James Cameron’s Avatar series could continue its trend for exceptional visuals with the new Avatar: Fire and Ash. The original Avatar movie might not have been praised for its story, but it had some of the best special effects in a James Cameron movie. Avatar‘s worldbuilding was so well realized that I wasn’t surprised when out of the nine Academy Awards it won, two were for Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography. Avatar‘s special effects were groundbreaking as they used facial mapping technology and motion capture in new ways, even inventing new technology for the movie.
James Cameron’s biggest box office successes often make use of his fascination with water, and the director is known for his dedication to his projects. When filming тιтanic, Cameron used multiple submersibles to visit the wreckage, and his love of water is apparent during many epic scenes in The Abyss. With a virtually unlimited budget and an extremely influential director who often incorporates water into his movies, it was inevitable that the Avatar franchise would include a movie set near water. Still, I was amazed by the visual effects in Avatar: The Way of Water.
Avatar: The Way Of Water’s CGI Floored Me
James Cameron Used A Mix Of Practical Effects And CGI
James Cameron’s two Avatar movies have both pushed the boundaries of what was previously thought possible in visual effects. Cameron even waited to film the first Avatar movie because he felt that technology needed to improve first. When Avatar came out in 2009, Rotten Tomatoes critics called its effects “a transporting experience,” and the technology still holds up today. Even with my high expectations, I was floored by the CGI in Avatar: The Way of Water. Payakan’s revenge scene showed that not only had the water CGI surpᴀssed even Avatar, but so had the story.
Avatar 2 combined practical effects with CGI, with the actors performing in a water tank.
CGI can often be controversial, with many good movies being ruined by bad CGI moments. Even high-budget productions like George Miller’s Furiosa have been overshadowed by bad CGI, and many film critics often praise practical effects by default. However, James Cameron takes his special effects seriously enough to delay movie productions to ensure the technology reflects his vision and uses the best of both worlds in Avatar: The Way of Water. Avatar 2 combined practical effects with CGI, with the actors performing in a water tank, while CGI enhanced their movements and added extra details.
James Cameron Could Do Something Similar With Avatar: Fire & Ash
Avatar: The Way Of Water’s Actors Learned Some Incredible New Skills For The Movie
With the upcoming Avatar movie being called Fire and Ash, it looks certain that the film will include fiery scenes on an epic scale. This gives James Cameron the chance to continue pushing the envelope of his visual effects. If Avatar: Fire and Ash is going to continue a trend started in Avatar: The Way of Water, this innovation is likely to extend to the actors too. Just as the water Na’vi actors learned water-centered skills for the movie, the actors playing the ash Na’vi tribe may well be expected to learn fire skills.
While watching Avatar: The Way of Water, I was so impressed by the spectacle that it only hit me later how incredible the actors’ dedication had been. Cameron had the main cast train as freedivers, including learning to hold their breath underwater for long periods, ensuring that they looked comfortable in the water. Kate Winslet beat Tom Cruise’s underwater breath-holding record when she held her breath underwater for seven minutes while filming Avatar 2. She told Collider, “The thing is, when you can hold your breath for seven minutes, you become unafraid,” which is exactly what Cameron wanted.
Avatar 3 Still Needs More Than Impressive CGI To Work
The Avatar Franchise Could Get Wild When It Comes To The Elements
The original Avatar blatantly copied other movies, and while James Cameron has redeemed the franchise with the phenomenal sequel, he must be careful that Avatar: Fire and Ash does not attract the same criticism. Avatar 3 is sure to be a hit, but with the shorter time between movies, he must be careful that none of the ideas are too derivative because CGI alone is unlikely to make Avatar: Fire and Ash work. If the storyline is unoriginal and the technical upgrades do not give enough of a spectacle, Avatar 3 may not be as good as The Way of Water.
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The Avatar Movies So Far |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
тιтle |
Year |
Budget |
Box Office |
Rotten Tomatoes ctritics score |
Rotten Tomatoes audience score |
|
Avatar |
2009 |
$237 million |
$2.923 billion |
81% |
82% |
|
Avatar: The Way of Water |
2022 |
$400 million approx |
$2.3 billion |
76% |
92% |
|
Avatar: Fire and Ash |
2025 |
$250 million |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
Avatar 4 is confirmed to have a big time jump, which could see drastic changes in Pandora’s landscape. The Avatar movies are closely tied to the elements, and as we have already seen earth, water, and fire represented, I think it is very likely that the air element will be explored more in a future Avatar movie. James Cameron could even go in a very experimental direction by introducing new elements and their corresponding visual effects. If Avatar: Fire and Ash continues the trend of incredible CGI, what Cameron does next could be very wild indeed.
Source: Collider
