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“An imposing, spectacular, supersized movie,” according to the review of Avatar: The Way of Water

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James Cameron was king of the bigger, better, and more contentious sequel blockbuster before he was crowned King of the World. Avatar: The Way of Water comes near enough to retain that reputation, even if his eagerly anticipated return to Pandora can’t rival Aliens or T2 for targeted tanker-weight efficiency. And it certainly knocks the flying fish off of Piranha II.

Will it become a $2 billion club member as Cameron suggests it must? We’ll see, but it’s undeniably flawed yet full of flavor (to paraphrase Guillermo del Toro(opens in new tab)). “MOVIE-MOVIE” is a sometimes strange, always magnificent sensory hit with a thematic thrust that is pleasingly genuine with an undercurrent of soft feeling. Untangling some of the story lines might require numerous viewings and three more movies. But Cameron is the best person to make the case for going to the movies again and again.

Cameron doesn’t spend much time setting the scene because the majority of people have already been to Pandora. The first scene quickly parachutes into Pandora’s rainforest, where Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), who have turned completely Na’vi, are now raising their growing family. They have three biological children: Tuktirey, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), and Lo’ak (Trinity Bliss). Then there are the adoptees: Spider (Jack Champion), a feral human orphan orphaned by war, and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), a type of offspring of Grace’s avatar (from the original Avatar).

Jake feels that defending his family gives him meaning. The Sully family seeks safety among Pandora’s sea clans when the evil Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) reappears in (completely explained) “Recombinant” avatar form seeking “payback” for his demise. Jake hovers firmly over his tearaway brood in this instance. But how long can they evade Quaritch’s new blue marines? And isn’t knowing how to manage risk an important learning curve?

While Cameron’s bare-bones setup showcases his pulp punch as a writer, it also demonstrates his astounding skill as a world-builder. This time, Cameron doesn’t give much opportunity to pause and take in Pandora’s plant life. The lush jungle suddenly seems inhabited and alive. However, the RDA (Resources Development Administration) has grander plans for Pandora, even though life on Earth is hardly sustainable at this point. Their base of operations is a small metropolis with cutting-edge technology like robotic spider “swarm assemblers” that can create structures in a matter of days. Cameron makes sure you can sense the destruction left behind when humanity arrive on Pandora.

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The Way of Water definitely has the WOW factor in terms of CG. Thirteen years later, Avatar’s spectacle-cinema upgrade has been surpassed. Hair and skin gleam; flames and dust particles transfix. The great revelation this time is the reef, which is home to the Metkayina clan, just as Avatar took time to introduce viewers to Pandora’s funky wonderland. The aquatic realm is vivid, sensual, and tranquil. The sense of weightlessness immersed in the waves reveals a new, sensitive grace in Cameron’s direction as the 3D visuals shimmer in time with Simon Franglen’s ringing score. He instills respect for the ocean in addition to entranced love because the waves are both seductive and hazardous. And the sensation of anguish is overwhelming when their residents are mistreated.

Cameron expertly balances thematic, narrative, emotional, and character strands while dazzles your eyes. Jake’s instinctive need to save his children creates danger as a thematic pattern; from the opening monologue on, Cameron treats the theme like a dorsal fin to cling to through stormy story waters. This is somewhat reminiscent of Finding Nemo.

Casting-wise, Saldana and Kate Winslet (as Ronal, the co-leader of the Metkayina tribe) are a little too much in the background, but Worthington shines as the former Na’vi trainee turned training-on-the-job father. Weaver bridges the age gap between actor and character by touchingly projecting Kiri’s feelings of exclusion and sulky eye-rolls through the mo-cap. Dalton, one of the fantastic young actors, gives bonding scenes with the whale-like Tulkun heart when they otherwise may have seemed a bit Free Willy. Additionally, Champion dispatches the Newt-like Spider, whose subplot expands on Cameron’s family-related ideas.

Although it’s unfortunate that his toxic spiel (“science pukes,” etc.) sounds familiar, the returning Lang adds explosive wrath. Cameron doesn’t spend any time brushing up on Avatar, but he occasionally uses well-known beats. The Sully clan’s water-training reworks Jake’s previous Na’vi training, while marine animals like the “ilus” are reimaginings of the “ikrans” from Avatar. When a character moans, “Can’t believe I’m tied up again,” you wonder if a little editing could have been advised. Cameron even repeats himself a little bit within the movie.

