The long-awaited sequel to James Cameron’s Avatar is officially available to stream, and the same complaints that plagued the movie’s theatrical run are once again weighing down The Way of Water.
When the film first arrived in theaters, audiences were skeptical. While the franchise already has a baked-in viewer base, thanks to its dazzling visuals and the popularity of the original, many audiences lost interest in Avatar‘s future a good five years ago. Any time it takes more than a decade to produce a sequel, hype is bound to die down, and even Cameron isn’t safe from that particular fate.
Still, The Way of Water pulled in a spectacular amount of money, and quickly followed in its predecessor’s footsteps in becoming one of history’s biggest box office earners. It enticed plenty of viewers into seats the first time around, and its likely to lure even more viewers now that its easily available from the comfort of your own home.
Despite the cash it pulled in, and the general popularity behind the franchise, however, Avatar isn’t immune to criticism. And there’s plenty of criticism to be found among the title’s latest wave of viewers, who are letting their thoughts be known online. Early reactions to the film’s arrival on streaming include plenty of negativity, as complaints about the film’s story, the seemingly unreasonable hype surrounding it, and the sheer run-time — which clocks in at more than three hours — flood the web.
Despite its earnings, some viewers are convinced that not a single person saw The Way of Water in theaters.
Complaints of a bland story are rampant, with some viewers openly wondering if the sequel is just a rehash of the first film’s storyline.
There is plenty of praise for The Way of Water scattered among negative takeaways, but gorgeous visuals might not be enough to save the film in the eyes of some. The movie’s stacked cast is probably enough to pull in a healthy number of viewers, but whether or not they’ll stick around for a full three hours and 12 minutes is another story.