barriers for an interesting world - look at Star Wars - but most examples with them are franchises for children rather than adults, like Harry Potter, the Hobbit, Eragon, Chronicles of Prydain etc. Adults generally take far more notice and issue with such problems and have higher standards than a 6yo. I also don't think the visuals are as good as many claim, as while the CGI is high quality, there are much simpler and more obvious problems, like the overuse of the color blue and unnecessarily bland or similar character designs, things that detract heavily from the assumed strengths of Avatar's visuals in either film.
Please, tell us. What are these contradictory plotholes??
Cameron used to make a lot better balanced films imo. The avatar franchise is strong visually and weak just about everywhere else.
Every individual scene plays out so predictably, and done far better in other films
Why do people trash the world of Pandora for being uncreative when every Star Wars world is completely unoriginal. They just gave us a forest planet, a snow planet, a desert planet and lava planet over and over. Oh and how is a city planet original or creative??
Cameron is giving us a more magical and marvelous looking Earth. Theres nothing wrong with that.
I don't think Cameron needs to change anything. Obviously whatever he is doing is working. People can love and hate the same thing. That's what art is.
Indeed.
Themes all cultures struggle with no matter their background ? Ummm colonialism? 😅 White people? Well I guess you could say in a psychological post-colonial way it is still a struggle…
Ok. Let's give up all of the technology and conveniences to go back to living out of tents....
!!!
!!!!!
such a waste of talent. :-(
how do you have trouble differentiating Jakes sons lol. They dont look similar at all, and remembering the characters is very easy aswell, mayeb its just me but i find myself in the movie very quickly and memorize things very good
It's mostly when there are several of them on-screen at once, particularly Lo'ak and Neteyam. Seems to be a common issue with viewers.
@@failureoncommandyeh I had same issue as well but I was also watching the movie on a plane and with a smaller screen device. Watching the movie in theatre would have probably been better to assess visuals