Avatar: Fire and Ash Rotten Tomatoes Score Sets Unwanted Franchise Record

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While the Avatar movies are famous for their amazing visual effects, the first two films – Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water – have also received good reviews and awards, including Oscar nominations. Both movies are “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, proving their success isn’t just about the special effects. With the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash this December, everyone wondered if it would be as well-received, and the first reviews are now available.

Currently, Avatar: Fire and Ash has a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 107 reviews. While this is a good score, it’s the lowest of any film in the Avatar series. The original Avatar from 2009 received an 81% rating, and The Way of Water earned 76%. The first two Avatar movies are considered ‘Certified Fresh’ on Rotten Tomatoes, a designation Fire and Ash hasn’t achieved and won’t unless its score climbs to 75% or higher.

What Are Critics Saying About Avatar: Fire and Ash?

Okay, so there isn’t a big, official critics’ roundup yet, but I’ve been checking out what people are saying about Avatar: Fire and Ash. It seems pretty clear what’s working and what’s not. Honestly, the visual effects are getting all the love, and deservedly so! Everyone’s saying it’s a technical masterpiece, and you really need to see it on the biggest screen possible – I’m definitely splurging for IMAX 3D. If you’ve followed the Avatar movies from the start, this isn’t a surprise. Amazing visuals are just what we expect from these films at this point, and this one definitely delivers!

Many reviews also point out a weakness in the story. Even people who generally like Fire and Ash say it doesn’t quite deliver this time. Critics often described the plot as repetitive and too similar to previous movies, suggesting the film retreads familiar territory – a concern that was already raised in early social media reactions. While Oona Chaplin’s new villain, Varang, is seen as a positive addition, Fire and Ash ultimately doesn’t do enough to feel unique, especially given its long running time.

Keep in mind that Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t have all the reviews for Avatar: Fire and Ash yet. For comparison, the first Avatar film has 334 reviews, and The Way of Water has 453. We can expect hundreds more Fire and Ash reviews to come in over the next few days, which could change the current score. It will be interesting to see how those new reviews affect things. While the score probably won’t change dramatically, there’s still a possibility Fire and Ash could be certified fresh if enough reviewers are impressed by its visuals, even if the story isn’t perfect.

As a huge cinema fan, I’ve been following the buzz around Fire and Ash, and James Cameron seems to be suggesting he won’t rush Avatar 4 and Avatar 5. He’s said the release schedule could depend on how Fire and Ash does at the box office, but honestly, the early reviews suggest he might be better off taking a breather and working on something else for a while. The world of Avatar is so detailed and fascinating, and there’s definitely more story to tell, but these reviews seem to be saying the films need a fresh approach. We’ve seen Pandora and its people in all their visual glory, so to keep the series going beyond Fire and Ash, the story itself really needs to be compelling.

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2025-12-16 20:44