Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) – Review

Avatar: Fire and Ash quick thoughts:

1. Good news! There’s still a lot of aquatic mayhem. I was worried there would be an overwhelming amount of fire and ash.
2. If you like the first two Avatar films, you will like this film
3. The Avatar world works because of the immersive world and impressive visual effects. If you won’t allow yourself to get lost in the world because of the clunky dialogue/story, don’t watch it. 
4. Between Avatar 2 & 3, Whale Rider, Murina, Meg 1 & 2, Last Breath, The Fountain, Virus, True Spirit, and Deep Rising, Cliff Curtis is the water movie king.
5. Trust James Cameron. 

While many cinephiles complain that Cameron should be making other films, I love that he keeps returning to the Avatar world for several reasons. 

1. James Cameron does what he wants. Nobody is forcing him to make them, and he must enjoy the world because he spends a lot of time in Pandora
2. The Avatar films are visually beautiful and immersive in a way that needs to be experienced. 
3. Cameron knows that the Avatar movies will make tremendous sums of money. This is good for theaters and his bank account.
4. The Avatar films feature gigantic battles in which large sea creatures obliterate hunting boats. 
5. The films are jaw-droppingly beautiful. 

When it comes to the Avatar world created by James Cameron, you either love Pandora or cringe every time you hear the word “unobtanium.” If you’re cool with familiar storylines and clunky dialogue that happen in the immersive world, then you’ll have a grand time watching the impressive visuals. If you can’t stand clunky dialogue or familiar storylines, then you’ll look at the gorgeous VFX with contempt. I love what James Cameron has created because he’s given the world a reason to go to theaters.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is a perfect movie for film critics who need to fulfill a specific word count because the 197-minute movie packs an incredible amount of story into its running time. Recapping the plot would require at least 3,000 words because there’s the Sully family, old enemies, new enemies, ancient sea creatures, evil corporations, ancient flying monsters, sky battles, sea battles, jail breaks, family drama, big speeches, Wind Traders, and about 43 characters with speaking roles. In the press notes, Cameron explained that the movie is about “a family processing what it means to be in a war, for kids to be in a war, for parents to let their kids go and trust them enough that they’re going to make the right decisions.” This is a great mini-summation, but it leaves out a lot of story.

The opening of the film focuses on Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Tuktirey (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss), Spider (Jack Champion), and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), grieving the loss of their eldest son, Neteyam (Jamie Slatter), who died in Avatar: The Way of Water. They are still living amongst the Metkayina clan, and enjoy a peaceful life as they hide out from the RDA and franchise villain Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). Problems arise when Jake realizes that Spider (a human who can’t breathe Pandora’s air) can’t wear an oxygen mask forever, as its batteries need charging and they occasionally die when he’s asleep (which isn’t good). Jake and Neytiri decide to send Spider off with a group of Wind Traders who promise to take Spider to a high altitude with breathable air. The journey is perilous for the Wind Traders, so the Sully family agree to provide security, which will allow them to spend more time with their adopted son. While on the trip, the convoy is attacked by a maniac named Varang (Oona Chaplin), who is the leader of the war-loving Mangkwan clan (who live near a volcano, hence the fire and ash), and the family is separated around Pandora. 

While Sully is looking for his kids, he’s attacked and subdued by Quaritch and Corporal Lyle Wainfleet (Matt Gerald). While tied up, Sully informs Quaritch that Spider (Quaritch is his dad – so much plot), has been kidnapped by Varang, and he recruits the two recombinants to help save his family. During the rescue mission, Quaritch meets Varang, and the two eventually team up to kill Sully. Everything builds to a massive battle between several armies, hundreds of sea creatures, thousands of flying monsters, and a bunch of badass sea squid. 

The reason audiences go to watch the Avatar films is because Pandora is a great place to visit. The 3D effects and lush design are unrivaled and need to be seen on the largest screen possible. Russell Carpenter’s cinematography allows the world to feel immersive as he relies on wide shots that capture the immense world created by the wizards at WETA. The production design by Dylan Cole and Ben Procter is wonderful and makes the world feel real and gigantic. Cameron has created a world worth visiting, and I wouldn’t mind if the film were 4+ hours because I like getting lost in the world. Sure, there are way too many characters, but since each character needs screen time, it means that I get to spend more time watching massive sea creatures jumping out of the water so they can destroy whaling boats. 

I had a great time watching Avatar: Fire and Ash because I wasn’t expecting world-changing dialogue or nuance. I wanted beautiful-looking Pandora action and that’s exactly what I got. Cameron is out here making huge movies that take us to another world, and I respect that.