Avatar: The Way of Water

The Atmos mix is immersive from the first flight over the canopy. Creatures chatter all around, banshees sweep past and overhead, and the height channels carry the moving air above you. The mag-lev train attack is a strong early test, with the escort aircraft hovering overhead, gunfire cracking through the surrounds and hard-hitting bass. The reef scenes are even better, with water sounds that shift around you and a clear sense of depth. The Tulkun calls are layered and emotional and sit comfortably with the dialogue. The sinking ship sequence has groaning metal, rushing water and deep, controlled low end. Dialogue stays clean and anchored up front even when everything is going on. I needed to raise the volume a little at the start, and after that it opened up. Dynamic Range loses half a point because the mix is so constantly busy that there are few truly quiet gaps. An excellent reference-quality track.

Underwater scenes were the highlight for me, with the sounds moving around and creating a very immersive feeling. The action scenes had good bass and impact, while the dialogue and music were very clear. The Atmos effects worked really well with the water, creatures and action.

Beautiful movie with an amazing underwater world. The visuals are stunning, and the story keeps you engaged, especially during the action scenes.

The sound is where this movie really shines on a home theater. The underwater atmosphere, deep bass, action effects, and surround details make you feel right inside Pandora

I really enjoyed the sound in this one. The underwater scenes are beautiful, and you can hear things moving all around the room. When the action starts, the bass gets deep and powerful. It is not loud all the time, but when it needs to hit, it hits hard. Great Atmos movie.