'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
While comparing the two installments of the Avatar franchise, Avatar, and Avatar: The Way of Water, it becomes evident that each film brings its strengths and weaknesses to the table. Avatar: The Way of Water is the sequel to the 2009 film Avatar, directed by James Cameron.
The sequel follows the story of Jake Sully and his family as they fight to protect each other and their home on Pandora. Jake and Neytiri lead the Na'vi against the whaler's crew. Avatar: The Way of Water, although hailed for its stunning cinematography and exploration of the Avatar world, did not match the impact of Avatar with its impressive characterization, storytelling, and overall message.
Fans have the chance to weigh up different versions by comparing the aspects of both, some of these include plot complexity, character dimensions, visual effects, and storytelling in general.
1) Avatar has a better character arc
Avatar has a more coherent and focused character arc than Avatar: The Way of Water. The first film follows the story of Jake Sully, a paraplegic former marine who becomes a Na'vi avatar and falls in love with Neytiri, the daughter of the Na'vi chief.
Jake's character arc is well-charted and easy to follow because he starts to accept the Na'vi culture and fight for their cause. In contrast, Avatar: The Way of Water is an overstuffed mess of characters, with too many subplots and not enough development.
The movie includes new characters Spider and Kiri who are not deeply developed and their aims are obscure. Moreover, the movie also has difficulty in maintaining a balance between several storylines, such as Jake's and Neytiri's family, extraterrestrial invasion, and the complicated relationships among the Na'vi tribes.
2) Avatar: The Way of Water has more plot holes
Avatar: The Way of Water has more plot holes and unanswered questions than Avatar. The movie's storyline is messy and incoherent with many plot points that are not fully developed or brought to a conclusion.
To start with, the movie presents an unknown tribe of Na'vi people which is called Metkayina. Nonetheless, its motive and involvement in the storyline are quite blurred. Moreover, the movie's antagonists, including the military led by now Recombinant Colonel Miles Quaritch, are poorly outlined and their motivations are murky.
Another concern of the film is that it does not indicate the reason why humans want to invade Pandora in the first place and does not give up after the initial confrontation.
3) Avatar 1 has a better storyline than Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar has a more compelling and engaging storyline than Avatar: The Way of Water. The first movie is a traditional story of the conflict between original inhabitants and colonizers but the underlying theme centers on nature conservation.
The film demonstrates the matters of corporate corruption and environmental degradation but also the cultural diversity which is still applicable today.
In contrast, Avatar: The Way of the Water is a repetitive and predictable sequel that lacks any kind of newness and excitement whatsoever. The film only goes through the same storyline as the first film along with the same messages and battles, but without enough details and complexity.
4) Avatar 1 has a better protagonist portrayal
Avatar has a better protagonist portrayal than its sequel. Jake Sully, the leading character of the film, is a multi-dimensional person whose personality changes much in the course of the story.
It is entertaining how the audience follows Jake from the role of a human warrior to a Na'vi fighter. Since viewers connect emotionally to his success, they get involved in the story. In contrast, Avatar: The Way of Water's development of the character is not similar to the first movie, nor do they experience the plot twists in that same manner.
The kids of Jake and Neytiri, for example, Spider and Kiri are not well depicted, and the motives of the children could have been shown better in the movie.
5) Avatar 1 antagonist was more crucial
Avatar 1 has a more crucial antagonist than Avatar: The Way of Water. Colonel Miles Quaritch, the human antagonist in the first film, is a fearsome and intimidating enemy who actually might end up destroying the Na'vi. For Quaritch, the motivation is very explicit. He is driven by the quest for power and supremacy.
In contrast, the villains in Avatar: The Way of Water are not as well-defined or menacing. The film incorporated a re-introduction of Miles Quaritch, where he is revealed as a Recombinant. However, this character did not appeal the way that the human villain of the first film did. The Recombinant version is still far behind and less interesting than the human antagonist in the first film.
6) Avatar: The Way of Water did not give enough screen time to Neytiri
Avatar: The Way of Water did not give enough screen time to Neytiri, one of the most popular and beloved characters from the first film. Neytiri, the Na'vi warrior played by Zoe Saldana, is the central character in the Avatar story.
