It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago James Cameron (“Terminator 2: Judgement Day,” “Aliens”) returned to the world of Pandora for the first time in thirteen years for the sequel to his mega-blockbuster highest grossing film of all time. Despite claims that the sequel would have “zero cultural impact” and bomb given its $450 million price tag, it once again made waves, generating over $2 billion at the global box office and awards nominations, including one for Best Picture. Now comes the ultimate test: will people show up for another adventure with the Sully family just three years later? And will it be worth the wait and price tag?
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” picks up almost immediately after the events of the previous film, with the Sully family reeling from the death of their eldest son. While traveling with a tribe of merchant Na’vi, they’re attacked by the violent Mangkwan tribe, a group of fire themed Na’vi led by the villainous Varang, played by Oona Chaplin (“The Comey Rule,” “The Hour”). Now separated, Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington (“Hacksaw Ridge,” “Under the Banner of Heaven”), Neyteri, played by Zoe Saldaña (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Emilia Pérez”), their children Kiri, played by Sigourney Weaver (“Alien,” “Ghostbusters”), Lo'ak, played by Britain Dalton (“Dark Harvest,” “Goliath”), Tuk, played by Trinity Jo-Li Bliss (“The Life of Chuck,” “A Really Haunted Loud House”), and their adoptive human son Spider, played by Jack Champion (“Scream VI,” “Everything’s Going to Be Great”), must survive while being hunted by the human RDA military, the Na’vi form of Colonel Miles Quaritch, played by Stephen Lang (“Don’t Breathe,” “Public Enemies”), and Varang.
As expected, Cameron’s latest is a gigantic spectacle that’s difficult to describe in its visual majesty. Even without taking the incredibly detailed motion capture into account, “Fire and Ash” continues the series’ epic swaths of alien, naturalistic beauty and deep technicolor wonder. There are times where it almost seems as though Cameron has taken the observation that modern blockbusters have become too gray or washed out as a persona challenge. There’s a reason that even this franchise’s detractors can’t help but praise the look of these films, and this latest is a continuing example of that. Returning composer Simon Franglen (“Peppermint,” “The Magnificent Seven (2016)”) keeps James Horner’s original melodies alive just as much as he did before, but with new injections of alien, electronic motifs. Like the film itself, it's a familiar score, but an enhanced and broadened one. Cameron’s little Na’vi family continues to deliver the kinds of performances one would expect from a blockbuster of this scope. Worthington continues to deliver as an incredibly heartfelt soldier turned father, Weaver yet again surprises with how well she can play a teenager despite being in her mid 70s, and Saldaña once again turns out a heartbreakingly honest portrait of a woman dealing with an internal battle between her deep grief and her warrior spirit. Truly, her performances in this franchise are the stuff that Oscar nominations are made off, if the Academy ever decided to truly recognize motion capture performances.
What stands out the most in this particular film are Lang and Chaplin. Lang is exploring the fruits that were planted in “The Way of Water” with Quaritch, slowly helping him to evolve into possibly the franchise’s most fascinating character. He becomes a twisted version of the grizzled military man, as Cameron and screenwriters Rick Jaffa (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” “Jurassic World”), Amanda Silver (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” “Jurassic World”), Shane Salerno (“Armageddon (1998),” “Savages (2012)”), and Josh Friedman (“War of the Worlds (2005),” “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”) clearly see more for him than just being the main antagonist. Chaplin is also turning in a truly evil role here as Varang, the sort of villain so easy to hate it becomes fun. She has a clear swagger and energy to her that anytime she pops back up onscreen, she becomes a delight to watch.
What does become increasingly apparent as things continue is that this is a film that feels more like a direct sequel to the previous film than the third in the overall franchise. Eventually it essentially becomes “The Way of Water 2.5,” with some scenes and moments seeming as though they are repeating from the previous film. It’s the most frustrating aspect of the film, yet it somehow still doesn’t drag. There’s still plenty of new explorations made here, both emotional and in the overall narrative of the series. Despite being longer than the previous film, its pacing is somehow even better, resulting in a film that's getting more mileage out of its length. Normally when people say a film feels longer than it is, it's a bad thing. However, with “Fire and Ash” it feels longer simply because it seems impossible to cover the kind of ground Cameron does in the listed length.
Even more than with “The Way of Water,” “Fire and Ash” proves that the “Avatar” series is the largest, most expensive soap opera ever made. For some people, that will always be enough. It’s not just that the drama continues to escalate and complicate with each moment that passes on Pandora. But Cameron is a director who so clearly loves this world and cast of characters that he has created. Yes, it would be so easy for him to just cash a check as the producer of these and sit back and watch them print money. But by having his voice and hand in each of them, he injects them with something blockbuster entertainment is so often missing: sincerity. Not a moment goes by in any of these films where it isn’t apparent that he genuinely cares about what happens to Jake, Neyeteri, Kiri, Lo’ak, Spider, Tuk, Quaritch, or any other character just as much as we do. And that makes all the difference.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” continues to deliver exactly what fans of the franchise would expect: great performances and visuals wrapped up in gorgeous science fiction locals and melodrama. At this point, it's a series that you’re either on board with or you’re not. For those who are here and committed, Cameron has laid the groundwork for even more interesting things to come in the potential (or inevitable) fourth and fifth films. 4.5/5
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