Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

James Cameron strikes gold again with a gorgeous, thrilling return to Pandora that justifies every year of its long gestation. The underwater sequences are nothing short of revolutionary, pushing the boundaries of what motion capture and 3D filmmaking can achieve. Cameron’s obsessive attention to the oceanic world of the Metkayina reef clan produces images of staggering beauty, and the high frame rate gives the action a fluidity and clarity that no other blockbuster has matched.

The story is simpler than the spectacle demands, and the film’s three-hour runtime asks patience during its middle stretch. But Cameron has always understood that spectacle works best when it is anchored to characters the audience cares about, and the Sully family’s struggle to protect their home provides that anchor. The final act is a masterclass in sustained tension, weaving multiple action threads into a climax that is both imposing and emotionally earned. This is supersized blockbuster filmmaking at its most dazzling.