Fans and critics are calling out James Cameron's long-awaited sequel Avatar 2: Way of the Water for being racist and for allegedly appropriating Native American culture and its themes of featuring a "white savior complex."The film dropped in theaters on December 16, 2022. While Avatar 2 grossed over $435 million worldwide in its first weekend itself, many call for it to be boycotted.Like the first film, its follow-up focuses on colonizers taking over the planet of Pandora, its land, and resources as Earth's resources are close to being depleted.The cast is predominantly white and plays the fictional Na'vi aliens who inhabit the planet, other than Zoe Saldana, with a black and Latina heritage, and Cliff Curtis, who is of Maori descent.Netizens were left fuming after watching the movie. One Twitter user, Duncan, @Duncan999666, said:Screenshot of a Twitter user's reaction to Avatar 2 (Image via Twitter)"I cringed throughout the whole movie": Netizens blast Avatar 2 for its racist undertonesSome internet users who saw the film were left angry and immediately tweeted their reactions. They called it "racist," pointing out that most Na'vi tribespeople are played by people of color, whereas technologically savvy are played by white cast members. They indicated that despite the movie being "mediocre," it still isn't considered a "flop."A Native American social media influencer and co-chair of the Indigenous Pride L.A., Yuè Begay, tweeted her disappointment at the film. Her post garnered a lot of attention, with over 45,000 users liking it and over 10,000 retweeting it. She said:🌽Asdzáá Tłʼéé honaaʼéí🌽(She/Her)🌽@asdza_tlehonaeiDo NOT watch Avatar: The Way of WaterJoin Natives & other Indigenous groups around the world in boycotting this horrible & racist film. Our cultures were appropriated in a harmful manner to satisfy some 🏳 man's savior complex.No more Blueface!Lakota people are powerful!4686312157Do NOT watch Avatar: The Way of WaterJoin Natives & other Indigenous groups around the world in boycotting this horrible & racist film. Our cultures were appropriated in a harmful manner to satisfy some 🏳 man's savior complex.No more Blueface!Lakota people are powerful! https://t.co/NmHVU565u3Here are some of the other comments seen on the micro-blogging platform blasting the film:Kai/Fang (Angel Dragon Fox) It/Fae/Fox/Nom@foxxy_kaiWas forced to watch Avatar 2 cause my partner’s mom had already bought tickets and it was so bad. The colonization, abuse, and everything about it. I cringed throughout the whole movie. This movie is racist as hell and if you don’t see it, you need to check yourself.3Was forced to watch Avatar 2 cause my partner’s mom had already bought tickets and it was so bad. The colonization, abuse, and everything about it. I cringed throughout the whole movie. This movie is racist as hell and if you don’t see it, you need to check yourself.NYC קראטש@SatansTrousersAvatar 2 being an overwhelmingly mediocre movie but still becoming the 9th highest gross of 2022 despite barely making enough to cover its budget and not be considered a flop, all while also being a little racist, was in hindsight, extremely predictable.5Avatar 2 being an overwhelmingly mediocre movie but still becoming the 9th highest gross of 2022 despite barely making enough to cover its budget and not be considered a flop, all while also being a little racist, was in hindsight, extremely predictable.moss moth meĸo@beadpunkavatar 2 bringing back the space racist as an avatar is weird and i hate it5avatar 2 bringing back the space racist as an avatar is weird and i hate it§paethon🌴@spaethonGoing to see Avatar 2 tonight. Funny, most Na'vi actors are black and brown, and most bad guys are white actors. By design? White people the technological geniuses, while black and brown are just tribes people with bows and spears. That's not an accident. Hollywood is racist.5Going to see Avatar 2 tonight. Funny, most Na'vi actors are black and brown, and most bad guys are white actors. By design? White people the technological geniuses, while black and brown are just tribes people with bows and spears. That's not an accident. Hollywood is racist.sara (but shivering)@cinammoongirlavatar 2 not only was badly written, racist, colonialist, gave zero attention to the dialogue, plot, characters, relationships but it was also 3 WHOLE HOURS1avatar 2 not only was badly written, racist, colonialist, gave zero attention to the dialogue, plot, characters, relationships but it was also 3 WHOLE HOURSOne user, Dr. BlackDeer, shared a list of sci-fi films made by Indigenous people and tweeted:Dr. BlackDeer@DrBlackDeerDon't wanna watch the colonial glorifying blue people movie? Check out these sci-fi films by actual Indigenous people telling our own stories instead. 🧵5221614652Don't wanna watch the colonial glorifying blue people movie? Check out these sci-fi films by actual Indigenous people telling our own stories instead. 