James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” has finally been unveiled to members of the film press ahead of its theatrical rollout later this month, and journalists are calling the third trip to Pandora an “ultimate cinematic spectacle” that pushes “visuals and emotion to new heights.”
Film critic Courtney Howard praised the film on X, writing that films like “Fire and Ash” remind us what “movie theaters were built for.”
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“3 films in, James Cameron still has the sauce, making the epic spectacular feel emotionally impactful,” Howard wrote. “A glorious saga. Bold, brilliant & awesome in every way, this is what movie theaters were built for.”
Fellow critic Sean Tajipour echoed the praise on X. He wrote that with “Fire and Ash,” Cameron “continues to push boundaries with every frame.”
“I may not be the biggest ‘Avatar’ superfan, but [‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’] proves once again that James Cameron can and will always deliver the ultimate cinematic spectacle, pushing visuals and emotion to new heights and redefining what a true blockbuster feels like,” he wrote. “It’s bold, immersive, unforgettable, and driven by sheer ambition.”
Collider correspondent Perri Nemiroff wrote of the film on X, “Three films in and I still can’t get over how magical the [‘Avatar’] movies are. Wish I had more original phrasing, but this applies too well — [‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’] truly feels like a ride. I couldn’t believe how quickly I was pulled back into the world of Pandora and swept up in the situation. And once that happens, there’s a noticeable increase in complexity in quite a few aspects of the production.”
Film writer Michael Lee wrote on X that the story left a bit to be desired, but praised the visuals and action as “out-of-this-world.”
He wrote, “[‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’] is huge on visual spectacle, especially in 3D. Deeper exploration of Pandora & new tribes allow for immense world-building. Story may be lacking, but this pushes technical boundaries in unimaginable ways.”
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” picks up after the events of 2022’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which notably ended with the death of Jake Sully and Neytiri’s son Neteyam. This latest installment finds the Sully family grieving one of their own when a new threat emerges in the form of the Fire tribe, an antagonistic group of Na’vi volcano-dwellers led by the revengeful Varang (Oona Chaplin in her franchise debut). The returning cast includes Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and Kate Winslet, among others.
Cameron has been blunt in recent interviews in saying the future of the “Avatar” franchise depends on the box office performance of “Fire and Ash” this holiday movie season. The director originally envisioned five “Avatar” movies and has a large chunk of a fourth movie already shot. The original “Avatar” remains the highest-grossing movie of all time (unadjusted for inflation) with $2.9 billion worldwide, while “The Way of Water” is third on the list with $2.3 billion. Cameron told Empire magazine earlier this year that he’s ready to direct the fourth movie himself.
“I mean, there’s no reason not to,” Cameron said ahead of his 71st birthday in August about directing more “Avatar” sequels himself. “I’m healthy, I’m good to go. I’m not going to rule it out. I mean, I’ve got to make it in a vigorous way, to handle the kind of volume and energy of the work for another six or seven years. You know what I mean? I might not be able to do that… [but] if I can, I’ll just do it.”
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” opens in theaters Dec. 19.
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