All hail James Cameron - King of the Box Office! Fire and Ash will likely be the highest grossing movie of the year, and could be Cameron’s fourth to crack 2 billion. This isn’t just a blockbuster - it’s a cinematic event. This sequel isn’t short on flaws, but Cameron has delivered another truly epic theatrical experience that overshadows the film’s shortcomings.
Here’s where my inner critic and fun-loving moviegoer clash. I can’t ignore how frequently the film recycles elements from the previous instalments. It’s another iteration of “Evil human military wants to mine a foreign planet for resources, while native species must fight back”. The final battle is damn near identical to Way of Water’s climax. The dialogue is also really cringy at times (I lost count of how many times I heard the word bro). On the other hand, I can’t deny what a blast I had on a purely visceral level. I saw this in D-Box 3D, giddy as a kid on Christmas, being whipped around in my seat for 3 hours. It was like an extended ride at Universal, and I can tell you, I don’t visit a theme park for the plot.
This is another crowning technical achievement. It may not be a leap forward like we saw between the first two movies, but the visual effects are so flawless that I don’t know what could even be improved. This is the pinnacle of CGI and 3D technology, and the effort Cameron sunk into pioneering it all is applause-worthy. Every single frame is rich with a staggering level of detail. The blending of practical and computer generated elements is seamless. I’m someone who will avoid 3D movies because I feel like it’s often a gimmick, but these movies are the exception. See this in 3D. See it in 4DX or DBOX or IMAX. It will only add to the experience Cameron has painstakingly curated for the big screen.
Cameron is a guru of big, bombastic action, and this movie contains some of the most exciting action in the Avatar franchise. The sense of scale is awe-inspiring, with a ton of epically orchestrated battles. The moments in between, while still beautiful to look at, are sometimes a bit of a drag. As mentioned, this movie rehashes a ton of plot and thematic elements from the first two, and with a bloated runtime of over three hours, I felt a bit of boredom creeping up on me. These moments are where my inner critic stepped back in. Just like the first two movies, I will have no real desire to watch this outside of theatres. Without the immersive sensory experience to distract me, its flaws will undoubtedly be far more apparent.
Zoe Saldana continues to be the series’ MVP, with another emotionally charged performance. Sam Worthington delivers another somewhat flat performance, and still doesn’t possess the necessary charisma to lead this franchise. There’s a pivotal scene between Jake and Spider that was meant to be a tear jerking emotional moment, but their underwhelming performances kind of ruined it. Despite a solid performance, Stephen Lang’s Quaritch is no longer a very interesting villain, and his dynamic with Spider is under-explored. Oona Chaplin’s Varang, on the other hand, is a fantastic new villain, but Quaritch steals vital screen time, leaving her a little bit underdeveloped. She’s got a terrifying bloodlust that I wanted more of, but there are too many other characters that get in the way of a deeper exploration.
I feel like I need a big asterisk next to my rating of Avatar: Fire and Ash. My enjoyment was elevated significantly watching this is DBOX 3D. As my seat moved around in sync with the epic visuals that I could practically reach out and touch, I was pulled into the world of Pandora. I could rant until I’m blue in the face about my problems with the script and franchise redundancies, but I can’t deny what a blast I had in that crowed theatre. That’s the experience James Cameron aimed to deliver, and movies like this are vital to preserving the cinema experience. James, I see you.
Rating: ★★★½
Review by: Benjamin Garrett