A One Mann’s Movies review of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (2025, 3.5*, 12A).
My feelings for “Avatar: Fire and Ash” are exactly the same as for the previous film, “Avatar: The Way of Water“. I really didn’t want to like it and I had a feeling of resignation as I sank into my cinema seat for nearly 3 hours and 20 minutes of expected bum-numbing crashy/bashy/religiousy nonsense. But, as for the last film, I emerged blinking into the daylight (surprised that it was still light!) impressed with the film-making but nevertheless wishing Cameron displayed a little more self-control.
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
After the death of his brother Lo’ak, Tuktirey (Cliff Curtis) is wracked with guilt and grief. But the motley Sully family is about to be thrown into more danger as the vicious Ash people, led by Varang (Oona Chaplin) and the marines led by Quarich (Stephen Lang) team up to capture Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña).
Certification:
UK: 12A; US: PG-13. (From the BBFC web site: “Violence, threat, injury detail, brief suicide references, drugs, language”.)
Talent:
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, Giovanni Ribisi, Britain Dalton, Jamie Flatters, Jack Champion, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss.
Directed by: James Cameron.
Written by: James Cameron, Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. (Based on a story by James Cameron, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Josh Friedman & Shane Salerno.)
Running Time: 3h 17m.
Summary:
Positives:
- Once again, a miracle of special effects.
- The sound design is truly impressive.
- Some of the action scenes are exciting and impressive.
Negatives:
- It’s hugely overblown, overlong and overstuffed.
- There are too many un-survivable falls and injuries to maintain credibility.
Full Review of “Avatar: Fire and Ash”:
Overblown, Overstuffed and Over Here.
There’s a really good action film in here begging to be let out. But, once again, at nearly 200 bum-numbing minutes, it is at least an hour too long in my book to fully enjoy.
It’s all so unnecessary. There are sections in the first half of this film that would make a really great two-hour film in their own right.
The set up at the start of the film, full of grief and recriminations, alongside the reef people is effectively done: “the fire of hate is just the ash of grief” intones Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) wisely…. a nice line. Then the “wind traders” arrive, like some unexpected Waitrose delivery and all the reef folks get their larders filled.
At this point the Sullys, using some very strange logic that I didn’t follow, not only decide to banish the battery-operated Spider (Jack Champion) before his Duracells run out, but also go along with him to his exile in the wind trader’s vessels. These are basically dodgy looking wicker baskets pulled by flying walruses (that hang in the air exactly the same way that bricks don’t). “Very vulnerable to attack?” you might think… as indeed I did…. and I was right!
We are thus introduced to the Ash people, effectively the ‘Red Indians’ (as we used to call them, in previously non-PC times) attacking the covered wagons rolling west. They are led by the best character in the film: the sexy and warlike Varang (Oona Chaplin) who has a nice line in drug-induced seduction (“That’s some strong shit!”).
These Ash people (or the Mangkwan Clan, to give them their correct title) just seem to come in from left-field with no introduction. You just have to go with it!
What follows are some neat aerial battles, some exciting jungle chases and a desperate struggle for breath by the ill-equipped Spider.
Broaden this out a bit and you’d have a really neat two hour film. But no…. Cameron has this as but act one in a baggy five-act play.
Waterlogged segments.
Because later in the film, we spend a lot of time underwater with the whale-like creatures known as Tulken, whose head patriarchal Lord has lots of rings. (Arf, see what I did there?) The film for me got rather bogged down in all of this Pandora-lore and there were underwater sequences, such as a totally underwhelming fight against some giant squids, that made me want to shout at the screen “come the fuck on Cameron”.
A finale act, featuring a whole load of underwater submersibles reminded me, in a negative way, of the tiresome underwater finale to “Thunderball”. I’m afraid underwater fighting for me is just a bit slow and dull.
A story that covers a lot of bases.
With all that being said, the story does cover some interesting bases.
There’s the topic of racism, with Neytiri’s undisguised hatred of Spider’s “pink hands”: a charge as Jake points out that, were it not for the blue covering, could also be levelled at Jake himself and other members of the family… “would you hate us too?”
There’s also a pointed anti-gun message with the Metkayina reef people definitely NOT supporting the US 2nd amendment: “when you touch metal, the poison seeps into your heart” pleads the pregnant Ronal (Kate Winslet).
Finally, there’s a strong anti-whaling message as the Sky People plan a virtual genocide of the Tulkens in order to corner the market on their gooey Amrita extract (you’ll remember that this is the expensive McGuffinite after Cameron lost all interest in Unobtainium!)
Impressive technical work.
Just a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to visit Weta’s Wellington-based workshops in New Zealand, where much of the special effects on this film were made. Just a boring looking set of buildings in a quiet suburb of a pretty small coastal town. But, boy, do they have some skills. The special effects here are once again top notch and the sight of hundreds of different Na’vi arriving on their different creatures for the finale is truly impressive. I can see this picking up the Visual Effects Oscar, just as the last film did.
I can also see the film bagging the Oscar for Sound, since the sound design was once again truly impressive. (But I thought that in 2023, and it was ‘only’ nominated (it lost to “Top Gun: Maverick“)).
Actors behind black dots.
It’s difficult with all the mo-cap work to really appreciate the acting going on behind the blue faces. I do rather struggle to associate Kate Winslet and particularly Sigourney Weaver (who also makes a “live” appearance as Grace Augustine in the film) as the faces of their characters Ronal and Kiri respectively.
We do get to see a number of ‘real’ actors in the piece including Edie Falco, very effective as General Ardmore; Giovanni Ribisi reprising his role as Selfridge; and Jemaine Clement as Dr Garvin, a brave marine biologist with a conscience and a PhD (“how hard can it be?”, LOL). Also look out for when one of the doctors in the Sky People’s base are working on Spider: I’m pretty sure I spotted James Cameron in a blink-and-you’d-miss-him cameo.
A finale that never feels final.
As in the last film, we build to a finale battle that never feels short of being dialled to 11. (A moment here to remember and mourn Rob Reiner’s passing.) As in other parts of the film, but more so, we see most of our lead characters being drowned, burned, speared and falling from huge heights to just bob up and carry on the fight. Ronal even gives birth in the middle of it…. once again, another placenta-free miracle!
In particular, a final tussle between Jake, Tuktirey, Spider and Quaritch has them falling from floating rock platform to floating rock platform like some half-arsed Manic Miner video game. (Kids… ask your grandparents!) As always, the lack of believability ruins, for me, any sense of suspense. Even when one of the main characters ‘falls to their death’, you kind of feel that they will be back again somehow for “Avatar 4”.
In memory.
The film is dedicated to Jon Landau, Cameron’s long-term producing colleague who died in July of last year.
Monkeys?
There are some more beautiful images of characters from the film at the start of the end titles but – to save your bum from numbing any more than it needs to – there is no monkey at the end of the end titles. You’re welcome.
Summary Thoughts:
The film is so frustrating in its flabbiness and over-indulgent self-importance that I REALLY want to give it less than the 3.5 stars I’ve rated it. But I can’t. It remains a very impressive piece of visual storytelling and although I was frustrated by it I am pleased I got to see it on the big screen in all its glory.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb_fFj_0rq8.
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