KUALA LUMPUR: Has it really been almost 20 years since the first Avatar film? Time flies.
Film auteur James Cameron is back once again to remind us that even with a standard good-versus-evil heroes’ journey, an old dog can still learn new tricks that captivate audiences.
Such is the case with Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third entry in the long-running Avatar series. It blends echoes of Dances with Wolves, Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa, alongside shades of the Dune novels, into a high-concept sci-fi world that feels increasingly dreamlike the longer you spend in it.
The original 2009 film marked the beginning of a technical and storytelling journey, while parts two and three were filmed back-to-back as complementary chapters. Avatar: The Way of Water followed Jake Sully’s Na’Vi family as they adapted to a new home and culture on Pandora. Fire and Ash builds on that, focusing on the same family as they confront guilt, loss and the consequences of past choices.
For Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, the story is driven by his failure to protect his family during the events of the second film. The death of his son Neteyam weighs heavily on him, leading Jake to shift blame onto his younger son Lo’ak, portrayed by Britain Dalton, who carries that burden himself. Jake’s wife Neytiri continues to struggle with her anger towards humans, particularly the presence of Spider, a human teenager played by Jack Champion, whom she never fully accepts despite his close ties to the Na’Vi.
Meanwhile, the human forces of the Resources Development Administration are once again plotting destruction, planning to harvest and kill more whale-like Tulkuns for profit. They also deploy their avatar-using soldier, Recombinant Miles Quaritch, played by Stephen Lang, who still harbours a vendetta against the Sully family after being killed by Jake in the first film.
Adding to the chaos is a rogue Na’Vi faction, the Magkwan clan, led by the hostile Varang, portrayed by Oona Chaplin. She revels in raiding mercenary ships and stockpiling weapons, seeking to bend all of Pandora to her will.
Among the ensemble, the standout characters are Lo’ak and Kiri. Lo’ak continues to wrestle with guilt from the previous film while striving to prove himself to his father. Kiri, meanwhile, unlocks a mysterious new power tied to Pandora itself, inadvertently causing a rupture in Na’Vi culture and balance. Varang is an entertaining villain to root against, but it is the Sully family’s intertwined arcs of redemption and belonging that remain the most engaging.
All of this culminates in a final epic battle that must be experienced to be believed. This is a film that demands to be seen in IMAX 3D. Cameron once again uses cinema technology to its fullest, delivering an eco-themed sci-fi fantasy with confidence and scale.
The plot works well enough, but let’s be honest – audiences are here for waves of Na’Vi clashing with mechs and robots, aerial combat atop flying creatures, and tribal warfare that mixes bows, arrows and the occasional gunshot. Each Avatar entry raises the bar in spectacle, camera work and 3D effects without resorting to cheap visual tricks. Fire and Ash embraces the epic blockbuster experience, with lingering shots and sequences that allow the world to breathe.
My main gripe lies in the inconsistent frame rates in the IMAX 3D version. The film opens at 120fps before dipping intermittently to around 24-30fps. The constant switching can feel jarring, particularly for viewers sensitive to such shifts. The last time this felt truly distracting was in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Still, Fire and Ash handles its narrative and action far more effectively.
Ultimately, Avatar: Fire and Ash serves as a solid capstone to what may be the trilogy Cameron envisioned back in 2009. His imaginative world of six-legged horses, dragon-like creatures and strange aquatic beasts continues to enchant through sheer visual ambition and technical innovation.
The story may not be groundbreaking, but it is heartfelt enough to make you care about the blue-skinned Sully family and their struggle against human exploitation and rival Na’Vi raiders. The film is dense with lore, and it wisely takes its time drawing viewers back into Pandora before unleashing its climactic action.
This third instalment will not convert those who were never sold on the Avatar series, but it remains a spectacle and a technical marvel on the big screen. If you need a convincing excuse to splurge on an IMAX 3D ticket, this is as good as any – crafted by a director and crew who clearly know exactly what they are doing. — Kakuchopurei
Final score: 70/100