What Works for Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron has done a fabulous job in keeping the world of Pandora alive and running. Close to a couple of decades in the making, Avatar continues to be a visual masterpiece that not many have been able to replicate or even come close to. Thankfully, that remains constant once again. The filmmaker manages to keep the essence of the otherworldly feeling alive throughout the course of Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Another commendable factor is the relationship between Jake and Neytiri, which goes through a rollercoaster of emotions during the film. It shows just how sapient the world-building has been and taken form in Avatar. They have their differences and their love-filled moments, and gladly, there’s not too much of it.
Finally, towards the end, the actual fight that the plot leads up to is worth the wait. With multiple action scenes and possible losses for the Na’vi tribe bringing the fun, you cannot help but root for the leads and cheer in happiness as they take charge of the bad guys.
What Does Not Work for Avatar: Fire and Ash
The dialogues are almost too cringeworthy in some cases. While trying to be Gen Z-friendly, all the ‘bros’ and dap-ups get a bit much as a viewer. Coming to the new characters, while we’re glad there weren’t too many unseen faces to learn, the antagonist for this sequel, Oona Chaplin’s Varang, is not given her moment to shine. She teeters on the verge of being docile after coming across Quaritch, despite being a leader herself. The anticlimactic end to her presence on the screen is honestly frustrating, because not only does she not kill anyone significant, but she also escapes the Sullys very easily. Her standoff with Neytiri should’ve been bigger and better!
The film moves at a glacial pace, with the most basic turnarounds taking dozens of minutes to take place. The side quests by the kids and the connection with their ‘Mother’ (whose names are so varied that you’re not sure if it’s the same entity every time) take too long to come to fruition, with very obvious signs from the get-go.
Lastly, no character meets a cathartic or brutal end except Kate Winslet’s Ronal, who gets a good, emotional closure. While the previous film left a big impact with the loss of Neteyam, Fire and Ash does not evoke similar emotions.
Acting Performances in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Jack Champion as Miles “Spider” Socorro and Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch take the crowns for this one, with Sigourney Weaver as Kiri taking the consolation prize. The former two managed to bring exciting elements, keeping their acting the most well-presented throughout the film.
Final Verdict of Avatar: Fire and Ash
With no passing to mourn and an obvious storyline at play, the third instalment in the Avatar franchise will not blow your socks off your feet. It takes a comfortable seat at the cinema hall for 197 minutes, which is truly far too long, for some expected cards to show. Children and fans of the Pandora-world would surely enjoy getting sucked back into the universe, but with hardly any Ash lying around, we wonder if just the Fire would quench the thirst among viewers.
