Avatar: Fire and Ash will give you déjà vu as it repeats a common issue of the series

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Despite doubts that interest in Avatar had faded, Avatar: The Way of Water became one of the highest-grossing films ever in 2022, earning $2.34 billion. While that film followed a 13-year gap since the original, Avatar: Fire and Ash is coming much sooner – just three years later – and was actually filmed at the same time as The Way of Water.

The third Avatar movie actually came about because the script for Avatar: The Way of Water was originally much longer and had to be divided into two parts, and you can definitely feel that in this film. Avatar: Fire and Ash doesn’t so much follow directly after the previous movie as it continues the same story, essentially acting as a long, extended conclusion to what would have been a dramatic turning point – the death of Neteyam – in the original plan.

While Avatar: The Last Airbender: Fire and Ash isn’t a carbon copy of the sequel, it revisits Pandora with a new tribe and different themes. Like the previous film, it’s visually stunning, but the story doesn’t quite live up to those impressive visuals.

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Following the events of the previous film, Avatar: Fire and Ash finds Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) still mourning the loss of their son. Meanwhile, Spider (Jack Champion), who is the son of Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang), has become an accepted member of the Sully family. However, because Spider needs an oxygen mask to breathe, the Sullys decide to move to High Camp, where humans live, to ensure he has the support he needs.

The Sully family soon realizes they made a mistake, as they are attacked by the Mangkwan clan – a fierce Na’vi tribe also called the Ash People – putting everyone in danger. However, the threat doesn’t end there; the RDA is rebuilding its forces, and Quaritch is still determined to get his revenge.

A major issue with Avatar: Fire and Ash is how familiar it feels. Many scenes – like Quaritch pursuing Jake and destroying Na’vi homes, Kiri trying to connect with Eywa, or Lo’ak’s friendship with Payakan – strongly resemble moments from the first film. The overall storyline also repeats the basic ‘chase and rescue’ pattern we’ve seen before.

The film maintains its quality all the way to the end, culminating in a large-scale battle between Jake, Neytiri, the Na’vi clans, and the forces of Quaritch and the RDA. While James Cameron delivers an exciting action sequence – especially with the Tulkun joining the fight – the impact is lessened after two previous films.

What prevents Avatar: Fire and Ash from feeling like a simple repeat of past stories is the introduction of the Ash People. They’re a truly unique addition to the Na’vi groups we’ve seen before, with a culture deeply shaped by the loss of their homeland and a belief that Eywa is responsible. Oona Chaplin delivers a fantastic performance as Varang, the leader of the Ash People, making her a complex and engaging villain rather than a stereotypical one.

Varang’s presence keeps Quaritch from simply repeating past storylines, and their surprising bond is a key strength of Avatar: Fire and Ash. Stephen Lang, alongside the consistently impressive Zoe Saldaña, continues to be a standout performer, allowing Quaritch to show new dimensions even while still focused on tracking down Jake.

Like its predecessor, this film is incredibly visually stunning, thanks to James Cameron’s masterful direction. The immersive 3D and beautiful landscapes truly make you feel like you’re visiting the world of Pandora. The film’s realism is also due to impressive motion-capture technology; even though the actors are playing alien characters, their performances feel genuine and believable.

From a purely visual standpoint, Avatar: Fire and Ash is a stunning film, deserving a top rating, but it truly shines in 3D. Even when the story gets a little slow or complicated, the visuals are always impressive. However, because the plot is somewhat repetitive, watching it again won’t be as enjoyable unless you can recreate the immersive 3D experience.

If you’re a big fan of Avatar, Avatar: Fire and Ash gives you exactly what you’d expect – more of the same stunning world and visuals. It’s still too early to know if the long wait between films boosted Avatar: The Way of Water‘s box office success, but the appeal of an Avatar movie is undeniable.

If the story goes back to Pandora for Avatar 4, let’s hope it offers something new, even with the stunning visuals we can expect.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is released in cinemas on 19 December.

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2025-12-16 17:20