#Avatar: The Way of Water Teaser Reaction: Never Underestimate James Cameron

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“Avatar: The Way of Water Teaser Reaction: Never Underestimate James Cameron”

Journalists were shown a tantalizing sneak preview of Avatar: The Way of Water before the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premiere. I must confess to getting goosebumps as I slipped on my 3D glasses. We hear a singular piano note ping from the original score as the studio intro rolls. We return to Pandora after thirteen years.

The trailer opens with the Na’vi and a feral-looking human in a breathing mask running through trees. We then see them in the floating mountains. They seem to be teenagers. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), sporting wicked dreads on a flying Ikran, soars over the water towards a mangrove-like settlement. The trailer then cuts to an underwater scene with a Na’vi girl swimming with a huge whale-like creature.

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A human walks in a robotic suit alongside Avatars through a massive base. They have crew cuts and weapons. RDA vehicles fly around the compound with the lush jungle prominent in the background. A montage follows where we see a pregnant Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) in some kind of ceremony. The Na’vi children play underwater with a close-up of the girl’s face.

The music picks up to a crescendo as the Na’vi prepare for war. The human Avatars look fierce. The Na’vi arm themselves with bows and arrows. Jake Sully shoots out of the water atop some kind of flying fish. He holds Neytiri’s face, his voice-over says, “I know one thing. Wherever we go, this family is our fortress.”

What We Know From The Avatar Teaser

The teaser was brief at almost a minute. You don’t get any specific plot details, but there is a lot that can be inferred. A significant amount of time has passed since the humans were kicked off Pandora. Jake and Neytiri have a family. The RDA corporation has returned in force. They have new Avatars who look trained for combat. Killing Jake would be RDA’s top priority. I surmise that the Omaticaya clan must have fled to the ocean for safety. Jake would have to protect his wife and children while raising a new army. We must assume that the greatest Na’vi warriors, such as Tsu’tey (Laz Alonso), were killed in the last battle. Thus leaving Jake to train a new generation for the wars to come.

Related: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Review: A Creature Feature Loaded with Surprises

None of the new characters were named. I am purely speculating who the characters are from what has been released so far. The young female Na’vi is Tuktirey (Trinity Bliss), the daughter of Jake and Neytiri. The two older Na’vi teenagers are their sons, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) and Lo’ak (Britain Dalton). The human teenager is Spider (Jack Champion). His origin story will definitely be interesting. Could he be the child of Norm Spellman (Joel David Moore)? Sigourney Weaver is not seen. She reprises Dr. Grace Augustine, probably in some spiritual form with Eywa. Stephen Lang’s Colonel Quaritch, according to reports, continues to be the primary antagonist. He was killed during Avatar’s epic climax. His resurrection will need a solid explanation.

My reaction to the teaser is mixed. Expectations were admittedly high. It was great seeing the characters again, but I honestly wasn’t blown out of my chair by the visual effects. The underwater 3D depth was incredible and stood out. The character designs, vehicles, and environments could have been taken from the first film. That said, I know to never underestimate James Cameron. He’s pushed the boundaries of cinema with every film. He’s not going to give us the new candy flavor with this first bite.

Avatar: The Way of Water teaser trailer will run before Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. It is the first of four Avatar sequels. Avatar: The Way of Water will premiere on December 16th from Lightstorm Entertainment and 20th Century Studios.