Avatar: Fire and Ash Dazzles the Eye, but the Tempo Largely Remains the Same
Image Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios
By Luis Zonenberg
It has been more than 15 years since James Cameron launched the Avatar franchise, generating some of the most commercially successful films of all time while remaining on the cutting edge of VFX. Yet, the films themselves leave very little impact on the filmmaking industry. The films continue to generate billions of dollars at the box office, but are rarely discussed in most moviegoing circles. I wanted to examine this paradox front and center by taking a look at the latest film, Fire and Ash.
The story centers around Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), still mourning the loss of his son, Neteyam (Jaime Flatters), as the family tries their best to move on. Things soon take a turn for the worse when Spider (Jack Champion) runs low on his oxygen tanks, and the family accompanies him back to the mountains to refuel his supply. As they fly with the Na’vi Wind Traders on their journey, they find themselves relentlessly pursued by Varang (Oona Chaplin), the leader of a warmongering Na’vi clan called the Mangkwan.
Varang ambushes the convoy and pillages their arsenal, even at the expense of Spider’s life. Yet with the help of Jake’s daughter, Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), Spider is soon revived and is now somehow able to breathe the air on Pandora. This puts a huge target on his back, drawing the attention of Col. Miles Quaritch (Steven Lang) as he teams up with Varang to hunt down Spider in hopes of drawing Jake out in the process!
The story, for the most part, does a superb job of expanding the world of Pandora while evolving the characters in the process. The inclusion of the Mangkwan clan adds a new wrinkle to the fold that was greatly appreciated, allowing for a unique dynamic to form between Quaritch and Varang that was incredibly entertaining to watch! Unfortunately, the last third of the film recycles elements from the last two films to form a bombastic climax that retreads far too many familiar story beats.
Thankfully, the performances elevated some of the subpar writing, with Sam Worthington proving to be a capable lead once more with his portrayal of Jake Sully. Sigourney Weaver does another great job of portraying Kiri, really embodying the teenage angst of her character, even if her voice felt a little too gruff at times. The real stars of the show were Steven Lang and Oona Chaplin, with each one delivering an incredibly entertaining performance that was irresistible to resist watching.
The cinematography was just as great as its predecessors, showcasing the grand spectacle of the action and the world of Pandora. The film also incorporated some scenes shot in high frame rate (HFR), which allowed for a much smoother, cleaner image that really amped up not just the action but the beauty of the visuals as well. The film was also shot in 3D and looked absolutely phenomenal in the format, with the cinematography complementing it in a way that made it feel more immersive than ever before!
The film once again shows why Avatar remains the cutting edge of visual effects, incorporating some of the best mix of animation and live-action set pieces anyone will probably ever see! The Na’vi all look like their respective actors while still feeling unique and different at the same time, never once teetering on the uncanny valley. Arguably, the best effect is probably Kiri’s character, who not only looks like Weaver but also feels like a younger version of her as well.
The film knocks it out of the park on the technical side of things, but ultimately falls flat when it comes to the story. This film takes two steps forward but one step back, relying on far too many recycled story beats that ultimately wear you out. These rehashed themes and plot points do detract from the film, but thankfully balances out by the parts of the film that actually expand the world and evolve the characters. James Cameron conducts another gorgeous ballet with Avatar: Fire and Ash, though the tune largely remains the same.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is now playing in theaters.
Rating: ★★★ ½ of five
