‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ has dynamite villains and dialogue that’s surf-bro hysterical

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“Avatar: The Way of Water” feels like a grand, personal journey directed by James Cameron, taking viewers back to the world he’s been imagining since he was a teenager. This latest installment, following Jake Sully, Neytiri, and their family, is a lengthy and intimate story. It focuses more on their everyday lives – the arguments, the affection, and the strengthening of their bonds – than on a fast-paced plot. Cameron has become so invested in these characters that he sees them as his own family.

Cameron’s clear love for the world of Pandora is a good enough reason to revisit it, especially while we wait for his next big film. However, the story itself hasn’t changed much: humans, often called “pink skins” or “sky people,” still want to exploit Pandora’s resources. The Na’vi, along with a variety of alien creatures – dinosaurs, whales, and more – continue to defend their home.

Since the death of their eldest son, Neteyam, in “Avatar: The Way of Water,” Jake and Neytiri have been struggling. Neytiri, deeply in mourning, has turned to prayer and her already strong dislike for humans has grown into intense hatred – she despises everything about them, from their appearance to their way of thinking.

But Jake’s husband still thinks like a human, remembering his past life. After embracing the Na’vi culture and facing hardship for it, he copes with his sadness by secretly collecting old weapons from the previous battle. This is a problem because the underwater community he now lives with – led by Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) and his wife Ronal (Kate Winslet, who is pregnant) – doesn’t allow metal weapons.

Jake and Neytiri have four children: Lo’ak, Kiri, and Tuk, who are Na’vi, and a human boy named Spider who they’ve taken in. Spider is actually the son of Miles Quaritch, a former enemy, and Neytiri worries about a potential custody battle. She considers getting rid of Spider, possibly even harming him, but it’s clear the director, James Cameron, won’t let his main character go that far.

Instead of getting caught up in the story, I decided to simply appreciate the little things: the creative designs, like hammerhead sharks shaped like pickaxes and ships moving like crabs, and even the over-the-top sound effects, such as a dramatic underwater scream – “Guh-glurrgggh!” I especially liked the unique way the Na’vi communicate with hisses, yips, and how they pronounce Jake Sully as if it’s a sneeze.

Cameron genuinely cares about protecting the environment, and his commitment is clear – he adopted a vegan lifestyle, which he calls ‘futurevore,’ even during the making of the ‘Avatar’ films. However, despite the huge success of ‘Avatar’ and its sequel – earning over $5 billion globally – it hasn’t really changed how people treat the planet.

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This installment introduces a new, formidable threat: the Ash Clan, a rebellious Na’vi group led by the ruthless Varang (Oona Chaplin). They’ve allied themselves with the returning Quaritch, motivated by a desire to defy the planet’s spiritual core. Quaritch is captivated by Varang, and audiences will likely be equally drawn to her compelling presence. Chaplin delivers her lines with fierce conviction, embodying a vengeful warrior raised in a harsh volcanic landscape – and her striking entrance features a daringly minimal outfit. Beyond the visual effects, Chaplin’s performance shines through, showcasing a powerful and believable character. It’s a fitting legacy for her grandfather, Charlie Chaplin, a pioneer who embraced cinematic innovation a century ago.

Even though Quaritch now looks like a Na’vi – with a shaved head and long ponytail – he’s still the most fun character to watch. He’s so committed to blending in that he even paints himself with the Ash Clan’s tribal markings, creating a literal red neck. His boss, General Ardmore, played by Edie Falco, eventually accuses him of becoming “Colonel Cochise,” highlighting the prejudiced divide between humans and the Na’vi in a way that makes her seem like a caricature of John Wayne.

Quaritch tells Jake that his skin color isn’t important – he still knows which side he’s on. Though the differences between the humans and the Na’vi are strongly emphasized – depicted as pink versus blue – Neytiri’s own prejudice against humans complicates things, adding a bit of moral grayness to the story.

A postcard from Pandora would feature its incredible sights: mountains that float in the air, forests that glow with life, and even intelligent, balloon-like creatures. While these are visually stunning, what’s truly remarkable – and a bold move by director James Cameron – is how he presents the fantastical as ordinary. Think of the 9-foot-tall Quaritch relaxing in a hoodie, or the opening scene of Na’vi teens riding flying creatures filmed to look like shaky, amateur footage – as if captured on a Go-Pro. It’s this unexpected realism that’s so compelling.

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Watching “Fire and Ash” in incredibly smooth high frame rate makes it feel powerfully real, almost to the point of being dreamlike. The way it mixes fantasy and everyday life is unsettling, and it gets even weirder when the young characters start acting overly energetic and boisterous, like they’re showing off at the gym. One shouts, “Cool, man!” and then gives a “high four”—a playful nod to the fact that the native Na’vi people only have four fingers on each hand.

James Cameron’s dialogue often gets criticized, but he has a knack for writing memorable lines. Nearly thirty years ago, his line “I see you” from “Titanic” became iconic, and he revisited it in “Avatar.” Now, the phrase is commonplace. While it might seem strange to hear Spider exclaim “This is sick!” while performing acrobatic feats, or Kiri complain “That really sucks” after learning about her unique birth, Cameron is choosing natural-sounding dialogue over typical sci-fi clichés. It’s understandable that Sully’s children would speak like him, and given how realistic they appear, you almost expect to be able to smell them!

Similar to disagreements between generations on college campuses today, the younger Na’vi characters disagree with their elders about excluding Payakan, a whale who communicates with surprisingly serious subtitles. Payakan declares, “You will never hear my song again.” The whale and his group have unique markings – piercings and tattoos – which raises some funny questions, like how they even manage to tattoo each other with their fins!

As you watch “Fire and Ash,” you’re likely revisiting familiar themes: Where does Spider truly fit in? When is violence acceptable? And will these heavily armed humans ever recognize they’re the ones causing harm? The film doesn’t seem interested in offering new insights, but rather in having its characters explore these questions with slightly more depth. Given that James Cameron plans to continue the story for at least five more films, the central conflict – the fight for control of the planet – feels less urgent, and more about waiting to see if Lang’s character, Quaritch, will ever find redemption.

If James Cameron decides to make sequels to “Avatar,” he should move away from the typical action-movie battles and try something truly original: a more intimate story following Jake and Neytiri’s children as they go to college on an alien world. That would be a really interesting direction to take the franchise.

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2025-12-16 17:03