Avatar Fire and Ash – REVIEW

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Following the aquatic adventures of the second movie, writer-director James Cameron raises the stakes for Jake Sully and his family in Avatar: Fire and Ash.

The story continues a few weeks after the events of the previous film, where Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) died fighting the ‘Sky People’ – also known as the Resources Development Administration (RDA). Now, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and their children – Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), Spider (Jack Champion), and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) – are adjusting to life without him as they settle in with the Metkayina Clan, living among the stunning reefs of Pandora. Each family member is coping with their grief in a personal way.

Spider is causing trouble. He constantly says ‘bro’ and acts like an annoying surfer, and he’s still in his human form, needing a mask to breathe on Pandora. A broken mask could be fatal, so Jake decides he needs to leave the planet. The family travels with the Wind Traders to take him to High Camp, the Omatikaya’s base. However, their journey is interrupted when they’re attacked by the Ash People, led by Varang, who look strikingly like a Siouxsee Sioux tribute band. The Ash People are angry because a volcanic eruption destroyed their homeland, and they blame Pandora’s spirit for it. Now, they’re focused on fighting and attacking anyone they can, seemingly fueled by rage – one might even say they’re acting like Harry and Meghan.

As Sully and his allies face conflict with the Ash people, the RDA is rebuilding its forces with the goal of exploiting Pandora’s valuable resources, including the large, whale-like creatures featured in the previous film. The return of Colonel Quaritch, now inhabiting a Na’vi body and still seeking revenge against Sully, significantly raises the tension.

James Cameron’s signature style is all over this film – stunning visual effects, a fascination with military technology, and powerful female characters like Zoe Saldana and Oona Chaplin. However, having moved to New Zealand and adopted a vegan lifestyle, Cameron’s perspective has shifted, and that’s clear in these Avatar movies. The films heavily emphasize environmental conservation, particularly protecting ocean life, as the villains aim to exploit natural resources – a plot that feels eerily relevant to current events. Cameron delivers this message with his usual grand scale and exciting action sequences, keeping the story engaging. The film’s environmental themes are incredibly timely, even more so than when the first Avatar was released, and will likely continue to grow in importance.

While Avatar: Fire and Ash is visually impressive, it does have some drawbacks. At nearly three and a half hours long, the film feels overly extended. The 3D effects, though improved since the first Avatar, don’t consistently add significant value to the experience. The direction of a potential fourth film is fairly predictable, and given James Cameron’s age (71) and the lengthy production time his films require due to his technological innovations, many viewers are hoping he’ll soon tackle a new project. He has mentioned several possibilities, including a film about the bombing of Hiroshima, a sequel to Alita: Battle Angel, and even a new Terminator movie exploring the dangers of artificial intelligence.

James Cameron is clearly passionate about the ideas explored in Avatar. Given the massive success of the first two films – both ranking among the highest-grossing of all time – and with the third film expected to also earn over $2 billion, it’s improbable he’ll move away from continuing the series.

Here’s the Avatar Fire and Ash trailer….

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2025-12-16 17:24