NOW IN THEATERS! It’s finally here, the third Avatar movie. To me, The Way of Water was a fun and poignant film about a father who protects his family—a theme we hadn’t seen in a long time when it was released. It was a masterpiece in world-building and the return of the epic (albeit a CG epic). Can Fire and Ash build upon The Way of Water, or will it flame out?
Avatar: Fire and Ash returns to Pandora following the events of The Way of Water, as Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and their family deal with the loss of their oldest son in the last movie, an ever-growing human military presence, and the Sullys still trying to hide from the relentless pursuit of Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). Complicating matters is Spider (Jack Champion), who dies when his oxygen filter fails. At that point, Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) takes him to the Mother Tree, Eywa, who resurrects him and alters his biology so he no longer needs an air mask to breathe. Spider’s ability to breathe Pandora’s atmosphere becomes the key to the plans of the evil capitalist Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi), who wants to bring more humans to Pandora and requires Spider to be captured and dissected.
Meanwhile, as the Sullys attempt to save Spider, Jake encounters a previously unseen Na’vi culture known as the Ash People, a clan shaped by volcanic landscapes and generations of survival under extreme conditions. Led by Varang (Oona Chaplin), the Ash People follow a harsher philosophy and have forsaken Eywa, seeking to destroy her. They lack the means to do so until they enter an unholy alliance with Quaritch, who offers them guns to replace their arrows. In return, they agree to help capture Spider and Jake, whom the humans have branded a traitor.
Lastly, Jake’s son Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) still blames himself for the death of his brother, while Jake holds Lo’ak responsible and sees nothing but disappointment in his son. Lo’ak decides he has to prove himself to his father, but, of course, that decision only invites more trouble.
Varang (Oona Chaplin) in 20th Century Studios’ AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
“Jake encounters a previously unseen Na’vi culture known as the Ash People…”
First, Fire and Ash is the worst of the trilogy—more like the worst best. While The Way of Water expanded on the first film, Fire and Ash is merely a continuation of the current story. All the conflicts introduced earlier are carried forward: Quaritch’s relationship to Spider, Kiri being at odds with Eywa, who wants nothing to do with her, and the looming threat of humans killing the whale-like creatures introduced in the previous film.
Where The Way of Water expanded the world of Pandora, Fire and Ash simply lives in the world already established. It lacks the awe-inspiring wonder of the first two films and instead continues the story already told.
There are interesting story elements here: a son who has something to prove, a father sacrificing himself for his children (not quite a spoiler), and a people—and animals—protecting their home from invaders who would drain their resources to survive. The religious elements, in particular, are fascinating.
If you’re a fan of Avatar, this film is for you, especially if you’re a completionist. At the same time, it won’t win over new fans. I felt the nostalgia for Pandora, but instead of elevating the story, the film keeps it at the same level. The final battle mirrors the second film but is less inspiring and involves many of the same participants. The series’ emotional elements feel noticeably toned down here. In terms of story, this is not The Empire Strikes Back. Loose ends are tied up, and if the series ended here, it would still be a solid conclusion.
I liked Avatar: Fire and Ash, but for me, it was more of the same when I wanted something elevated. Don’t move sideways—move up. That’s especially important when you’re asking audiences to invest three hours of their time and hundreds of millions of dollars into your story. Ultimately, it’s fine. Yet, considering its cinematic history, fine is never good enough.
"…This is not The Empire Strikes Back..."
