Avatar: The Way of Water | 16 DEC 2022 | Don't worry guys, critics like it

[daftcat]

https://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/avatar-the-way-of-water

For what it's worth, James Berardinelli gave the new film 4/4. Same score as the original. I don't follow him as closely as I used to (he used to be the only "Top Critic" on RT with a solely online presence), but he's notoriously stingy with his 4 star reviews. It's been years, unless I'm mistaken (I think his last perfect score was for Three Billboards back in 2017). 

[Grebacio]

Possibly watching it tonight! (don't have tickets booked)

[Flip]

Looks like the OW will disappoint, but I really do have faith that the legs on this movie will be very good, especially with the help of the holiday season

[Mr Roark]

1 minute ago, Flip said:

Looks like the OW will disappoint, but I really do have faith that the legs on this movie will be very good, especially with the help of the holiday season

It depends on the expectations you have.

 

But generally speaking, people should’ve learned this one rule in life: never underestimate James Cameron.

[Flip]

Just now, Mr Roark said:

It depends on the expectations you have.

 

But generally speaking, people should’ve learned this one rule in life: never underestimate James Cameron.

Yeah im basing most of my predictions of legs on the anecdotal evidence that I've seen at local theaters, some showings (in IMAX 3D) have already a large amount of presales for days that are over 2 weeks away. I think that just supports the theory that people are waiting to see this in their desired format

[Nikostar]

Wait so is this also off to a disappointing start overseas 

[XXR & Friends]

9 minutes ago, Nikostar said:

Wait so is this also off to a disappointing start overseas 

As @Mr Roark said, it’s based on your expectations. It’s going to open over $500M globally (perhaps upwards of $575M, even). I wouldn’t be disappointed in that but some might.

[The Dark Alfred]

Not sure if thios was posted but 6 Critic's Choice noms including BP and BD for Jimbo.

 

Wouldn't worry about the international numbers just yet, don't forget that the run time means limited daily showings. One part of me hopes that it underperforms in China, because it would be only fair that its WW tally not clouded by that market. Like JWD's OS tally is disappointing, but China makes it look decent with over 1 billion WW. If A2 is great, let it earn the hard way like all other blockbusters. I know that fair is the place where they judge pigs, but I do like parity.

 

TGM's domestic crown is safe for sure.

Edited December 14, 2022 by The Dark Alfred

[hw64]

1 minute ago, The Dark Alfred said:

One part of me hopes that it underperforms in China, because it would be fair that its WW tally not clouded bythat market. Like JWD's OS tally is disappointing, but China makes it look decent with over 1 billion WW. If A2 is great, let it earn the hard way like all other blockbusters. I lnow that fair is the place wher they judge pigs, but I do like parity.

 

Seems misguided. Avatar 2 isn't going to be primarily compared against 2022 blockbusters — it'll blow past all of them — but instead the highest-grossing movies of all time, most of which had significant help from China.

[stuart360]

11 minutes ago, The Dark Alfred said:

Not sure if thios was posted but 6 Critic's Choice noms including BP and BD for Jimbo.

 

Wouldn't worry about the international numbers just yet, don't forget that the run time means limited daily showings. One part of me hopes that it underperforms in China, because it would be only fair that its WW tally not clouded by that market. Like JWD's OS tally is disappointing, but China makes it look decent with over 1 billion WW. If A2 is great, let it earn the hard way like all other blockbusters. I know that fair is the place where they judge pigs, but I do like parity.

 

TGM's domestic crown is safe for sure.

What?, lol.

China is already going to be limited by Covid, and whatever it ends up grossing there, it would of grossed a lot more if Covid wasnt an issue.

A2's final global tally will probably be 300-400mil lower than it could of been without the covid situation in China. That is what isnt fair.

[The Dark Alfred]

It's still going to gross more than or the other blockbusters JWD notwithstanding. AVATAR did 265m in China, so I like that A2 will probably gross the same ballpark. Fair fight between AVATAR, TITANIC and WAY OF WATER.

Edited December 14, 2022 by The Dark Alfred

[Aristis]

3 hours ago, Verrows said:

For anyone who has seen it, how is Simon Franglen's score?

 

2 hours ago, Elessar said:

 

I'd say it gets the job done but the best parts are for the most part Horner's themes they reuse.

Sooo, I hope this isn't already too detailed. I really looked forward to the score and felt quite disappointed, sadly, and the blatant re-use of themes was a part of that. They didn't seem transformed in any way but just the same as in the first (even down to orchestration and voices, if I'm not mistaken), and that really took me out sometimes. I mean, I think that was a deliberate choice to highlight certain things in context to the first one but I didn't like it. Though that might just be me. 

 

And the things Franglen wrote weren't very recognizable to me, so I don't think he did himself a favor having them side by side (hope that doesn't sound too rude 😬) 

[Fanboy]

Yeah I was very disappointed with the score and thought they reused themes too much as well. It's tragic Horner died between productions but I guess he'd always be hard to replace. I always considered him one the greatest composers in the history of film. 

[Eric is Anxious]

It's done. The weekend thread is now open. Eywa help us all...