🧵Film critic Kathia Woods harshly condemned Avatar 2 in her tweet, calling it a "mess."Kathia Woods 🇧🇷aka Woke Girl 🤨Blue Advocate@kathia_woodsAt some point we gotta talk about the cultural appropriation of Avatar and white actors are cos playing as poc. It’s just a mess and so not necessary & no amount of visual effects/CGI is gonna erase that. Bad Lace fronts/Dry synthetic braids. Jesus fix it487135At some point we gotta talk about the cultural appropriation of Avatar and white actors are cos playing as poc. It’s just a mess and so not necessary & no amount of visual effects/CGI is gonna erase that. Bad Lace fronts/Dry synthetic braids. Jesus fix it https://t.co/VcNkSlvRTpHowever, her post was met with mockery, with many users replying with sarcastic responses. Here is one example:Andrew Kerr@AndrewKerrNCJames Cameron didn't even try to find native blue people to play these roles smh twitter.com/kathia_woods/s…Kathia Woods 🇧🇷aka Woke Girl 🤨Blue Advocate@kathia_woodsAt some point we gotta talk about the cultural appropriation of Avatar and white actors are cos playing as poc. It’s just a mess and so not necessary & no amount of visual effects/CGI is gonna erase that. Bad Lace fronts/Dry synthetic braids. Jesus fix it21531At some point we gotta talk about the cultural appropriation of Avatar and white actors are cos playing as poc. It’s just a mess and so not necessary & no amount of visual effects/CGI is gonna erase that. Bad Lace fronts/Dry synthetic braids. Jesus fix it https://t.co/VcNkSlvRTpJames Cameron didn't even try to find native blue people to play these roles smh twitter.com/kathia_woods/s…Not everyone found the movie racist, and they took to Twitter to state the same. They prompted everyone to "just enjoy the spectacle."Here are some of the responses by the twitterati:Amala Ekpunobi@amalaekpunobiThe woke: If you’re a white person who does nothing to help then you’re racist.James Cameron: Alright. I’ll make a blockbuster film about the native American struggle.The woke: That’s cultural appropriation! You’re racist! Boycott Avatar 2! #Avatar215915The woke: If you’re a white person who does nothing to help then you’re racist.James Cameron: Alright. I’ll make a blockbuster film about the native American struggle.The woke: That’s cultural appropriation! You’re racist! Boycott Avatar 2! #Avatar2MarshMellow™ ஐ@tamibellaDDSPeople criticizing avatar 2 for having white savior complex’s, costuming as indigenous, being racist at its core….i think that’s the whole point: white people conquering a planet willing to kill the indigenous for their own greed…. It tracts…. Just enjoy the visual spectacle2People criticizing avatar 2 for having white savior complex’s, costuming as indigenous, being racist at its core….i think that’s the whole point: white people conquering a planet willing to kill the indigenous for their own greed…. It tracts…. Just enjoy the visual spectacleMissT (parody)@thatsthetwritesIt’s the way that people who hate Avatar 2 are the same people who exhibit racist attitudes to indigenous cultures and can’t tolerate a director exposing the complete greed of white supremacy, get offff4It’s the way that people who hate Avatar 2 are the same people who exhibit racist attitudes to indigenous cultures and can’t tolerate a director exposing the complete greed of white supremacy, get offffI Like Ike@FlairIke@theserfstv It’s more dumb than it is racist. And in speech and in practice he’s been a big supporter of indigenous people. I can easily forgive saying 1 dumb thing when the man has literally never made a bad movie. This won’t stop me from seeing Avatar 2 again nor should it stop anyone else1@theserfstv It’s more dumb than it is racist. And in speech and in practice he’s been a big supporter of indigenous people. I can easily forgive saying 1 dumb thing when the man has literally never made a bad movie. This won’t stop me from seeing Avatar 2 again nor should it stop anyone elseJames Cameron called out on insensitive comment about the Lakota peopleIn 2010, James Cameron spoke to The Guardian about the Xingu people of Brazil and their fight to stop the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the Amazon, calling it a "real-life Avatar confrontation." He explained that the movement inspired him and was a "driving force" in his writing of Avatar.According to ABC News, the Titanic director denied that the movie was racist. He explained that the film allows one to open their eyes and "truly see others," respecting their differences, to "prevent conflict and live harmoniously." He stated that he:"Hardly think(s) that is a racist message."This was not the only controversy surrounding the first film. In 2011, Cameron and his Lightstorm Entertainment were sued by Eric Ryder over plagiarizing his ideas. The term "blue face" emerged after the director faced appropriation allegations following its release in 2009. It was used similarly to "black face" or "yellow face."The director is yet to comment on the current backlash.