The AVATAR films and scores
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The Avatar films have become an event for us. We saw the previous two with the same friends, after a good meal, and the watery one was experienced in a state-of-the-art cinema on New Year’s Eve.
We’ll be doing the same this coming December 31st.
Like the Dune films, the Avatar series has qualities that for us require them to be seen on the biggest and best screens available (I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful film as The Way of Water), but we wouldn’t even consider watching them at home.
So, I just came back from AVATAR: FIRE & ASH. Can’t say much (I’m embargoed until tomorrow), but I liked it. Perhaps not on the level of the previous two – this is more story-driven, and doesn’t have the same amount of “experience moments” as them – but enough here to unwrap over the coming weeks. I have a feeling this is the AVATAR film for people who didn’t care for the first two.
Thanks for sharing your first impression. But as I said, in the previous two I didn’t have an issue with the story, but I didn’t like the world building and didn’t care for the characters.
And I assume, none of that improved much in the third movie?There is still some world building and awe & wonder, especially in the first act, but this is a far tighter film, more focussed on narrative momentum. Which in a way is a loss for me (I absolutely loved the extended forest sequences in the first, and the water sequences in the second), but might appeal to those who are into this for the action and suspense more than the world of Pandora.
I’ve listened to the Franglen score a couple of times, and made my own playlist of about an hour. It’s a step down from the second (and obviously a GIANT step down from the first), but there are definitely highlights here.
I didn’t have an issue with the story, but I didn’t like the world building and didn’t care for the characters.
Funny thing is that my assessment of the first (two) movie(s) was almost the opposite. I had issues with the story, but loved the world and liked the characters.
I’ve never really been interested in box office statistics (I’m more of a pure aesthetician), but just in the case of the AVATAR movies, I find them moderately interesting as a sort of ad hoc discussion, because people have made a sport out of betting against Cameron, and he’s always come out on top. In the case of FIRE & ASH, the production budget is up towards $400 million, and — according to an article I read — it needs to make 2.5 times its production budget to break even (for reasons that are somewhat unclear to me). That means box office results in the $1.1 to $1.4 BILLION range. At about $2 billion, it’s considered a success. So that’s something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months. Ridiculous numbers we’re talking about here.
As it happens, I’ve just now reached the two Franglen AVATARs in my collection walkthrough. Here is my playlist of WAY OF WATER, which I think works really well (there’s a little bit of action music in there, but mostly it focusses on the dreamy stuff):
The whittle actually lifts the whole score into something that is quite good.
And my playlist for FIRE & ASH. 62 minutes, so it might need a little more whittling, but it’s a start. Anyway, just in case anyone wants to have a go at a more succinct presentation.
Looking forward to seeing the movie again, though. My colleagues aren’t thrilled with it. I like it better than them, despite it being a step down from the previous ones. Might even be a contender for my top 10 of the year, when that time comes.
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