Avatar: Guillermo del Toro doubles down on Way of Water praise after divisive critical response

Director has subtly questioned effect of recent blockbusters

Avatar: The Way of Water may be dividing critics, but Guillermo del Toro remains a huge fan.

The Oscar-winning Shape of Water director previously shared his rapturous response to the sequel, calling it “a staggering achievement”.

He also hailed director James Cameron as “a master at the peak of his powers”.

On Tuesday (6 December), the film premiered in London, after which critics shared their reactions on social media.

While the majority of audience members highlighted the film’s technical achievements, there was a contingent of viewers who said the storyline elements were nowhere near as impressive as the visuals.

The film, which is reported to be one of the three most expensive films of all time, has also been criticised for it’s lengthy running time of three hours, 10 minutes.

However, del Toro appears to be unperturbed by these negative reactions. After the film’s premiere, the filmmaker shared yet another positive note about The Way of Water.

“I say it again: Avatar 2 – seeing it you realize how long it has been since you saw a MOVIE-MOVIE (like that, in caps),” he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday (7 December).

The sequel is Cameron’s first film since the first Avatar was released in 2009.

It tells the story of the Sully family, ranging from “the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure”.

Guillermo del Toro really loves ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (Twitter)

Avatar: The Way of Water is the first of four planned sequels that Cameron will release every other year until 2028.

It will be released in cinemas – in 3D – on 16 December.