 

 

[adaros]

"In China, The Way of Water had been planned for 3,000 showings at 7pm local today, but ended up doing just 1,688 screenings per our information. This is a result of the ongoing Covid issues in the market where 73% of cinemas are open and there is a confidence issue amid the about-face from the government on the zero-Covid policy. The resultant sneaks, before official opening on Friday, were worth RMB 20M ($2.9M). We wrote yesterday that $100M was possible in China this opening weekend; we are now taking a more cautious stance, even if hope springs. Douban and Maoyan critical and social scores have not yet posted. "

[Grebacio]

1 hour ago, Grebacio said:

Possibly watching it tonight! (don't have tickets booked)

Unless something unpredictably catastrophic happens, I'm watching it in two hours. 

[dignam]

I just came back from my screening. HOLY SHIT 😮 First i have to calm down. Boy this was just incredible.

 

Dont worry, the following is spoiler free. I´m just trying to express my feelings, emotions and some technical issues during that 3 hour ride.

 

That movie is a rollercoaster of emotions, i´m a fucking strong grown ass man, and i never had shed a tear in cinema (ok coco hit me hard,  but that was at home 😁 ). But this damn movie made me cry like a little bitch, but not once, not twice, but 3 times. You are back at pandora from the beginning, and want to inhale every second of this world. And the moment when the water comes into play, boy you are not ready for this, it is just jaw dropping, and you cant believe what you just see.

 

1. Was that movie too long? NOOO. Its a cameron movie, every second keeps your eyes on the screen. Terminator 2, Aliens, Titanic, Avatar 1, every second in those movies has their right to exist. At the end i was just sitting their and was hoping this trip would never. But sadly everything has an end.

 

2. How was the 3D + HFR? Mind blowing, i had a feeling the screen was a window to pandora and i was there. The HFR was great in combination with 3D, it was all so fluid, no signs of headache or motion sickness. To bad he switched the frames, i was hoping for a complete HFR movie.

 

3. Was it better than the first one? Hard to compare, the first will always have a special place in my heart, but the second hits hard, on the emontional level. Until the last 1 hour i would say they are on par, but than i had a clear winner. Because of the emotional part i think the second part is better. But I love them both.

 

4. How were the visuals? To be honest, all was already said. No words needed. I think we have to wait until avatar 3 to have an real contender regarding the visuals.

 

10/10

 

ps: sry for my english, its not my native language 😢

Edited December 14, 2022 by dignam

[Sophia Jane]

Have Finished it,mind-blowing level’s visual effect make my head feel shock even long after I walked out to the cinema,needless to say,the best of whole mivie industry

The Story is not that good but it’s OK,maybe is bit long,I think 150min is better

I give this one 7.5/10,same cinema experience as  Endgame and Aquaman ,better than NWH

Edited December 15, 2022 by Bruce

[Aristis]

I left the theatre 2 hours ago but still don't really know how to feel about the movie. I saw it in HFR 3D opposed to variable FR, as I thought it would be, and I literally needed until the last 15 minutes or so to get used to it. I don't know if I did something wrong or the cinema did, or if HFR just isn't for me, but that truly hurt my cinema experience... I don't think it'd be fair to rate the movie in this state - but at least I might be one of them who rewatch and if only to see how good it *really* is (the effects seemed strangely bad sometimes with HFR as seemed the flow of movement, and just in the end (and in very still close-up moments) I really saw how good they were).

 

The final act was great, though, even with things being rough for me so that convinced me that the movie might deserve the rewatch and a rethink 

 

Not a spoiler in that sense, I think, but still:

Spoiler

I sometimes felt strangely reminded of watching SW9, which never is a good thing. Some things in the first acts seemed in a way less real than in the first movie - like fan fiction level. Though that might be because of me hating the HFR 👀

 

[XXR & Friends]

10 minutes ago, XXR Tulkun Rider said:

A lot of good info in the BOP article…..

 

Entering Wednesday, Way of Water‘s Friday ticket purchases were over 35 percent higher than those of Thursday previews based on independent market sampling. By comparison, front-loaded franchise films such as Thor: Love and Thunder and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness saw Friday pre-sales that were 30 percent and 20 percent lower, respectively, from their Thursdays at the same Tuesday mile markers before opening.

 

Disney itself reports that Saturday and Sunday account for 47 percent of overall weekend pre-sales.

Those are incredibly significant trends to watch for considering that less fervor-driven films like Jurassic World Dominion and Top Gun: Maverick also saw Friday sales at an estimated 29 percent ahead of Thursday previews when measured at the same Tuesday checkpoint. (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever notably bucked the Marvel trend with stronger Friday inclinations as well, but that was in part due to Veterans Day.)

 

According to research as of Tuesday evening, 46 percent of Way of Water‘s weekend showtimes in the United States are currently booked in non-IMAX 3D. That’s the highest among similar tentpole releases since the 2015 days of Jurassic World (44 percent) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (46 percent).

 

 

 

BOP going with $161M OW and $574-803M domestic total. The backloading numbers for Saturday and Sunday are also quite impressive. Friday presales being 35% ahead of Thursday is also something. Hmm, maybe all hope is not lose for a $150M OW….

 

https://www.boxofficepro.com/weekend-box-office-forecast-avatar-the-way-of-water/