James Cameron has proven himself to be one of the most formidable directors in modern cinema. From his debut with the low-budget horror film Piranha II: The Spawning, the Canadian filmmaker went on to leave an impact through action thrillers like The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and True Lies. It was Cameron’s historical romantic drama Titanic that solidified his status in Hollywood while winning eleven Oscars (three of which went to the director). After Titanic, he took 12 years to develop the science-fiction epic Avatar, which opened to critical acclaim and strong box office in 2009. The long production process was due to developing motion capture technology that hadn’t been developed up until that point. Despite naysayers’ predictions of failure, the film broke Titanic’s record and became the highest-grossing film of all time, and it would be broken again with the 2022 follow-up Avatar: The Way of Water.

Now, Cameron returns to the world of Pandora with his latest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash. While there are skeptics who question the need for another movie, several people are keen to see what comes next in the Avatar series. Cameron has said there are tentative plans for a fourth and fifth film respectively, but those are contingent on how well this movie does. The big question remains: what can Fire and Ash do to make itself stand out from its predecessors? And does the film deliver the goods?

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Set a few months after The Way of Water, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family are still coming to terms with the changes in their status quo. Now living amongst the Metkayina Clan on the coast, they remain grief-stricken over the loss of their eldest son Neteyam (Jamie Flatters). Jake’s wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) is traumatized by death while trying to raise second son Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), adopted daughter Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), and youngest child Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss). A recent addition to the fold is Miles “Spider” Socorro (Jack Champion), a long-time human friend and unofficially-adopted son. While Jake does tolerate (and even cares for) Spider, Neytiri remains emotionally distant and views the boy with disdain. Her dislike for him stems from a hatred towards “the sky people” (i.e- humans), and she resents his presence among the Na’vi. Since her late father also died because of humans, Neytiri is convinced that they will only bring death and destruction. Jake becomes increasingly concerned for his wife as he recognizes that the pain is consuming her whole life. He is also fearful about the humans returning in greater numbers and with weapons. Despite being regarded as a hero among the Na’vi people, Jake does not consider himself a saviour and feels unworthy of the title “Toruk Makto” (Rider of the Last Shadow).

Meanwhile, the kids are still coping with the changes in their lives. Lo’ak misses his older brother and struggles with being promoted to eldest sibling. He believes that Jake is too hard on him and feels inadequate as a son. Kiri is struggling with the question of her origins. While her biological mother was the late Dr. Grace Augustine (also played by Weaver), the question of how exactly she was conceived remains a mystery. Although Kiri wants to find out the truth of her conception, she learns that attempting to communicate with Eywa could prove to be fatal.

Unbeknownst to the Sully family, trouble is brewing on Pandora. The Resources Development Administration is preparing to conduct another mission on the planet. Leading the movement is General Frances Ardmore (Edie Falco), who has enlisted the aid of Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), a US Marine and Na’vi hybrid himself. He is also the biological father of Spider, whom he is estranged from. Despite remaining devoted to the RDA and his military code, Quaritch finds it hard to come to terms with being a Na’vi and accepting that he’s no longer a human man. The main target of the RDA is Jake, who is regarded as a traitor for having betrayed the Marines and abandoned his humanity to become a Na’vi. Another threat surfaces in the form of the Mangkwan Clan, a Na’vi tribe that thrives on waging war and attacking other groups on Pandora. Their leader is Varang (Oona Chaplin), who harbours a strong grudge against the other Na’vi clans. Years earlier, a volcanic eruption destroyed their village, and their prayers to Eywa went unanswered. Traumatized by the destruction, she denounced Eywa and turned her tribe into a warmongering group that uses fire to destroy those they deem enemies.

When the RDA begin looking for the Sully clan, Jake realizes that Spider will also be a target for Quaritch and the Marines. He and Neytiri decide to move their family away from the coast and deeper into the wilderness of Pandora. The idea is to travel with a band of merchant traders, meet up with the human scientists who are opposed to the RDA, and leave Spider with them. Before Jake’s plan can be realized, they are attacked by Quaritch and his Marines. During the fight, Neytiri is severely wounded, and the children are separated from their parents.

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Upon fleeing into the jungle, the Sully kids have to help Spider, who’s running low on his oxygen supply. Kiri manages to hook her foster brother up to Pandora’s vast ecological network, which allows him to breathe in the planet’s air. This is an unprecedented move, because it means Spider is now proof that humans might have a way to live on Pandora if word gets out. Furthermore, it also begs the question of how such an act was possible, and Kiri suspects this has something to do with her conception.

Jake is accosted by Quaritch, but he manages to talk the latter down by revealing Spider has disappeared. Putting aside their differences, the two fathers agree to work together and find their children. While Quaritch vows to bring him in, Jake believes that his enemy can be reformed and turn over a new leaf. Meanwhile, Neytiri is healing from her wounds, but she is left uncertain as to whether her children are still alive. As the groups press on, they have to avoid the pyromaniac actions of the Varang clan, who are searching for the Sully family. What’s more, the humans are also keen on capturing Jake and making an example of him. Upon encountering the Mangkwan, Quaritch decides to join forces with Varang in the hopes of going after Jake and reclaiming Spider. He agrees to help the Mangkwan by giving them firearms in exchange for their assistance.

