AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH (2025)

Genre: Action/Fantasy
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Sigourney Weaver, Jack Champion, CCH Pounder, Cliff Curtis, Kate Winslet, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Duane Evans Jr, Stephen Lang, Brendan Cowell, Edie Falcon, Jemaine Clement, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Oona Chaplin
Runtime: 3 hrs 17 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 18 December 2025

Synopsis: The story picks up a few weeks after the events of “Avatar: The Way of Water.” The Sully family is still living amongst the Metkayina Clan in the picturesque reefs of Pandora, but is learning to adjust to life without Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), who was killed in a brutal skirmish with the “Sky People” from the RDA (Resources Development Administration). Jake (Sam Worthington) , Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Tuk (Trinity Bliss), Spider (Jack Champion), and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) are each dealing with the loss in their own way . While Spider has fully adapted to life with the reef people, the Sully family is worried for his safety and realizes he can no longer remain with them. Following an introduction to the Tlalim Clan, also known as the Wind Traders, who are a peaceful nomadic air - traveling clan who sail the skies, their chief, Peylak (David Thewlis), agrees to transport Spider back to High Camp, the Omatikaya’s stronghold. Ultimately, the entire Sully family decides to join Spider and the Wind Traders on the journey. Their journey is cut short, however, when their party is attacked by members of the Mangkwan Clan, a.k.a. the Ash People. Led by Varang (Oona Chaplin), the Ash People are Na’vi whose culture and way of life were dramatically altered following the devastation of their home by a volcano. They blame Eywa (the All-Mother of Pandora) for this disaster. The RDA, meanwhile, is struggling, following their devastating defeat at the hands of Jake Sully and the Metkayina Clan, and is regrouping and planning their next attack. 

Movie Review:

At this juncture, the Avatar series has become a box-office phenomenon, grossing over $2 billion worldwide. That being said, it remains a familiar IP, firmly part of pop culture, but for most consumers, the adventure is very much confined to the big screen not something that inspires a rush to buy the latest Avatar plush, Funko figure, or LEGO minifigure. Perhaps this is exactly what filmmaker James Cameron has always intended: for audiences to experience his creations exclusively in theaters.

Cameron returns not just as helmer but also as co-writer. Joining him once again in crafting the story are regular collaborators Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Josh Friedman, and Shane Salerno. The third entry picks up where The Way of Water left off. Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) is deep in mourning, and her hatred for humans has intensified following the death of her eldest son. Second son Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) misses his brother and hopes to forge his own path to earn his parents’ approval. Family patriarch Jake (Sam Worthington) keeps himself busy with daily duties in an attempt to forget his sorrow. Adopted daughter Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) continues her search for her true origins, while human boy Spider (Jack Champion) still struggles with breathing Pandora’s air.

Of course, fans of the franchise aren’t here solely for family melodrama and emotional dynamics. Cameron introduces a new villain in the form of Varang (Oona Chaplin), the ruthless leader of the Mangkwan Ash Clan. And then there’s Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang)—Spider’s father, Jake Sully’s long-standing enemy who forms a potential alliance with Varang as she plots to eliminate the various Na’vi clans, including the reef people. Predictably, the Sky People aka the greedy humans are still around, waiting to extract Pandora’s rare resources.

The biggest issue with the Avatar series is the long gap between installments. By the time a new film arrives, many storylines, character motivations, and thematic intentions feel slightly blurred. Coupled with the franchise’s repetitive message about humanity destroying the environment, it honestly doesn’t require a three-hour-plus runtime to tell the same story again. Fire and Ash, unfortunately, mirrors The Way of Water in terms of storytelling. Yes, Varang is a colorful new villain who probably deserves her own subplot, but much of the rest feels like more of the same. Quaritch continues his duel with Sully, while Jake does everything he can to keep his family together.

With Jake and Neytiri largely repeating familiar routines, characters like Spider, Lo’ak, and Kiri do receive slight expansions in terms of development. Still, if this sense of familiarity continues into the next two sequels, it’s hard to say how endearing the overall journey will remain. Cameron seriously needs to pick up the pace. No one wants to watch another franchise fall into the same repetitive cycle as Terminator, and Avatar is slowly creeping into that territory.

At this point, you might think we hated this outing. Honestly, we didn’t. Fire and Ash is still very much a movie event. Like Steven Spielberg, Cameron remains a master storyteller who knows how to craft a rousing tale of heroes and villains. He has once again created an expansive ecosystem filled with new plants, creatures, and aquatic species, while further exploring the Na’vi’s religious beliefs and spiritual complexities. The film continues Cameron’s mission to push CGI technology, and for all its worth, it looks stunning and remarkably believable on the big screen. Your mind knows it isn’t real, but your eyes tell you otherwise.

Fire and Ash also delivers on action, featuring at least two explosive battle sequences involving heavy artillery, banshees, and gigantic whales. It’s loud, exhilarating, and visually overwhelming though admittedly, nothing you haven’t seen before. The top-tier visual effects by WETA and ILM are likely a major reason you’re still here. For both casual viewers and loyal fans, Fire and Ash ultimately delivers solid entertainment value. If Cameron proceeds with the fourth and fifth and supposedly final Avatar films, he’ll need to offer more to retain his audience, unless another billion-dollar box-office haul convinces him to stick with the same old tactics.

Movie Rating:

(Fire and Ash may feel familiar but it still delivers the scale of a true movie event)

Review by Linus Tee