‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ review | James Cameron’s Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” exemplifies director James Cameron’s vision for the future of filmmaking in a way that parallels Walt Disney’s plans for Epcot.
Before I spend the entirety of this review gushing over the cinematic achievement that I think “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is, I want to spend a few minutes talking about Epcot. (I promise, there’s a point to this…) Few things have captured the imagination of so many people as Walt Disney’s original plans for Epcot — not the theme park, but the community he wanted to build: one that was supposed to do away with the trappings and downsides of the modern-day city and replace them with a glimpse into the future, one where new ideas and new technologies were at the forefront of every decision, one where pushing the envelope was the name of the game, so to speak.
In fact, Walt himself once said: “Epcot … will always be introducing, testing, and demonstrating new materials and systems. Epcot will always be a showcase to the world for the ingenuity and imagination …”
Photo by Blake Taylor
Although Walt’s passing in 1966 put an end to his grand plans for the perfect city, one could say the spirit behind Epcot has lived on in the hearts of anyone who tries to create something new, something that utilizes the cutting edge of technology to reinvent a tried-and-true formula. In the world of film, I’d argue that no one has taken the “Epcot” baton and run with it as much as director James Cameron and the “Avatar” franchise.
Much has been said about the “Avatar” franchise and its place in the grand scheme of culture (or lack thereof, if you’re to believe many of the people who frequent various social media platforms). While the plots of the individual films that make up the saga might not be the most original, there is something to be said for a series that is constantly at the forefront of technology and innovation, as this one is.
I’m pleased to say “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is a continuation of this trend, and is one of the most breathtaking things I’ve seen in a movie theater in a long time. Cameron expertly weaves a compelling family drama, a high-stakes action blockbuster, and a technological showcase together in a way that kept me with a gigantic smile plastered on my face for the entire three-hours-and-17-minute runtime.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” is the third film in the “Avatar” franchise, and picks up almost immediately after the previous entry, “The Way of Water,” left off. As such, the plot is dense and might take viewers who are coming in without having rewatched at least the previous entry a little while to reacclimate to all the various storylines at work. Think of it like jumping into “Game of Thrones” in the middle of Season 4.
I’ll do my best to summarize where our leading players are when this film kicks off:
- Jake Sully and Neytiri are still grieving the death of their oldest son, Neteyam, after he was killed during the climactic battle at the end of the last film.
- Jake and Neytiri’s son, Lo’ak, is grappling with the guilt of feeling that he was responsible for his brother’s death, as well as his complicated relationship with both his father and his “soul brother,” Payakan the Tulkun.
- Kiri, the teenage daughter of the Na’vi avatar of Dr. Grace Augustine from the first film, is still trying to unravel the mystery of her birth and why she seems to have a deeper connection to Eywa than others do.
- Spider, the human son of the villainous late Colonel Miles Quaritch, is trying to find his place in the Na’vi world.
- Quaritch himself, who has been in a Na’vi body since the second film, is still hell-bent on getting his revenge on the Sully clan for their role in his original death at the end of the first film. When all the characters encounter the Mangkwan clan, led by the fiery and powerful tribe leader Varang, the battle for Pandora escalates to a whole new level.
While the plot is dense, the film’s pacing never gets bogged down by its many moving parts. In fact, while some might get sticker shock at the over-three-hour runtime, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the film moves from beat to beat and never feels bored or overwhelmed.
I was also completely sucked in by how incredible this film looks technically. There are scenes in which digital creatures, motion-capture characters, and real-life actors all appear on the same digitally rendered set, and it seems absolutely seamless. Cameron has used every tool and trick that his over 45 years of experience in the film industry have given him, and even utilizes the bleeding edge of cinematic technology available. There are scenes here that blend 3-D and HFR (high frame rate) visualization to create an effect that seems truly alien. While the screening I attended was in a regular-sized theater, I recommend seeing this film on the largest screen possible (both to truly appreciate the technological marvel and to avoid motion sickness if you’re prone to it).
It’s no secret that most people’s relationship with movies and going to the movie theater has changed over the last decade or so. With the proliferation of streaming and the enhancements to the typical home theater setup, it’s sometimes hard to justify a night out. But once in a while, a visionary creates something that shouldn’t be ignored and shouldn’t be seen in anything but what they initially envisioned. “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is precisely that: a masterwork created by a creative genius who has put everything he’s learned into a singular project that might redefine a piece of culture as we know it. And we should celebrate that! After all, who wouldn’t want to spend a few hours in Epcot?
20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is rated PG-13 and has a runtime of three hours and 17 minutes. There are NO post- or mid-credit scenes. The film hits theaters worldwide on December 19, 2025.
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