Avatar: The Way of Water Collector’s Edition UHD Review

James Cameron’s sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, gets a double-dip collector’s edition set on 4K Blu-ray disc.

The Production: 4/5

It’s been about ten years since the Na’vi, led by Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), sent the sky people, who had been exploiting the natural resources of Pandora, packing. Sully and Neytiri have started a family, including orphan Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) who was immaculately conceived by the late Dr. Grace Augustine’s avatar (also Weaver) that has been kept on life support by the team of scientists that stayed behind. Their sons Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) and Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) and daughter Tuk (Trinity Jo’Li Bliss) round out the family, while wild child human Spider (Jack Champion) hangs around like a stray dog. But the sky people have returned to further wreak havoc on the planet, led by General Ardmore (Edie Falco), with a team of genetically enhanced avatar hybrids that include a clone of Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) tasked with hunting down Sully and his family.

This forces Sully and his family to leave their clan, meeting up with the water-based clan known as the Metkayina, whose leader Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) first rejects them and treats them as outcasts. The bulk of the film is set in this part of Pandora, as Sully and his family try to earn their keep with their new clan, learning to swim and hold their breaths underwater for an extraordinary amount of time, while Quaritch and his team of mercenaries continue to track down their prey, leading to a final showdown for the exciting third act.

Avatar: The Way of Water is the first of many planned sequels by director James Cameron, enlisting Mulan and Rise of the Planet of the Apes scribes Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver to help him pen this second entry in the series. The film does take its time to really gain some momentum, spending nearly its entire first act to bring us up to date on what everyone has been up to since the first film, then spends it rather long second act to further build the world of Pandora and introduce the new clan.

Where the sequel excels is in its photorealistic visual effects created once again by the team at WETA, especially its underwater sequences that Cameron insisted be shot using performance capture wet for wet in most cases (meaning actually shot in a water tank). The movie does run a bit long at 3 hours and 12 minutes, and Cameron probably could have trimmed a bit of the excess fat, but it is entertaining nonetheless.

Video: 5/5

3D Rating: NA

Avatar: The Way of Water was captured and rendered in 4K and 3D using Sony CineAlta Venice Rialto 3D cameras for much of its production photography and completed as a 4K digital intermediate in both 2D and 3D, framed at either 1.90:1 for IMAX, 1.85:1 for theaters with standard width screens, and 2.39:1 for theaters with standard height screens, with high frame rate of 48 fps for certain shots and Dolby Vision HDR at its more premium theatrical exhibitions. For the home video release, James Cameron has opted for the 1.85:1 aspect ratio (likely because most displays are common height). Disney’s 2160p HEVC-encoded transfer now includes both Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range and has been pressed onto a BD100 disc. The disc is absolutely stunning, and a step up from the 4K digital in terms of image detail and clarity. Facial, fabric and other textures come through with incredible clarity, so much so that in many of the early shots you can see individual strands of moss movie as they are being stepped on. Colors are bold and vivid without appearing overly saturated, particularly the lush greens of the forest. Contrast is excellent, providing deep blacks with strong shadow detail and bright highlights that don’t clip. The use of HDR also heightens the effect of any bioluminescence. I reviewed this disc on my LG 55” C1 OLED.

Audio: 5/5

The default Dolby Atmos mix (in Dolby TrueHD 7.1) is a slight improvement with an expanded dynamic range over the more compressed Atmos mix found on the digital streaming version. This is a very active Atmos mix, with a wide front soundstage and immersive surrounds and heights, offering seamless movement of sound. LFE is improved, adding pulse-pounding emphasis to the many thuds and explosions heard in the film. Dialogue is clear and understandable throughout. A stereo option is provided in DTS-HD MA 2.0, and a “Family Friendly” mix in Dolby Digital 5.1. The included Blu-ray offers audio options in DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0, plus the “Family Friendly” Dolby Digital 5.1 track.

Special Features: 4.5/5

Extras: 4.5/5
This is a 4-disc set, with the Special Features spread out over two Blu-ray discs.

Special Features Disc 3
**NEW** Behind the Scenes Presentation by Jon Landau (1080p; 36:56): Producer Jon Landau takes the viewer on a condensed look at the making of the movie.

**NEW** Memories from “Avatar: The Way of Water” (1080p; 19:10): Producer Jon Landau hosts a Q&A panel with actors Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang.

**NEW** Production Design Panel Hosted by Jon Landau (1080p; 32:09): Producer Jon Landau hosts a Q&A panel with Supervising Art Director Aashrita Kamath and Production Designers Ben Procter and Dylan Cole.

**NEW** Deleted Scenes (1080p; 32:39): A total of 12 scenes are included.

**NEW** Scene Deconstruction (1080p; 93:55): Offers eleven scenes from the movie which can be viewed in one of three ways: motion capture full screen, in-between template animation, or the final result.

**NEW** Production Materials (1080p; 70:27)

**NEW** Beyond the Big Screen (1080p; 53:08): Additional bits and pieces that include a more updated look at the Pandora land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a crew-made animated film, James Cameron and Jon Landau hand and footprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theater, and a look at developing the visual effects technology for the film.

Monday Night Football TV Spot (1080p; 1:59)

Original Script

Artwork Gallery

Set Stills Gallery

Russell Carpenter Gallery

Advertising Gallery

Fan Art Gallery

Special Features Disc 4
This disc is identical to the Special Features disc from the original 4K and Blu-ray release.

Inside Pandora’s Box (1080p; 152:14): This is a very detailed, feature-length documentary on the technical aspects of making Avatar: The Way of Water. Topics include building the world, performance capture, shooting underwater and its challenges, new and returning characters, production design, visual effects, and sound.

More from Pandora’s Box (1080p; 28:06): A look at the more human aspects of the production, such as casting, stunts, digital design, and the “troupe” of performers that included extras and stunt performers.

Marketing Materials & Music Video (1080p; 8:51): Includes the Nothing is Lost (You Give Me Strength) music video and the two theatrical trailers.

Digital Copy: A Movies Anywhere 4K code is included.

Overall: 4.5/5

No additional cuts of Avatar: The Way of Water, but the set is loaded up with additional interesting special features that fans will certainly enjoy, especially if they did not purchase the previous 4K release from earlier this year. My only real complaint with this release is the packaging, a four page fold out with very tight sleeves holding each disc.

Avatar: The Way of Water [4K UHD]

(40542)

$44.23 $36.00

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Todd Erwin

Todd Erwin has been a reviewer at Home Theater Forum since 2008. His love of movies began as a young child, first showing Super 8 movies in his backyard during the summer to friends and neighbors at age 10. He also received his first movie camera that year, a hand-crank Wollensak 8mm with three fixed lenses. In 1980, he graduated to "talkies" with his award-winning short The Ape-Man, followed by the cult favorite The Adventures of Terrific Man two years later. Other films include Myth or Fact: The Talbert Terror and Warren's Revenge (which is currently being restored). In addition to movie reviews, Todd has written many articles for Home Theater Forum centering mostly on streaming as well as an occasional hardware review, is the host of his own video podcast Streaming News & Views on YouTube and is a frequent guest on the Home Theater United podcast.