#AvatarFireAndAsh is another monumental feat, a stunning movie rich in detail and emotion with a plot so dense it becomes difficult to fully grasp on your first watch. Terrific action with outstanding set pieces and some of the most breathtaking visuals ever put to screen mostly manage to conceal the more prevalent imperfections, like its jumpy story structure and the unshakeable notion that the plot is a bit bloated.
Envisioned as the second half of 'The Way of Water' in a way that makes you wonder how this didn't get one of those infamous 'Part Two' subtitles, it is by far the most character driven of the trilogy, continuing directly where the last movie left off in a way that feels necessary and rewarding. Rewatching 'The Way of Water' beforehand is advised, not just because that movie is still the best of the franchise, but because 'Fire and Ash' hinges so much on the relationships and story beats established in it. If you, like me, enjoyed the characters from the previous movie, 'Fire and Ash' will work for you simply because it doubles down on interesting interpersonal conflicts and gives EVERYONE their time to shine. Distinct and unique arcs and shifting motivations for every character justify the 3 hour runtime, especially because the dynamics allow for several tense moments that keep you on the edge of your seat like few things have this year.
Quaritch, who was already shaping up to be an all-timer villain in 'The Way of Water', gets even better in this movie through his alliance with Oona Chaplin's beautifully deranged Varang. His continued depiction as a foil of Jake Sully has managed to elevate him far beyond the boring military stereotype he was in the first movie.
Speaking of Jake, it is interesting how often the movie puts him and Neytiri in the most devastating situations that feel like their lowest point, only to have them go even further down the drain; the ideal of heroism is shaken, as our original main characters become more morally ambiguous and their decisions get increasingly more difficult.
Spider, already a figure of growing importance in the last film, is absolutely vital in this regard and everything they do with him, both from a lore and character-perspective greatly elevates the story. Kiri's spiritual journey to Eywa and her powers over flora and fauna continue to be an interesting, albeit somewhat secondary aspect of the movie, with her abilities mostly working to solve problems within the plot.
The standout character and the closest thing to a protagonist within the massive ensemble is Lo'ak, who narrates the movie and finds himself on an incredible guilt- and shame-driven arc that leads to dark places and functions beautifully as one of the emotional anchors of this story. He remains closely connected to the story of Payakan the Tulkun and it's hard not to love these stubborn space whales. The way the Tulkun and the devastated Navi tribes are connected through their resilience in the face of mindless annihilation through colonialist forces remains one of the most interesting aspects of trilogy.
Many early reviews voiced complaints that 'Fire and Ash' is a re-tread of 'The Way of Water', with nothing new to tell. While I can understand this sentiment to a degree, this has been greatly exaggerated. Most of the similarities can be found in the third act, with the final showdown sometimes feeling a little too similar to the last movie's, but everytime I noticed, Cameron immediately followed it up with something you have never seen before.
On paper, the world of Avatar is driven by a very simple story. Yet with 'Fire and Ash', this world of intricate and complex designs has also become one of intricate and complex characters, who are equally as interesting as the world around them.
Cameron did it again. What an incredible event.
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH is angry, trippy, and the sexiest movie of the year.
i took my 3D glasses off like Sam Neill in JURASSIC PARK at one point to make sure what I was seeing was real.