The audience could feel the thirteen-year gap between the first Avatar movie and 2022’s The Way of Water. Not just because the characters were older, but the already groundbreaking technology had come so far during that time. While Avatar: Fire and Ash might not be as gigantic a leap forward in terms of visual effects, the technology continues to evolve with each sequel. The motion capture, or performance capture, has advanced to the point that you can turn off the sound and still follow what the characters are feeling. It’s all the more impressive considering how layered some of the emotions are here.
The Sully family is still grieving the loss of eldest son Neteyam. Jake (Sam Worthington) has grown colder toward second-born Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) for not being there for his brother. Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) takes her pain out on the human Spider (Jack Champion), questioning why they continue to make sacrifices for a human. The other Sully children nonetheless see Spider as one of their own. To teenager and possible Na’vi Messiah Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), he might be something even deeper. Nevertheless, Jake and Neytiri have to make choices regarding Spider that don’t always portray them in the most heroic light.
Spider’s biological father, Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), also finds himself more conflicted than before. While still committed to bringing Jake in, circumstances occasionally require him to team with the enemy. Despite saying that he’s loyal to the military, Quaritch hasn’t felt all that welcome ever since being brought back in an Avatar body. He finds a kindred spirit in Varang (Oona Chaplin), the leader of the Na’vi’s volcano clan. Unlike the other Na’vi clans we’ve seen up to this point, Varang’s people are thirsty for destruction, which Quaritch happily quenches with guns in exchange for hunting Sully.
While Varang isn’t the most complex villainess, the charismatic Chaplin is so deliciously savage that it’s hard not to enjoy every moment she’s on screen. The military personnel are still mostly one-dimensional threats, Lang being the only actor who brings much personality. Regarding the central conflict between our main characters, though, there are more shades of grey – or blue – than ever before. It isn’t purely good Na’vi vs. bad humans anymore. Although that’s still generally the status quo, the protagonists are challenged with ethical dilemmas that. Even if the filmmakers could’ve gone further with these moral quandaries, it makes for the most thematically interesting Avatar movie.
Although Fire and Ash gives us more to think about, the script remains the weakest part of this franchise. With Neteyam dying in the last film, you’d think the characters would say “Bro” less. It’s just one of the many lines they continue to repeat, however. Certain plot points are recycled as well. Just when you thought we were done with the whaling storyline, we dive back into that. There are also fewer new settings explored in this adventure, with the volcano backdrop only touched upon. Even those who love the first two Avatar movies usually admit that they’re apologists when it comes to their stories. They may feel the same way about Fire and Ash, but it might be time for James Cameron to bring a few new writers on board.
While dialogue isn’t his strong suit (anymore at least), Cameron continues to prove that nobody does spectacle like him. Fire and Ash is such a visual marvel that the audience doesn’t feel the three-hour-plus runtime. Other than maybe the final forty minutes of Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, the climax here is the most exhilarating big-screen experience I’ve had all year. In an age where a certain streamer is supposedly trying to kill the theatrical experience, Fire and Ash once again proves that the silver screen adds another level to moviegoing that even the fanciest of home theaters can’t replicate. Whether you love these movies or think they’re overrated, each offers an unforgettable trip to the cineplex. Fire and Ash is no exception.