Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “Avatar: The Way of Water”
It took 14 years for a sequel to James Cameron’s “Avatar” to get made, largely due to waiting for the required technology to catch up, and for the most part, it was worth the wait. Cameron knows spectacle, and he delivers it here in spades with a series of exciting set pieces and gorgeous visuals. The underwater scenes are particularly impressive, as they’re unlike anything that audiences have seen before. But while the world of Pandora is a technical marvel, what “The Way of Water” improves on most is the writing, especially the degree to which you become emotionally invested in the characters. With that said, there are numerous story beats that feel awfully familiar to the first film, and though the return of Stephen Lang’s villain is handled well, the idea that he’s going to be the main antagonist for three more movies is somewhat disheartening. Nevertheless, it’s hard to deny that although “The Way of Water” is a flawed film in all the typical Cameron ways, it’s also one of the most thrilling, jaw-dropping experiences you’ll ever see… that is, until the next “Avatar” movie.
Extras include a series of behind-the-scenes featurettes detailing the filmmaking process. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Also Out This Week:
“Avatar” (4K) — The original “Avatar” is hands-down one of the most influential movies of the past 20 years, so it’s no surprise that a 4K version of James Cameron’s groundbreaking sci-fi adventure would eventually be released. Granted, it took a bit longer than expected, but it doesn’t disappoint. The 4K presentation is crisper and cleaner and contains richer, deeper colors that enhance the already gorgeous visuals, while the new Dolby Atmos mix that was created for the film’s 2022 theatrical re-release sounds incredible. Though this new release doesn’t contain any of the movie’s alternate cuts, it does bring over many of the extras from previous releases, including a feature-length documentary about making the film and additional behind-the-scenes featurettes, as well as brand-new bonus features like a retrospective and a roundtable discussion led by producer Jon Landau with actors Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
“The Covenant” — With the exception of a handful of films, director Guy Ritchie has made a living off the crime genre, so it’s always nice to see him expand his horizons with something outside of his wheelhouse like “The Covenant.” Perhaps the biggest compliment that can be paid to the movie is that it feels like it was based on a true story. That’s to the credit of both the script (by Ritchie and frequent collaborators Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies) and the work of its two leads, especially Dem Sarlim, who delivers a standout performance as the Afghan interpreter who courageously saves the life of Jake Gyllenhaal’s U.S. Army sergeant, thus setting up the titular bond. Though “The Covenant” is a little too reliant on American war movie clichés at times, it’s an overall solid character piece that contains some exciting bursts of action. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