Sam Worthington delivers a reliable, driven performance as Jake. Having played the character twice before, the Australian actor has grown into the role and become more confident. His style is stoic yet gentle, with an edge of intensity. Worthington gives a more concerned, worried turn to Jake, especially while trying to protect his family and deal with Neytiri’s grief. His best moment arrives in a tense sequence where he debates what to do about Spider, and the result is gripping to watch.

Zoe Saldaña brings a raw, traumatized side to her portrayal of Neytiri. Having starred in JJ Abrams’ Star Trek series and the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, she serves as the emotional core of this film. Saldaña’s depiction of grief and rage allows for a more damaged side of Neytiri to shine. In one gripping scene, she actually succeeds in terrifying Worthington, and it is quite intense to behold. The character’s arc depicting grief showcases the dangers of prejudice and falling into despair, which makes for a compelling dynamic between her and the family.

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Sigourney Weaver depicts a growing maturity to the role of Kiri. While some might find the idea of a seventy-something actress playing a young woman questionable, Weaver makes the character feel believable as an old soul in a teenaged alien’s body. The actress’ best moments include Kiri’s interactions with her family and theorizations of how she was conceived. What’s more, Weaver also reprises Grace Augustine in a moving sequence in the third act, giving the audience a scene of her playing both mother and daughter.

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Stephen Lang gives depth to Miles Quaritch. Having been an antagonist as both human and Na’vi in the last two films, he now finds himself playing a foe turned reluctant ally who’s trying to reconcile with his son. Lang manages to make the character flawed yet realistic in adapting to his new status as a Na’vi hybrid. His best moments occur when dealing with Worthington and Saldaña, as well as interactions with Spider.

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The rest of the cast does well in their roles. Britain Dalton really steps up in developing Lo’ak’s character from a misunderstood teenager to a reluctant leader who had to grow up quickly. He even serves as one of the main points of view and narrates the film. Trinity Jo-Li Bliss has a lot more to do as Tuk by participating in action scenes and aiding her older siblings in escaping the RDA and Varang. It is a welcome change from her continually being kidnapped (something which the last film lampshaded). Jack Champion plays Spider as a rough-and-tumble kid who manages to adapt to his changing environment, and he makes the character endearing and likeable. Oona Chaplin succeeds in making Varang an unsettling, frightening antagonist, and her character’s monologue about being abandoned by Eywa gives some depth to her motivations. Edie Falco delivers a stubborn, no-nonsense vibe to General Ardmore. Having shot to fame for playing Carmela on The Sopranos, the Nurse Jackie star makes the character of Ardmore a tough and formidable opponent for the Na’vi. Kate Winslet reprises her role as Metkayina leader Ronal, and it marks her third overall collaboration with director Cameron. Giovanni Ribisi returns as RDA administrator Parker Selfridge from the first film, but he’s largely overshadowed by Lang and Falco.

Cameron’s direction is quite solid. He keeps the heart and soul of the film on the family unit. While the first film was Jake’s story and the second was Neytiri’s respectively, this plot focuses on the children and their having to grow up a lot faster. The narrative continues exploring the Metkayina tribe and their bond with aquatic life, but it also focuses on the relationships between various Na’vi tribes. Although the RDA are still antagonists, this film’s introduction of the Varang Clan shows the complexities of various groups. It makes for a deep, thoughtful look at how societies are divided by belief and ideology.

If there are any flaws with Fire and Ash, the movie’s long run time would be a point of contention for critics and fans. Clocking in at nearly three and a half hours, many people have questioned why the film has to be so vast in terms of length. While some scenes flow smoothly, others tend to run on considerably longer and drag on. Yet it is worth noting that the first Avatar was almost three hours, while The Way of Water ran just over three hours in length. Furthermore, one recalls that Titanic also ran past three hours and still won the hearts of moviegoers and critics alike. So perhaps there still is room for long films to be successful.

Another criticism of viewers is the plot seemingly following the repetitive formula of the first two movies. What they fail to recognize is that this film is expanding on the mythos, as well as enhancing it. Although there is more exploration of the Metkayina culture and aquatic life, the plot takes a detour by looking at the inner workings of Pandora, as well as showcasing the Mangkwan as an extremist group looking to upset the balance.

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Overall, Avatar: Fire and Ash is a solid installment to the franchise. James Cameron succeeds in fleshing out his characters, raising the stakes and upping the action. Worthington, Saldaña, Lang, Dalton, Weaver, and Falco do well in their roles. Assuming the film is a success, it makes one wonder about where the Avatar franchise could go next in future sequels. Three and a half out of four stars.