Avatar: Fire and Ash Review – Fantastic Visuals, Familiar Story

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As a huge movie fan, and after seeing all three Avatar films, I think we can finally put the debate about the series’ impact on culture to rest. It has left a mark, even if that mark is simply being the highest-grossing film franchise that doesn’t seem to have a deeper cultural resonance – and maybe that’s a mark in itself!

The main reason people are still arguing about the Avatar films is simple: they haven’t become a widespread cultural phenomenon like Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unlike those franchises, Avatar hasn’t been heavily shared and joked about online, or become a common topic of conversation outside of its dedicated fanbase – you don’t hear everyday people talking about it with their families. Beyond that, despite all the creativity, effort, and technology that goes into making the Avatar films, they don’t feel as fresh or groundbreaking as you might expect given the amount of work involved.

The experience of watching the new film is greatly amplified, for better and for worse. James Cameron’s latest installment is likely the best in the series so far, boasting incredible detail, grand action sequences, and breathtaking visuals. However, it frequently feels like a retread of the previous film, with familiar characters, conflicts, and plot points that even dedicated fans might find repetitive or wish to see evolve.

Fire and Ash Offers A Better Way (Of Water)

A year following the events of The Way of Water, Jake, Neytiri, and their family are still grieving the loss of their son, Neteyam. Lo’ak feels responsible, and Jake secretly shares that guilt. Meanwhile, Neytiri’s anger towards the human invaders grows, creating tension between her and their adopted son, Spider.

Seeing that Spider has unique needs – especially being able to breathe on Pandora – and noticing Neytiri becoming increasingly distant from their son, Jake plans a journey to leave Spider with a small group of humans who respect Pandora and its people more than the company running things. However, after being attacked by Varang and the dangerous Mangkwan tribe who live near the volcanoes, the Sully family is left isolated, with few allies and many new enemies.

To make matters even more dangerous, Jake’s old commander, Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), now exists as a consciousness inside an avatar body. He teams up with Varang, first to help humans change the planet to suit their needs, and then to destroy Jake Sully and his family completely.

James Cameron’s latest film, Fire and Ash, marks his tenth venture into fictional storytelling as a director. After over four decades and billions of dollars in box office success, it’s clear that doubting his creative choices is a risky move. Despite questions about dedicating so much time to a single franchise – the Avatar films – this strategy has proven incredibly successful for him, earning him a Best Director nomination, two Best Picture nominations, and even more billions in revenue. However, this third installment feels unusual; instead of a self-contained story, it plays out more like a season of a high-quality TV show, with the plot deliberately slowed down to build anticipation for a major conclusion.

Cameron appears to treat all the characters in the series as equally compelling, which leads to Fire and Ash rehashing familiar conflicts and storylines, particularly those seen in The Way of Water. The villain, Quaritch, and his soldiers, along with their constant shouts of “Oorah,” became uninteresting quite some time ago, and Jake’s tendency to manage his family like an army is equally frustrating.

Despite repeatedly putting the two main characters in the same situations, the movie quickly loses its impact. The return of Mick Scoresby, the Australian Tulkun hunter, feels unnecessary—especially considering what happened to his arm in the previous film. Pandora itself offers plenty of fascinating possibilities for future stories, with its unique plants and animals, and could easily support several more installments without relying on old characters or repeating familiar themes.

Even though the Sully family originally planned to leave their island home, the story revisits many familiar locations. The final showdown between General Ardmore’s forces and the Na’vi is larger in scale, but similar to what audiences have seen before. Along the way, the filmmakers introduce us to more of the Tulkun whale people – including a surprising courtroom scene – and to the Mangkwan, a new, visually impressive, and warlike clan.

Oona Chaplin truly shines as Varang, a cruel and passionate character, delivering what is arguably the film’s strongest performance. She convincingly portrays both the character’s intense anger and her wild, animalistic desire, making her a compelling match for Quaritch. However, it’s a letdown that Quaritch’s views never evolve, even after forming deep and personal connections with the Na’vi people.

After three movies, many of the characters aren’t as compelling as they were initially. Cameron originally created them with simple, bold traits to draw viewers into the world of the Na’vi. Jake, despite living on a planet where everyone is deeply connected, still treats his family harshly and hasn’t grown as a character. Furthermore, even with clear proof of humanity’s continued aggression, the Na’vi and their allies are slow to accept practical strategies for self-defense, waiting until it’s almost too late.

The movie surprisingly focuses a lot on Spider, a character who previously felt like a minor detail in the complex relationship between humans and the Na’vi. While the actor, Jack Champion, does a good job with the role, the story repeatedly asks him to choose between the two cultures, even though he’s already made his decision. Interestingly, the fact that Spider’s choice doesn’t really affect some important Na’vi characters is where the film finds some of its most compelling moments.

Cameron once again demonstrates incredible creativity and confidence in his action sequences. Even if these scenes don’t always significantly advance the plot, they’re still breathtaking. He doesn’t seem limited by budget or studio interference, instead delivering one stunning set piece after another with impressive clarity and technical skill – scenes you’ll want to analyze and lose yourself in. A standout example is a thrilling prison escape sequence that rivals any of his previous action highlights.

The movie is a bit of a mixed bag. While visually stunning and creatively ambitious, the story feels repetitive, often retreading familiar ground from previous films and even earlier parts of this one. Though some interesting ideas are introduced, they take a backseat to a central conflict that’s revisited too many times. Despite these issues, the film’s strong visuals make it strangely compelling.

Leading up to the release of Fire and Ash, Cameron has been surprisingly unsure if audiences will enjoy this film, or any future installments. Despite this, the movie offers a good ending to the story of Jake Sully and his family, even if the director himself might feel it’s not fully finished. It’s ironic that this film—which is likely the most visually stunning and well-made of the three—could still leave you wanting more. In fact, I’d happily watch another Avatar movie. That’s perhaps the true power of the series: even if you’re not completely captivated by each individual film, the overall experience is so compelling that you’ll continue to follow the story as long as it goes on.

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2025-12-16 17:02