Another minor issue with the plot’s stop-start nature is how some characters’ difficulties seem to go away for long lengths of time. Cameron, though, harnesses prior career highs into a blast of full-bore, high-stakes extravaganza at the film’s climactic point to remind you who’s in charge. The Abyss’ strange wonder, Aliens’ kid danger, Titanic’s aquatic horror show, and T2’s technology are all there and have been enhanced for tension, action, and emotion. Some loose tale threads leave more questions than answers when the fire is out. However, there are three scheduled follow-ups. Even after three hours and more, Cameron’s return leaves you wanting more.

As Editor here at GeekReply, I'm a big fan of all things Geeky. Most of my contributions to the site are technology related, but I'm also a big fan of video games. My genres of choice include RPGs, MMOs, Grand Strategy, and Simulation. If I'm not chasing after the latest gear on my MMO of choice, I'm here at GeekReply reporting on the latest in Geek culture.

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Recruited Since Last Month: More Than Eight Million Helldivers 2 Players

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The relentless force of Helldivers 2 shows no signs of slowing down, as recent reports indicate that Arrowhead Games Studios, the Swedish developer behind the game, has sold over eight million copies since its release on both PS5 and PC just last month.

According to TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz (thanks, VGC), who spoke to Bloomberg, it is believed that the game has exceeded expectations in terms of performance. It’s amazing how word-of-mouth buzz and the unconventional guerilla marketing strategy keep driving up recruitment numbers week after week. Arrowhead’s studio motto, “A game for everyone is a game for no one,” reflects their unwavering commitment to their unique internal design philosophy.

It appears that the PC community has recently surpassed the PlayStation fanbase in terms of player numbers and platform preference. However, thanks to crossplay, both groups continue to benefit from the growing popularity of gaming. Although it’s not particularly thrilling to see yet another service game achieve rapid success, the hardcore nature of Helldivers 2 fills us with optimism for Sony’s ongoing live gaming endeavors. We anticipate dedicating ourselves to the defense of Super Earth for many years to come.

What are your thoughts on Creutz’s sales estimate? Does it come as a surprise to you? Does it exceed or fall short of your expectations? Have you noticed any changes in your level of enthusiasm for the Democratic Party? Has it waned or grown stronger? We would greatly appreciate your feedback in the comments section below.

 

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Exciting news for gamers! A wide selection of PS5 and PS4 games are now available at discounted prices, but only for this weekend

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Don’t miss out on this limited-time opportunity to grab some amazing titles at a fraction of their original cost. Sony clearly understands the potential of the PS Store, as it consistently adds a plethora of new titles every week. This allows for future opportunities to offer discounts and promotions on these games. It’s evident that sales are consistently growing each month, with the introduction of time-limited weekend offers in addition to the usual sale events.

This weekend brings another round of exciting deals, with significant discounts on several popular PS5 and PS4 games. For instance, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is now available for £35.99/$35.99, while DiRT 5 Year One Edition can be purchased for just £14.79/$15.99.

Here are a few other standout moments we noticed:

Hurry up and make your decision before the offers expire on March 19th. Don’t miss out on your chance to snag some great deals. For a comprehensive list of all the latest offers, make sure to visit this page. And don’t forget to share your purchases with us in the comments section below!

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Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest on 7th June keeps the spirit of E3 alive

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E3 is long gone, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have any exciting video game events this summer. Geoff Keighley, the host, has just revealed that the highly anticipated Summer Game Fest event is making a comeback on Friday, June 7th, at 5 PT/5 p.m. ET/10 p.m. BST. The event will be streamed live from the YouTube Theatre in glamorous Los Angeles.

In a recent tweet, Keighley assured his followers that a large number of fans will be present at the event, both in person and online. He expressed excitement about the upcoming cross-platform showcase, where the future of video games will be unveiled. Presumably, PlayStation and other gaming companies will have their own separate livestreams. However, Sony has a tendency to support Summer Game Fest, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for any announcements from them.

If you’re thinking of going, tickets will be available for purchase starting on Tuesday, May 7th. It’s definitely an event worth noting on your calendar. So, what are your expectations for this year’s Summer Game Fest? Feel free to share your dream announcements in the comments section below.

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