DUBAI: Thirteen years after he wowed audiences and underwhelmed critics with l fantasy action epic “Avatar,” James Cameron is back with a splashier — literally and figuratively — sequel. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle While “Avatar: The Way of Water” definitely provides a bigger and better spectacle than its predecessor, it brings with it some of the original’s failings as well. The biggest draw of the sequel — the first of four planned — comes from its young cast. “The Way of Water” finds Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) in marital bliss, living an idyllic, fulfilling life on Pandora with their brood of four. Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) is the oldest of the kids; a warrior in the making, he’s the sturdy and dependable one, a model older brother. His younger sibling, Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), is the rebel, getting the group into all kinds of trouble. The girls include the youngest Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), innocent and adorable; and Kiri (a de-aged Sigourney Weaver), the Sullys’ adoptive daughter, whose real mother was the human scientist Grace Augustine (Weaver), who died at the end of the first film. Along for the ride is the near-feral human child, Spider (Jack Champion), who was left behind as a baby when the humans were sent back to Earth in the first film. Trouble arrives in paradise when the “Sky People,” aka humans, return, this time with a mission to colonize the nature-rich moon while Earth stands at the brink of collapse. In a bid to protect the Omaticaya people, Jake and his family decide to move away from the forest-based clan and flee to find refuge among the reef-based Metkayina clan — led by Ronal (a resplendent Kate Winslet) and Tonowari (a sturdy Cliff Curtis), who also have teenage children. Beyond the smorgasbord of visual treats, the meat of “The Way of Water” can be found in the interactions between these two families and clans. Their physical and cultural differences, the way the habitat shapes their daily interactions and, ultimately, the many similarities between them, is what makes the film tick. The young cast members inject some much-needed levity and energy into the franchise. Cameron also takes his time telling his story. Slow, languorous shots of the reef are interspersed with exploratory snippets of the incredible scenery from the children’s point of view. It is unnecessary to the plot, and extremely indulgent, but for once, you probably will not complain. When it comes to themes and storyline, the sequel mirrors the original, and to an annoying degree. So annoying in fact that Cameron even brings back the original villain, just as two-dimensional and trigger-happy as before, played to perfection by Stephen Lang. The film’s ecological conservation theme is brought out this time through a marine mammal called the tulkun, which shares an intimate bond with the Metkayina clan. Handled with a lighter touch this time, it is hard not to feel moved by these creatures, and do not be surprised if you come away from the movie wanting to turn vegetarian. Final verdict? Show up for the spectacle, stay for the emotions.