James Cameron's latest sci-fi blockbuster. Avatar: Fire and Ashhas finally hit theaters, setting a new standard for the iconic Avatar franchise. This new film continues the Na'vi war against the RDA on Pandora, where Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) fight to protect their children from Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and the evil new Na'vi tribe.
Avatar: Fire and Ash certainly has its drawbacks, as it repeats many plot points from previous films. However, if you can hold out for a whopping three-plus hours, you'll see that Avatar: Fire and Ash is the best film in the franchise in many important ways.
It expands the lore of the Avatar franchise.
Just like Avatar: The Way of Water before that, Fire and Ash continued to expand the knowledge and depth of the Avatar universe. While the second film showed the water tribe of Metkayin, the third showed two new tribes on Pandora – the flying Wind Traders and the brutal People of Ash. This gave us a better understanding of the Na'vi and the different societies in their world.
However, one of the most intriguing innovations involves the Na'vi deity, Eywa. Fire and Ash confirmed that Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) was conceived by Ava herself, giving her the ability to control plants and wildlife on Pandora. Although this was hinted at in the previous film, Fire and Ash fully establishes Kiri as a messianic figure for the Na'vi.
The film also takes a major twist when one of Pandora's Woodsprites brings Spider (Jack Champion) to life, giving him the ability to breathe without a mask and form mental connections with animals. Essentially, Spider became a human-Na'vi hybrid.
It forces us to rethink everything we knew about Pandora because it shows exactly how humans can live alongside the Na'vi. Although both races could ideally coexist, the RDA threatened to use Spider's new powers to allow humanity to completely take over Pandora.
Fire and Ash's characters are much more interesting.
Compared to previous Avatar films Fire and Ash spends more time developing the main characters, which makes the story more intriguing. In particular, we see Sally trying to cope with Neteyam's death after Avatar: The Way of Waterwhich brings out the worst in all of them.
Jake focuses on his work to avoid thinking or talking about his pain over Neteyam. Neytiri becomes more prejudiced towards people, ruining her relationships with Jake, Spider and the rest of their children. Loak (British Dalton) also feels guilt over his brother's death to the point that he almost commits suicide.
Fire and Ash takes the franchise into darker territory, exploring the characters' flaws and pushing them to their breaking point as their conflict with RDA intensifies. Such a story reaches a tense climax when Jake considers killing the Spider to prevent humanity from copying his ability to breathe freely on Pandora.
The threequel also places greater emphasis on the younger characters introduced in Path of Waterwho turned out to be much more compelling characters than Jake. We see Kiri come into her own, awakening to her true potential as Ava's child. Spidey gains a new sense of belonging to the Na'vi, just as Jake did in the first film. Loak also finds the courage to challenge the traditions of his people and stand up for the right and those he cares about.
Fire and Ash also does a better job with its villains, especially Quaritch, who has long been one of the best characters in the franchise. Path of Water did something unique with Quaritch, bringing him back as a Na'vi clone with memories of his original human self.
Fire and Ash further developed Quaritch, showing his struggle between his duty to the RDA and his love for his human son Spider. We see that he is much more morally complex in Fire and Ashas he repeatedly cooperates with Jake to protect his son from harm. Although Jake tries to get Quaritch to change his views on himself and the Na'vi, the latter feels obligated to fulfill his responsibilities by exploring new ideas about freedom and identity through a very attractive villain.
The film also introduces a stunning new antagonist, Varang (Oona Chaplin), the destructive leader of the People of Ash. She is a fearsome figure with understandable motives, as she felt abandoned by Ava after a volcanic eruption destroyed her village. Varang is also a perfect reflection of Neytiri, who also allows her hatred and loss to consume her in this film.
This parallel was cleverly conveyed when Neytiri disguised herself as one of the Men of Ash and then washed the red paint off her face as if it were blood while Jake tried to kill the Spider. Varang and her tribe ultimately showed that not all Na'vi are innocent victims of humanity's invasion of Pandora and that they are capable of great evil.
It's a heavier tone with deeper themes.
The Avatar franchise has long explored core issues of environmentalism, faith and the dangers of colonialism, racial prejudice and war. Fire and Ash expands on its story by exploring the impact of loss and grief on Sally. Although the franchise's characters, particularly Neytiri, lost their homes and loved ones early on, the films hardly gave them time to process everything in advance. Fire and Ash.
The third film also explores more of the franchise's religious themes. Through Fire and AshJake and his family struggle to believe in Ava again, feeling abandoned after she seemingly allowed the Neteis to die. Although in the first two films the Na'vi maintained their faith, Fire and Ash shows how such faith can be destroyed after such terrible tragedies. This makes Ava's intervention during the film's final battle much more rewarding.
Fire and Ash also explores the clash of cultures between the Na'vi and humans. Despite Jake's pleas, many Na'vi are reluctant to use the Sky People's steel weapons, instead wanting to do things their own way. Even when they wage war against such superior forces, they insist on preserving their traditions and fight to protect their people.
General, Fire and Ash encourages the audience to open their minds as the characters try to accept each other and find a way out of such a confusing conflict. Although it seems that war is far from home for Pandora, Avatar: Fire and Ash is set for the most exciting and educational chapter of the franchise yet.
