According to James Cameron, some of the best scenes from Avatar almost had to be removed. The ground-breaking 2009 picture Avatar creatively incorporated 3D technology, making it the highest-grossing movie of all time. The James Cameron-directed sci-fi movie had a straightforward story and simple-to-understand characters, but its cutting-edge CGI effects and stunning vistas stole the show and created an unforgettable, immersive experience. The flying moments starring Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaa) are among the most thrilling parts of Avatar, and many viewers still remember the euphoric feelings it gave them over a decade and a sequel later.
In an interview with TheWrap, Cameron talks about the criticism he has received from critics and studio heads over moments in the movie that drag and don’t directly advance the plot. The director mentions that 20th Century Fox officials pushed him to omit a few of the flying sequences from the original Avatar movie because they thought they were superfluous. Cameron reportedly resisted, saying that, like swimming in Avatar: The Way of Water, he thinks the chance to “hang out, look around, and smell the roses” crucial to the storytelling of the franchise.
Cameron said, “We got into a big conflict with the studio brass at Fox on the first film because they kept saying stuff like, ‘Well you can cut out all that flying stuff, we don’t need all that. That doesn’t advance the plot.’ I’m like, ‘You’re absolutely correct, it doesn’t advance the plot. It’s doing something completely else. It’s allowing people to enjoy the moment.’”
Since they continue to be among the most enduring aspects of the movie, Cameron was right to battle for the numerous flight scenes in Avatar. The intention of the director is clear from his remarks that he must “arbitrate between the traditional rulebook and the experience ruleset.” Cameron tries to hold onto what makes Avatar unique and dabble more in the “experiential” space in order to showcase the vast and breathtaking world of Pandora and fully convey to viewers what it’s like to live there, despite criticisms that the movie is too long or contains too much filler from what he calls “the conventional.” It was crucial to construct the location because it plays such a significant part in the Avatar franchise.
The sequel film could afford to take its time, spending more than three hours presenting Jake’s family and their escape from Quaritch because there will be three more sequels to Avatar: The Way of Water. Avatar: The Way of Water‘s harmony of motion and quiet was carefully considered in order to capture the wonder of the first film, in accordance with Cameron’s statements. Avatar: The Way of Water, which brings more innovative visual effects to the big screen while continuing Jake and Neytiri’s journey, is as as immersive as its predecessor due to director James Cameron’s intention to let audiences stop and smell the Pandoran roses.
