There’s Something Weird About the 3-D in Avatar: Fire and Ash

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The new movie Avatar: Fire and Ash is fantastic, but its release is likely to reignite an old argument about high frame rates (HFR). If you watch it in 3D, you might notice certain scenes look strangely smooth – almost like a soap opera or a behind-the-scenes video. While the movement is very fluid, it just doesn’t feel right. It’s similar to the motion smoothing feature on many TVs, although fans of HFR would disagree with that comparison. Fire and Ash shows images at 48 frames per second (fps) instead of the usual 24 fps, which has been the standard for decades.

While Avatar: The Way of Water used high frame rate (HFR) technology a little bit three years ago, the new film, Fire and Ash, uses it much more often – and it’s noticeable. Director James Cameron estimates around 40% of Fire and Ash is filmed in HFR, particularly in underwater sequences and scenes with a lot of movement. This causes the frame rate to change frequently throughout the movie. Although Cameron has specific artistic reasons for this approach, the constant switching between 48 and 24 frames per second felt disorienting and made some scenes feel disjointed, almost like watching a rough cut of the film.

Fans of high frame rate (HFR) video love it because it creates incredibly sharp images and, crucially, eliminates the flickering or stuttering sometimes seen at the standard 24 frames per second – especially during fast movement or camera pans. This flicker, known as “judder,” really bothers some tech enthusiasts, and they notice it once they see it. However, most viewers don’t even seem to mind it. I’ve never heard a regular moviegoer complain about judder, although some have said HFR itself can look strange. Director James Cameron argues that the headaches some people get from 3-D movies are actually caused by their brains trying to compensate for judder – which is a big concern for him, given that his films are often over three hours long in 3-D. He views HFR not as a new format like 3-D or 70mm film, but as a tool to improve the 3-D experience. While he might be right, people I know who typically get headaches from 3-D still experienced them even while watching The Way of Water, which used HFR technology.

However, there’s a practical issue with not recognizing High Frame Rate (HFR) as a distinct format: theaters usually don’t advertise when a film is shown in HFR. They clearly label showings for 3-D, IMAX, and Dolby (and occasionally 35mm or 70mm film), but HFR is only mentioned if it’s marketed as a special, premium experience with a higher price. This means many viewers might pay to see Fire and Ash in 3-D and be surprised by the unusual, soap opera-like visual effect in parts of the film. One option would be to skip the 3-D version altogether, which is unfortunate since the first Avatar looked fantastic in 3-D without needing HFR. I personally saw The Way of Water in several formats and consistently preferred the standard 24 frames per second.

The use of different frame rates in movies has a rich history. You can find detailed information about that history in these articles [link 1], [link 2], [link 3], and [link 4]. High frame rate (HFR) gained popularity recently with advancements in digital effects and 3-D filmmaking. Director Peter Jackson used HFR for his Hobbit trilogy (2012–2014), and Ang Lee released two films in the format: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (2016) and Gemini Man (2019). While The Hobbit films were successful, Ang Lee’s HFR movies weren’t well-received, and overall, both critics and audiences haven’t fully accepted this new technology.

Supporters of High Frame Rate (HFR) filmmaking say it creates a more realistic, clear, and smooth picture, mirroring how we naturally see the world, and they value that realism. While HFR can make things look more real, I don’t think it’s an improvement. Action scenes like explosions and gunfights feel strangely small and unimportant. More significantly, acting that feels natural at the standard 24 frames per second can seem stiff and overdone with HFR—it’s as if you’re watching the actor perform in person and feel embarrassed by their exaggerated performance. As critic David Edelstein observed when reviewing the first Hobbit movie, the epic scale of The Lord of the Rings was replaced with something that felt like a low-budget stage production.

Movies have always been created and experienced at 24 frames per second, and altering that standard breaks the sense of immersion. As I noted in my review of Gemini Man, movies aren’t meant to be realistic; trying to make them feel real actually highlights their artificiality. Cinema relies on a certain level of detachment – it needs to feel a little like a dream, even in simple stories. The debate around High Frame Rate (HFR) is so heated because some believe it’s the future of film, and that, honestly, would likely ruin it. Ultimately, movies are about texture, lighting, and movement, and drastically changing those core elements risks destroying what makes cinema special.

James Cameron is known for being passionate and defensive about his use of High Frame Rate (HFR) in his films. When questioned about criticism of HFR, he recently pointed to the $2.3 billion worldwide gross of Avatar: The Way of Water, suggesting that success speaks for itself. He also stated he simply likes the look of HFR and it’s his artistic choice. Given how visually impressive Fire and Ash appears, he’s likely to feel even more justified in his approach. However, I believe he privately acknowledges that the traditional 24 frames per second remains the better format. He initially intended all the Avatar sequels to be in HFR, but later changed his mind, deciding to use it selectively. As he explained with The Way of Water, HFR works well for scenes needing a strong sense of immersion, like underwater sequences or flight, but can be detrimental to more ordinary scenes, where a standard 24 fps creates a more natural, cinematic feel. Ultimately, I think that “cinematic feeling” is crucial, regardless of what’s happening on screen – whether it’s characters having a conversation or soaring through the air on digital dragons.

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2025-12-19 21:56