‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Review: It’s time for James Cameron to leave Pandora

“Avatar” has always had its critics. I wasn’t one of them – at least in the beginning. I was blown away by the first movie. I was able to compartmentalize the comparisons to “Dances with Wolves,” “FernGully,” and “Pocahontas” and marvel at the world James Cameron had created.

However, over the course of the sequels, the good will I once had for the franchise diminishes. And fast.

The first film, released in 2009, followed Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), the former Marine turned blue giant Na’vi, the native species living in the distant plant Pandora. Instead of being a pawn of the Resources Development Administration (RDA), the militarized organization that wants to strip Pandora of its resources for a dying Earth, Jake decided to remain permanently in his “avatar” Na’vi body after falling in love with Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and proving himself to her clan, killing his former superior and arch-enemy Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang).

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Years later, in 2022′Avatar: The Way of Water,” we followed the family of Jake and Neytiri. They have four children: 16-year-old son Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) and 14-year-old Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), 14-year-old adopted daughter Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) and their youngest daughter, 8-year-old Tuk (Trinity Bliss). There’s also Miles “Spider” Socorro (Jack Champion), Quaritch’s 16-year-old biological son, who enjoys hanging out with the kids and actually considers himself one of them (think cousin Oliver joining “The Brady Bunch”).

They all flee the RDA while Quaritch, resurrected in an avatar Na’vi body, sets his sights on Jake’s scalp. They seek refuge with the aquatic Metkayina clan led by Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and Ronal (Kate Winslet). An epic battle ensues, Neteyam is tragically killed and the RDA retreats, setting the stage for the next film.

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Quaritch (Stephen Lang) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All rights reserved.

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” picks up where “The Way of Water” left off. The Sully family is reeling from Neteyam’s death while Lo’ak blames himself for what happened. Honestly, the plot for “Fire and Ash” is very similar to “The Way of Water”: RDA comes back for resources, Quaritch wants Jake, and an epic battle ensues. The main difference is that this film focuses on the dynamic between Spider and his estranged father, as well as the mysterious origins of Kiri, who emerged from Dr. Dr.’s avatar. Grace Augustine (also played by Weaver), the human scientist who died helping the Na’vi in ​​the first film. Someone needs to send Maury Povich to find out who the father is.

“Fire and Ash” also introduces us to the evil Varang (Oona Chaplin – granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin), the fierce leader of the Mangkwan clan of volcanic ash who aids Quaritch and the RDA in their war against the other Na’vi. It’s a shame that her character was largely wasted, as she was the most intriguing addition to the ‘Avatar’ universe – thanks in part to Chaplin’s breakout role.

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Oona Chaplin as Varang in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All rights reserved. (20th century studios)

The “Avatar” franchise has always had a cheesiness — and at first it was bearable. The Na’vi have such a strong spiritual bond with Pandora’s nature that they even have an appendage that can make physical contact with other plants and animals (and each other) to form a bond.

The cheesiness was heightened in ‘The Way of Water’ when it depicted the Na’vi having full conversations with these revered cetacean creatures, and there’s more of that in ‘Fire and Ash’. It’s a big part of these movies! It reminds me of that scene in “Anchorman” where Ron Burgundy randomly talks to his dog Baxter. It’s just so stupid, except we’re not allowed to laugh here.

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Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All rights reserved. (20th century studios)

“Fire and Ash,” like its two predecessors, is another technical achievement. The motion-captured performances are strong, the action sequences are fantastic, and the visual effects are incredible – except I remember being more impressed with “The Way of Water,” which explored Pandora’s oceans for the first time, while we don’t explore much new territory here.

Cameron began developing ‘Avatar’ in 1994. He clearly cares about this franchise, which already has two films planned after ‘Fire and Ash’. The question is whether we need two more “Avatar” movies. If “Fire and Ash” surpasses $1 billion at the global box office, as the first two “Avatar” films did, the world will answer yes. But if you ask me, I think it’s time for Cameron to leave Pandora behind.

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(L-R) Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All rights reserved.

The verdict

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” is a bloated, three-hour-plus sci-fi epic that thrives on its remarkable visuals. It’s the equivalent of riding the same roller coaster a third time: a carnival spectacle that slowly loses its excitement the more you ride it. If part of you is curious about the spectacle, watch it on the big screen it was made for – because it’s not worth watching on a small screen at home.

★★ — SKIP

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” is rated PG-13 for its intense sequences of violence and action, gory images, strong language, thematic elements and suggestive material. Running time: 3 hours and 15 minutes. Now in cinemas.

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