‘Silly, soggy’ or ‘screamingly good’? First responses to Avatar: The Way of Water emerge

The first responses to Avatar: The Way of Water have emerged online after the film’s world premiere in London on Tuesday. Full reviews of James Cameron’s long-in-the-making sequel to his own record-box-office fantasy epic won’t be published until next Tuesday, as per the distributor’s embargo, but critics are posting short responses on social media.

In the US, reactions have been largely positive. David Ehrlich, chief critic of Indiewire, said it was “light years better than the first & easily one of the best theatrical experiences in ages. streaming found dead in a ditch”. He added: “I was, uh, not exactly champing at the bit for an Avatar 2 … now I can’t *wait* to see Avatar 3. that’s basically all I wanted out of this and it delivered in a big way.”

The Atlantic’s David Sims said: “Avatar: The Way of Water absolutely owns bones,” adding: “It’s an Avatar movie: slow start, big build, incredibly involving second act with a ton of world building and cool creatures that blisses you way out, then an hour of screamingly good crystal clear emotionally trenchant action to send you home full and happy.”

People magazine’s Kara Warner, a self-confessed “Avatar stan” wrote: “I had high hopes … and for me it totally delivers. Sure it’s a little long, but worth it for the gorgeous visuals, wonderful new characters. A total thrill.”

The positivity was backed up by Cameron’s fellow film-maker Guillermo del Toro, who wrote on social media: “I say it again: Avatar 2 – seeing it you realize how long it has been since you saw a MOVIE-MOVIE (like that, in caps).”

However, reaction in the UK has been less uncritical. The Guardian’s chief film critic Peter Bradshaw has led the charge, saying “Avatar: The Way Of Water is a silly, soggy, motion-smoothed epic of solemnity without a single interesting visual image”, while the Daily Telegraph’s Robbie Collin posted a cryptic “grimace” emoji.

Christina Newland, lead critic of the i newspaper, was also less than impressed, writing: “Avatar: The Way of Water is a film to be admired more than loved – some remarkable spectacle, some throwback to Titanic set pieces, some really lovely visual flourishes. But it’s also interminably, ploddingly overlong, and more impressive than truly absorbing.”

Empire magazine’s Amon Warmann was a little more generous, but still equivocal, writing: “Liked it, didn’t love it. The good news is that 3D is good again (yay!), and the action is pretty incredible (especially in the final act). But many of the storylines feel like they have to stop and start, and the high frame rate was hit & miss for me.” He added: “This movie sure is pretty to look at though. And on the whole, I like #TheWayOfWater more than #Avatar 2009, if for nothing else because it has less in your face white saviourism than the original.”

Avatar: The Way of Water is released on 15 December in Australia and 16 December in the US and UK.