16/12/2022
Ayay... IMAX? š
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
REVIEW: 9 out of 10
The first Avatar film that came out in 2009 was a success that I think no one really expected. Why it ended up being the top-grossing film of all-time could be because nasabayan niya yung proliferation ng 3D and it was one of the first films to show the potential of the medium. Ang dami kong kakilala na ilang beses pinanuod yung Avatar dahil manghang-mangha sa Pandora e. The word of mouth na kailangan mo siyang ma-experience sa sinehan spread like wildfire.
Maraming duda kung kayang ulitin ni James Cameron yung success ng Avatar at kasama na ko dun. And while as of this writing hindi natin alam how successful the film will be in the box-office, Iām convinced that we should never doubt James Cameron. The movie is a technical and visual masterpiece and thatās not a word I use lightly. It has one of the best uses of CGI Iāve seen in cinema and just like the first film, makes the best use of 3D.
Sa totoo lang kung ako tatanungin hindi ko gustong nanunuod ng 3D masyado kasi pag hindi maganda upuan mo may discomfort yung panunuod e. And yung ibang movies ginagamit lang siya to upsell tickets. But Avatar really maximizes the advantages of the medium. Alam mong nung ginagawa siya, cinonsider yung presentation in 3D at kung paano siya ma-eenjoy ng manunuod. This film really sets out to impress its audience.
Almost every frame in this film is a spectacle and thereās always some background/foreground detail that will catch your attention. Pwede siyang any of the strange-looking creatures in the film or pwedeng as simple as kung paano lumutang yung alikabok sa foreground. Pag sinabi ni James Cameron na malayo yung ganda ng CGI niya sa ginagawa ng Marvel, iisipin mo ang yabang. Pero pag napanuod mo yung Avatar marerealize mo totoo naman e. Malayo ang agwat.
Just like the first Avatar movie, simple lang ang story nitong The Way of Water. Thatās why despite how impressive it is, hindi ko siya magawang bigyan ng perfect score because to me itās not a perfect film. Pero tingin ko it might actually work to the filmās benefit na simple lang siya para madali mag translate yung kwento niya into foreign markets. The story is slightly better than the first one and focuses on family which is something that will resonate with a lot of people. Pero kung naghahanap ka ng bagong konsepto dito in terms of story, youāll find the film lacking.
What bloats the running time to three hours is the world-building that James Cameron manages to do here so masterfully. Minsan makakalimutan mo na CGI lahat ng pinapanuod mo at walang totoo sa lahat ng to. Makakalimutan mo na hindi totoo si Jake Sully at gumagawa lang ng mga scowling faces sa harap ng camera si Zoe Saldana habang nakasuot ng weird na bodysuit. Sa totoo lang naaamaze nga ako sa idea and conceit ng pelikulang to na bigyan tayo ng tatlong oras na kwento ng pamilya ng matatangkad na aliens and expect us to care about them. And yet, thatās what ends up happening.
Ang ganda rin tingnan ng high-frame rate na ginamit dito sa Avatar: The Way of Water. Usually sa ibang pelikula weird siyang tingnan kasi para kang nanunuod ng telenovela pero dito maganda e. It makes Pandora seem real and other-worldly both at the same time. The film is so immersive na by the time the credits roll baka i-double check mo kung kulay blue rin yung balat mo e.
Every now and then may mga pelikula ako na sinasabi na kailangan talagang panuorin niyo sa sinehan kahit anong mangyari tulad nalang ng Top Gun: Maverick. In the age of streaming, those movies are becoming more and more rare. Itās hard to beat accessibility and the comfort of oneās couch, right? But believe me when I say na kung may pelikula ka na kailangang i-effort na mapanuod sa sinehan, itong Avatar: The Way of Water na yun.
Kailangan mo siyang mapanuod sa pinaka-magandang sinehan na kaya mong puntahan, 3D kung kaya, at pinaka-okay kung IMAX. Kung mahilig ka sa pelikula, isang krimen na panuorin to sa cellphone or sa TV lang kasi ang laking bahagi ng experience yung mawawala maniwala ka sakin. Itās a one-of-kind cinematic experience that so far only James Cameron has proven to be able to provide.
SM Cinema 20th Century Studios
