The theory that time is not a straight line but cyclical in nature is deemed as fanciful nonsense with no basis in actual reality, but the fact Avatar: The Way of Water is facing the exact same criticisms as its predecessor after being made available on VOD adds the teeniest bit of credence to the scientific bunkum.
Cast your minds back to early 2010, when James Cameron’s sci-fi spectacular soared past $2 billion at the box office, won praise for its game-changing visuals, scooped up a couple of Academy Awards, and then instantly found itself deemed as being overrated, overlong, undercooked, and plenty more besides once you could watch it from the comfort of your own home.
The Way of Water has landed on streaming and VOD today, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s like we’ve been transported back over a decade to a time where people can’t comprehend how one of the most technically impressive and immersive cinematic experiences there’s ever been has proven to be so popular.
It seems like a long time ago, but The Way of Water was even being predicted to bomb before it tore the box office a new one for months on end. If you can believe it, the naysayers had identically negative opinions on Avatar, too. Based on the evidence, then, we can expect the cycle to begin anew when the third chapter descends upon us to cast a monolithic shadow over all of pop culture, but at least we don’t have to wait 13 years for that day to come.
