Review - Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

      Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, James Cameron has returned to the world of Pandora with Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third chapter of the Avatar franchise. This movie features a cast that includes Sam Worthington, Zöe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, David Thewlis, Jack Champion, and Sigourney Weaver. 

     So, it's been a year since Jake Sully, Neytiri, and their children have settled in with the ocean dwelling Metkayina clan,  and they are still struggling to grieve over the death of their eldest son Neteyam. However, they must now contend with the escalating conflict on Pandora and face a dangerous Na'vi clan: the volcano dwelling Mangkwan, aka the Ash People, who have joined forces with Col. Miles Quaritch and his Recombinants. 

      Okay, so when it comes to the overall narrative, it fall in three places. One is, of course, Jake's efforts to keep as many people safe from the wrath of the humans as possible, and despite wanting out of the fight, finds he has no choice but to lead the fight. Another is a coming-of-age narrative surrounding Lo'ak, and seeing him prove he's more than capable of being trusted by his father and those who doubt him. And, lastly, we have Spider having something of a hero's journey that ties his fate to that of Kiri, who goes on her own spiritual journey. 

      And, speaking of Spider, it was shown in the trailers that Spider gains the ability to breathe Pandora's air. And, yes, this becomes a major plot point, as the changes to his physiology could be the key to full human colonization, which would be bad for Pandora. But, at the same time, it gives Spider a much more active role in the overall narrative, and Jack Champion's performance really elevates this part of the narrative. 

      One of the more fascinating points of any Avatar movie is the introduction of new Na'vi clans, and Fire and Ash gives us two. One is the peaceful and nomadic Wind Traders, who traverse the skies of Pandora aboard these massive airborne gondolas, and I thoroughly enjoyed their clan leader, Peylak, who was portrayed quite well by David Thewlis. The other clan is the more violent and aggressive clan known as the Mangkwan. These guys have a tragic backstory, as their village was close to a volcano, and was destroyed when the volcano erupted. And, as no help came, they chose to forsake Eywa and worshipped fire instead. Their leader, Varang, makes for a really interesting new antagonist, and her connection with Quaritch is a highlight of the movie for me. And, I gotta give major props to Oona Chaplin's performance as Varang in this movie. 

       Of course, many of the returning performers were fantastic, including Sam Worthington as Jake, Zöe Saldaña as Neytiri, Stephen Lang as Quaritch, and so forth. Seeing several of these characters introduced in either the first Avatar or in Avatar: The Way of Water get some resolution to their characters in this movie was very much earned. But, I won't go too into detail because I want to avoid spoilers. 

       But, like the first two Avatar movies, the real star of Fire and Ash is the visual effects. The creature designs for both returning creatures like the ikran, Toruk, the tulkun, the various ocean creatures of Pandora, and the new creatures that get introduced in this movie, all of them look amazing. The various locations, such as the Spirit World, the gondolas of the Wind Traders, the burnt remains of the Mangkwan village, and so forth. Everything that James Cameron put on screen was absolutely designed, and enhanced with the 3D, and made to look spectacular in the IMAX format. So, much like The Way of Water, Avatar: Fire and Ash is a must-see cinematic experience that needs to be seen in the best format possible. 

      Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you in the next review.