In contrast, Neytiri is sidelined in Avatar: The Way of Water. The sequel puts Jake and Neytiri's familial aspect under the spotlight, with their kids now the central focus. Neytiri is there in the film, however, she is not as present and or strongly developed as she was in the first film.
7) Avatar scenes were more exciting
Avatar scenes were more exciting than Avatar: The Way of Water The initial movie's action scenes, like the fight between the Na'vi and the human race, were adrenaline-filled and compelling.
In contrast, the action scenes in Avatar: The Way of Water are not as thrilling or engaging. The film's usage of various water scenes and advanced technologies although excellent, does not create the required intensity or suspense.
Technology was used more
Avatar used technology more effectively than the second part of the franchise. The first film's use of motion capture and 3D effects was groundbreaking and innovative, creating a fully realized and immersive world of Pandora.
Avatar: The Way of Water's use of underwater technology, while impressive, is not as innovative or impactful as the technology used in the first film. The film's underwater scenes, while visually stunning, do not add much to the story or the characters.
Humans were more evolved with evil intentions
The humans in Avatar were more evolved and had more evil intentions than the humans in Avatar 2. The first film's human villains, such as Colonel Miles Quaritch, were motivated by greed and a desire for power and control.
They were willing to destroy Pandora and the Na'vi to achieve their goals. In contrast, the human villains in Avatar 2 are not as well-defined, or menacing, nor are the reasons behind their motives well explained in the film.
Na'vi people believed in a higher power Eywa
The Na'vi people of Avatar believed in a higher power called Eywa, who played an important role in the story. Eywa was a spiritual force that linked all living things to Pandora, and the Na'vi trusted in her power and wisdom.
The Na'vi people's belief in Eywa emphasizes the importance of harmony between the natural world and its inhabitants. The Na'vi culture is founded on this spiritual belief, which is evident in all of their decisions and actions throughout the film.
In Avatar: The Way of Water, the Na'vi people do not share Eywa's spiritual connection or belief. The film focuses on the Na'vi's physical abilities and survival skills rather than their spiritual beliefs.
8) Avatar: The Way of Water just repeated the storyline
Avatar 2 simply rehashed the first movie's plot without adding anything fresh or captivating. The themes and conflicts in the movie are the same as in the first movie, but they lack the same complexity and subtlety.
Furthermore, the storyline of the movie follows the same beats and turns as the first movie, making it formulaic and predictable. The movie feels like a retelling of the same story and doesn't offer anything fresh or unique.
9) Avatar: The Way of Water had an unnecessarily long runtime
With a duration of more than three hours, Avatar 2 had an excessively lengthy runtime. The movie's long running time is superfluous because there isn't enough substance or content in it to warrant it. Furthermore, multiple scenes in the movie could have been shortened or edited because of its slow pacing.
For example, the Metkayina clan's first introduction takes up a large amount of the movie's running time. Furthermore, even though the underwater scenes were aesthetically spectacular, some of them could have been shortened without sacrificing any of their impact.
Given that Quaritch's strength as an opponent has already been established, there was also room to cut the scene in which he captures Tuk and Kiri. Even though the last battle scene is visually stunning, it could have had a greater impact if the stakes were higher and the result was less certain.
10) Avatar's ending is way better than Avatar: The Way of Water
Compared to Avatar 2, the conclusion of Avatar is far superior. Jake's decision to join the Na'vi and fight for their cause is a poignant and powerful scene in the first film's ending. The conclusion is happy and gratifying, and it gives the audience hope and optimism.
The conclusion of Avatar 2 is said to be disappointing and anticlimactic. The resolution of the movie is not as memorable or powerful as the conclusion of the first movie, and the film's last battle scene is predictable and uninteresting.
The Na'vi and human forces have a well-established pattern of conflict, which makes it predictable. Despite numerous difficulties and setbacks they encounter in the movie, the Na'vi always come out on top.
Final thoughts
Despite all these reasons, Avatar: The Way of Water has several positive aspects, including its stunning visual effects, few engaging characters, and exploration of complex themes such as family dynamics and the consequences of colonialism. Moreover, the movie's emotional depth and character development, particularly the depiction of the relationship between the family members of the Sully family, add to the Avatar universe.
Watch the films on Disney+ and Max.
Do you love to play crosswords, Wordle or other exciting games? We'd like to connect with you. Fill the form here.
