20th Century Studios’ Avatar: The Way of Water released in theaters worldwide in December 2022. The James Cameron production is a sequel to the pioneering 2009 film Avatar which revolutionized 3D theater and 3D TV technology. The movie (not unlike its prequel) delivers a message about the need for humanity to live harmoniously with nature and adapt to living peacefully with indigenous peoples.
After a very successful theater run making over $2.3B at the worldwide box office (both ‘Avatar’ films broke box office records and were the highest-grossing films of the years in which they were released), Avatar: The Way of Water premiered in digital formats on March 28, 2023, including SD, HD, and 4K UHD. The 4K UHD format features Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos on platforms that support the video and audio specs.
Here is a review of the Digital 4K presentation as viewed on three different screens and audio systems.
Video
The sky is the limit. Avatar: The Way of Water is a great test of what’s possible in the brighter areas of your TV. The movie has such an incredible amount of detail crammed into the highlight areas (as well as the shadow areas) that it can either look exceptional or not so exceptional depending on the screen you watching on.
Contrast ratio, as expected, is extremely wide in the source material and only defined by the display. Something we found somewhat consistent on several screens was an occasional blown-out sky that may or may not have been on purpose in this generally high-key film.
Color also has tremendous possibilities. For example, when Pandora is invaded at seven minutes the fires in bright orange are telling of the ability to generate deep color depth. The colors of the Na’vi people, rainforest, and ocean life display a wide palette that is only limited by the screen.
Details are countless. In the sea village of the Metkayina where Jake Sully seeks refuge at around 55 minutes, the layers of the jungle structure, tribespeople, and sea life are mind-boggling. Freeze the image just once and you’ll find countless elements to focus on. Closeups of the Na’vi people reveal details in every pore of their painted skin. Ocean life such as squids and jellies pop off the screen as if real.
Audio
Avatar: The Way of Water offers audio in object-based Dolby Atmos offering state-of-the-art multi-channel sound. Backed by the music composition created by Simon Franglen, the dialogue is crisp and clear throughout, and well-balanced with other sound layers.
Some of the most immersive moments in the film happen when the RDA aircraft are hovering through the forests of Pandora. The engines and fans travel through speaker locations and low frequency ranges to create some excellent bass that resonates. The sound effects of the forest are also a highlight, multi-layered and spatially realistic.
Perhaps one of the best battle scenes in the film takes place at two hours and 19 minutes when Jake and Neytiri’s children are kidnapped. When Payakan’s tail smacks down on the deck and wreaks havoc on the bridge the sounds go right through you. The wing flaps of the skimwings cutting into the ocean surface have a memorable sound, as well as the flapping their powerful tails underwater. And, countless bullet shots (there are many, but perhaps not as many as John Wick: Chapter 4) pass through speakers as if traveling through the viewer’s space.
Bonus Features
Bonus features (with some digital movie services) are plentiful and include the movie-length “Inside Pandora’s Box at 2 hours and 32 minutes. “More From Pandora’s Box runs 28 minutes. And, the “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” music video and marketing extras runs 8-9 minutes.
Summary
A technical achievement like no other (cemented by winning an Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects), Avatar: The Way of Water excels in its gorgeous video presentation. And, along with an outstanding multi-channel Dolby Atmos track are reason enough to sit through this 3-hour and 12-minute journey. Outside a movie cinema, ‘The Way of Water’ is best experienced in a home theater environment with the biggest screen possible. The immersive quality of the world of Pandora is certainly more effective the closer the viewer is, but the deeply-layered imagery can be enjoyed on all screen sizes.
Scores
Movie
3.5
Video
5/5
Audio
5/5
Extras
4/5
Equipment
Avatar: The Way of Water in Digital 4k was reviewed on three different screens including an Epson EpiqVision 100” projection, 75” Sony Bravia with Dolby Vision, and 65” Samsung HDR10 TV. Audio was played through a 7.1.2 Atmos setup with an SVS SB2000 Pro subwoofer, as well as Sony and Samsung Atmos soundbars.
Correction: The first publication of this review referred to Avatar: The Way of Water making over $2.3B at the domestic box office. This should have been “worldwide” and has been corrected.