Sacrifice and Suffering That Dominated Life... Director Cameron Found the Source in the Sea

Movie 'Avatar: The Way of Water' Promotion with Cast Visiting Korea
"Many Species Are Endangered... We Must Make Efforts"
"3D Is an Art Form... 192-Minute Runtime, The More the Merrier"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The movie 'Avatar: The Way of Water' depicts the desperate struggle of those dreaming of a happy life, escaping ruthless threats. Like its predecessor 'Avatar (2009)', it portrays environmental destruction and resource plundering. The lush and clear forests of the planet Pandora are instantly turned into a sea of flames. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), who have formed a family, flee with their children to a distant ocean village. However, the violence shows no sign of stopping, and the endurance of sacrifice and pain comes to dominate their lives.

The damage caused by destruction and change points beyond human life. It is a warning that all life on Earth is in danger. Director James Cameron, who visited Korea for promotion, stated at a press conference held on the 9th at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, "I wanted to convey a message about individual life and marine conservation." He added, "The thematic message that runs through the previous film is the same," and said, "I wanted to talk about the act of destroying the ocean and environment and plundering resources here for no reason."

Director Cameron is a filmmaker with a strong interest in marine exploration. He has even entered the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the Earth, aboard a submarine as a National Geographic ocean explorer. The descent to 10,898 meters can be seen in the documentary 'Deepsea Challenge.' He emphasized, "The ocean is the source that makes life on Earth possible," and "Many marine species are facing extinction. We must work hard."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Sigourney Weaver, who played Kiri, the adopted daughter of Sully and Neytiri, also said, "All living beings share a breathing connection. We are no exception," and added, "We must work together to solve problems such as climate change." She is a well-known environmental activist. In October 2006, ahead of the UN General Assembly opening, she drew international attention by pointing out issues in the marine ecosystem caused by bottom trawling. She also portrayed anthropologist and gorilla conservationist Dian Fossey in the film 'Gorillas in the Mist (1988).'

The role of Kiri was twice as difficult as before due to many scenes requiring various underwater actions and expressions. Director Cameron filmed directly in a 900,000-gallon (approximately 3,406,870 liters) water tank for precise realization. The actors underwent special diving training for two months in Hawaii, USA, for this purpose. Weaver recalled, "It wasn't something that could be solved just by being a good swimmer. We had to extend dive times to over six minutes," and said, "I trained for a year with freedivers and the navy to be able to maintain a comfortable expression underwater." Zoe Saldana, who played Neytiri, said, "After a lot of training, I felt comfortable swimming and could express natural emotions." She laughed, adding, "I don't think I'll worry even if I end up falling into water or having to swim later."

Director Cameron did not focus solely on action through underwater filming. He delicately portrayed another theme of family love, including the responsibilities of a head of household, brotherhood, blood ties, discrimination, alienation, and inclusion. He said, "It's a valuable theme," and added, "We are all part of a family and its members. I wanted to convey the belief that we are stronger together." Sam Worthington, who played Sully, also said, "I tried to express the desire to protect family within a concise story."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

'Avatar: The Way of Water' requires wearing 3D glasses for a full viewing experience. This is because it incorporates technology that surpasses the visual effects of the previous work. Techniques such as HFR (High Frame Rate), which increases the number of frames per second to make the image clearer and smoother, and HDR (High Dynamic Range), which emphasizes contrast and expands the brightness range, are also applied, greatly enhancing realism. Director Cameron said, "3D is an art form," and confidently stated, "If you watch it on a large screen with high-quality sound, you can have the best cinematic experience."

The running time is 192 minutes, about 70 minutes longer than a typical movie. There are concerns that audience concentration may drop. Director Cameron responded, "Isn't it better to watch longer for the same price?" He added, "There are short stories and novels. Our movie belongs to the latter," and emphasized, "Considering the success of 'Titanic' (running time 194 minutes), the more the better. More is better." The release date is the 14th, and it will be unveiled first in Korea. He said, "It is a very important country for us," and added, "I think it sets the standard for the global film industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.