The Turbulent Journey to Pandora
That of Avatar is a curious phenomenon. It’s the highest-grossing movie of all time, but contrary to what this might suggest, it never really connected with audiences. Its characters are easily identifiable but not iconic, its most important moments are not celebrated by the bulk of the public, and no one remembers a single quote from the script.
In fact, the response from the audiences was harsh, even hostile at times. It was common to hear that his script was little more than a spatial plagiarism of Pocahontas and that the Na’vi were nothing but giant smurfs. To this we add the mockery for the emotional connection of the alien species with its planet, which for many had a sexual nature.
Finally, the controversy. There are those who insist that Avatar it was only able to reach the top of the worldwide box office for its use of 3D which increased the price of the ticket. An assertion that has been the subject of debate for a decade and that invites us to ask ourselves if El camino del agua can really aspire to the top. Its success would shake all doubts, its failure could doom all the aspirations of a franchise that hopes to reach five installments.
As an added touch, we can’t forget the addition of this world to the Disney theme parks either.. A spectacular immersive experience with one of the most advanced mouse attractions, but one that has not been a magnet for visitors at all.
in search of the crown
Let’s be honest: in an industry as fast-moving as cinema, no one, not even James Cameron, can remain “king of the world” after a ten-year absence. This, however, does not mean that the filmmaker cannot recover the crown from him, which is currently awaiting an owner.
We already said it, times change and although the great directors remain -there are Spielberg, Tarantino or Coppola, to name a few-, every day they struggle more to find spaces. The industry today is dominated by the big franchises, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Universe, and the Wizarding World to name a few. Stories that grow wildly destroying everything in their path, including that old blockbuster that for many years had an author character. Like James Cameron’s.
Avatar: The Path of Water it’s more than a sequel. It is an effort by its filmmaker to demonstrate that his qualities are still valid in a dizzying cinema that stops at nothing and no one. A complex mission, but if there is someone who can achieve it and recover at least a part of the old magic of that cinematography that is gone forever, it is him. If he is capable of achieving it, no one will be able to doubt it: we will once again be before the “king of the world”.