‘Avatar: The Sense of Water’ officially opens in cinemas worldwide on Saturday and is sure to draw crowds as we face Avatar sequel, the highest-grossing film in cinema history. And he won’t be the only one, as James Cameron has four more sequels planned (Avatar 3 was filmed alongside the current version) to complete this sci-fi and animation saga.

Some lucky people have already been able to enjoy it and the first reviews are on the Internet, with general praise. Personally, although I follow the steps of the filming and know almost everything about the film (without seeing it), since I am unable to get rid of spoilers and chronicles, I will pretend that I know nothing about it even if it takes a little longer, As a true lover of sci-fi cinema , animation and technology I’ll be looking for the best room within my reach because this is one of those movies that – if possible – you have to see it in 3D format And if it can be in a premium level installation like IMAX or similar. Don’t worry, we won’t divulge anything major from our side. Just put yourself in the situation, what to expect and see some of the techniques used.

Set years after the conclusion of Avatar, the sequel reprises Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) as the leaders of their Na’vi tribe, living peacefully in the forests of Pandora. Once again, the “Sky People” (the colonizers call themselves), thirsting for the violence and depredations typical of less-than-human humans, return to ravage the land to build a military-industrial complex and then plan attacks against the native population. .

At the head of this violent plan, you’ll see a familiar enemy from the original film, and in front of you will be assisted by a big lady (the one who once fought against Aliens). Yes, they both revived for the occasion, though he declined in his time… Attacks orThey force Sully and his family to flee to survive among the native islanders known as the “reef people”. There different cultures collide, but new friendships are born and together, The Na’vi and their allies band together to once again suppress the Sky People invasion..

‘Avatar: The Sense of Water’: HFR technology of the highest level

Get to the point. The new environment, with water as the protagonist, allowed Cameron an unprecedented technological demonstration. In fact, as in the case of Avatar, the sequel had to be delayed due to the need to develop new technologies for shooting underwater motion capture scenes, which until now could not be reproduced.

The work and innovation in the field of visual effects is colossal and above all the processing of technology high frame rate or HFR to make the film in this section the best ever. If you don’t know, say that it allows you to play certain scenes at 48 frames per second, which offers a display quality and realism much higher than the standard 24 frames per second. It leads to 3D action scenes that feel incredibly immersive, and in ‘Avatar: The Sense of Water’ they say it can make you forget that the lush alien wildlife on Pandora isn’t real.

It is not the first film to use HFR and we have already seen it in others such as the Hobbit trilogy or Gemini Man. However, the Avatar sequel deploys this technology in a unique way, as instead of using HFR throughout the footage, Cameron uses it for major action sequenceswhile the slower dialogue scenes look like they’re running at 24 frames per second.

In fact, all the scenes were shot at 48 frames per second, so the quieter scenes use double frames to trick our brains into perceiving them at the standard cinema frame rate. This is a strategy that Cameron has discussed for years and already noted in 2016 that the HFR is “It was a tool, not a format”and rebuffed Ang Lee’s attempt to use it throughout Gemini Man’s run.

Some reviewers say it takes some getting used to, but eventually it works and looks amazing. The film seems to be a window into the world of Pandora with stunning shots of lush forests and oceans. Create everything from giant flying fish-like creatures that can be ridden to alien whales with advanced tongues to look like living, breathing creatures. HFR works in conjunction with the latest generation of CG animation technology, allowing the Na’vi, their culture and their world to be as lifelike as the technology allows.

Where to see ‘Avatar: The Sense of Water’

The film will be released on Saturday, December 16 in Spain and halfway around the world. Cameron, production companies 20th Century Studios and Lightstorm Entertainment, along with distributor Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, aim to cash in on the $400 million (minimum) investment it cost. It will certainly be so. It will be possible to see it in practically every cinema as thousands of copies have been distributed. And there will be no shortage of pirated versions on the Internet, a mental rogue who plays this movie on a laptop or TV.

Beyond whether the script and character development are more or less enjoyable, or whether the film fulfills another of Cameron’s stated goals in terms of communicating that threats to Pandora’s marine ecosystems “they also happen in our world” in the context of climate change, it is an extremely technical film, visually stunning in a colossal 190 minutes of footage and as such you must enjoy it.

If you have a good room within reach, you should bet on it. Avatar 2 will be shown in 4K, HFR and 3D at all AMC Dolby Cinema locations and select IMAX theaters. Some dual laser screens will only offer 2K 3D with HFR, but individual laser screens will have the highest image quality the director has in mind for the premiere. We leave you with the official trailer to whet your appetite:

Finally, it must be said that the original Avatar was relaunched earlier this month with a combination of HFR and additional recording, as well as improving image lighting and applying upscaling techniques to 4K. If you can access it on the big screen, it’s a good appetizer before you watch ‘Avatar: The Sense of Water’, the big blockbuster this Christmas.