Avatar: Fire and Ash first reactions are in as critics single out “unimaginable” and “bold” sequel filmmaking

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Initial reactions to ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash‘ are in, and the third movie in James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ series looks promising before its release later this month.

I’m really excited about this new movie! Official reviews aren’t out yet, but critics are already sharing their first impressions online, and so far, almost everyone seems to love it. It’s a great sign!

As a huge film buff, I’m still completely blown away by the Avatar movies, even after seeing the third one! Collider’s Perri Nemiroff really hit the nail on the head – Fire and Ash genuinely feels like you’re on an incredible journey.

She explained that she was immediately drawn back into the world of Pandora and immersed in the story. Once that happened, making the film became noticeably more complicated in many ways.

Courtney Howard described the film as a “glorious saga,” praising it as “bold, brilliant, and awesome” – the kind of movie best experienced in a theater. Writer Michael Lee noted that the film is a technical marvel, exceeding expectations in its innovation.

Chris Killian from ComicBook.com praised the film as a fantastic James Cameron experience, urging viewers to see it in 3-D at the highest quality theater possible, predicting it will be visually stunning. He highlighted it as the most action-packed installment in the Avatar series yet, delivering the beautiful visuals audiences expect from Cameron.

I’ve been hearing from other fans that this movie really connects with the last one, The Way of the Water. A lot of us think it would be awesome – and maybe even make more sense – to rewatch The Way of the Water before seeing this new film. It seems like they really build on what happened in the previous one!

YouTuber Adam Hlaváč said it felt like a sequel to a previous story. He was incredibly impressed with how the movie looked and sounded, as well as the acting. He especially recommended seeing it in Dolby 3D, calling the experience unbelievably immersive.

Jesse Hassenger observed that the new film feels more like a traditional sequel, unlike previous James Cameron follow-ups which dramatically reimagined the original. However, he also praised it for including several of the year’s best action sequences, keeping him completely engaged throughout.

Most people reacted very positively, though a few had minor concerns. Eric Goldman, for instance, praised the film as visually stunning and highlighted James Cameron’s skill at creating spectacle, but he felt the third act wasn’t as strong and that Avatar: The Way of Water was still the best in the series.

Matt Neglia from Next Best Picture noted the film has the most emotionally impactful scenes of any in the series and is the largest in scale and length so far. However, he also pointed out some odd decisions and admitted it could be frustrating at times.

Everyone generally loved how the film looked, but some critics weren’t as impressed. Clayton Davis from Variety, for example, called it unnecessarily long and overstuffed.

He described the conversations as often awkward and uncomfortable, and said the plot ultimately felt like a strange mix of the sitcom ‘My Two Dads’ and a dramatic, fiery romance.

Kaitlyn Booth criticized the movie’s predictable plot, describing it as a repetitive ‘capture/rescue’ story with poor dialogue. She also found the film unnecessarily long and warned viewers with sensitive eyes to skip the 3D version.

The latest installment of the film arrives in UK cinemas on December 19th. Returning stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet are joined by new cast members Oona Chaplin, Edie Falco, and David Thewlis.

Okay, so heading into the new film, the story picks up a year after Jake and Neytiri have joined the Metkayina clan. It’s clear the family is still deeply affected by the loss of Neteyam, and a big part of what we’ll see is them dealing with that grief. It’s a somber starting point, but promises some really emotional moments.

As the fighting on Pandora intensifies, Jake faces a new threat: the Mangkwan clan, known as the Ash People. Led by the fierce Varang, this aggressive Na’vi tribe has joined forces with Jake’s old enemy, Quaritch, leading to increasingly destructive results.

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2025-12-02 15:05