”Avatar: The Way of the Water” hit theaters on Dec. 16, drawing tens of millions of viewers worldwide and setting records. 

As the long awaited sequel to director James Cameron’s 2009 “Avatar,” one of the highest-grossing movies of all time due to its use of CGI to assist in worldbuilding and visuals, “Avatar: The Way of the Water” received a lot of hype months prior to its release.

Like the first movie, the sequel boasts outstanding, almost photorealistic, CGI that far surpasses even the prequel’s visuals. These visuals were so convincing that most scenes did not even look like they were made with CGI. 

Some particularly striking visuals included  the designs of the aquatic creatures, which while unique and alien, were also oddly familiar. The giant, intelligent “space whales” in the movie resembled earth whales, showing viewers their friendly nature, and the carnivores of the ocean ecosystem were built like earth’s predators, with visible sharp teeth creating a feeling of danger.

Despite the outstanding visuals in “Avatar: The Way of the Water,” the plot is largely unoriginal and drawn out in some parts. The sequel’s plot almost feels like a simple rehash of the original, only changing some small details like the setting and minor plot points. This flaw didn’t necessarily make the film boring, but it made the movie largely expected. 

For example, the villains of the movie are simply “reincarnations” of the original villains in the first movie, adding to the general feeling of unoriginality. 

One of the biggest issues is the many questions that go unanswered at the end of the movie. Although Cameron has plans for a third, fourth and fifth movie, the movie shouldn’t have ended with so many unaddressed plot holes. 

These unanswered questions culminate in an unsatisfying ending and no real sense of closure. Despite the subpar plot, the movie is still immensely enjoyable and never boring. Just know the visuals generally compensate for the plot, so moviegoers should simply enjoy the beautiful visuals that “Avatar: The Way of the Water” offers.