Avatar: The Way of Water

Avatar: The Way of Water has built a real following in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 14,341 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Sam Worthington's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Start it on Disney Plus whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason Avatar: The Way of Water keeps coming up in conversation. What makes Avatar: The Way of Water work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, learn the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure. The human element stays intact thanks to Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña, who anchor every scene. It was released in 2022. Avatar: The Way of Water resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

Avatar: The Way of Water is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Sam Worthington's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.