Short review - Can't believe it's been a year already and a lot has happened (more on that later). First, let's talk James Cameron's latest foray back into Pandora with Avatar: Fire and Ash. I was fortunate enough to see a press screening of this film prior to its wide release and have had quite some time to sit with the film. While I find the third installment of the franchise remarkably better than the last, maybe even better than the first, I still have one question. What the hell is going on?
(MILD SPOILERS AHEAD)
Avatar: Fire and Ash pulls a fast one on its audience. This movie, much to the disappointment of critics and fans alike, is more of a second half of Way of the Water and less a true third film to complete a trilogy. It directly carries over the events from the second film, making the "fire and ash" more of a back drop. New villain Varang is sidelined for the traditional intra-familial drama from the Sully family and their human child, Spider. You have all the returning players from the second film including the whales which fleshes out how empty that film felt but, offers little in the way of something fresh and new. Since these films have such lengthy run times, one would hope we could have spent more time exploring a new side of Pandora by now. The good news is, this is by far the best these films have ever looked with another strong third act. The pacing feels better, the action is tighter, but it does miss a core emotional element from the second film. By proxy, finishing this one made the second look even worse than I had previously believed it was.
Since so much of this film is treading the same waters with the small inclusion of.a new faction that functions only to lure Quaritch, it's hard to describe the events. If you've seen the second, a logical leap would lead you to the third, with one major twist. Spider, Quaritch's son and human adoptee of the Sully family, begins the process of transforming into a Human.Na'vi hybrid (he sprouts a tail at the base of his neck). Dr. Spellman describes his lungs as being "colonized" (don't get me started) by the planet and thus, this leads to a new fear that if humans can breathe on Pandora, they'll colonize and take everything over. What I find fascinating is this transpecies/racial component that is central to these films and so largely overlooked. Sadly, this is not quite the spade to explore this is detail so that's for another time. This is, however, the most interesting twist next to Sigourney Weaver's "76 year old in a 14 year old body" double performance which still makes no sense. On some level, Cameron's technical work on these films is a master class but the way he's approached issues of identity and indigeneity haven't always worked. This story, carrying on the drama of the water tribe (which results in many of them gone by the end) coupled with these new possibility of anyone "becoming" a Na'vi without a body, certainly opens a new door. Cameron has always been forward thinking and in this case, Fire and Ash accomplishes an avenue to "what's next" for these characters.
Much to my surprise, this one's a knock out. Go see it in theaters now (and in 3D).
(MILD SPOILERS AHEAD)
Avatar: Fire and Ash pulls a fast one on its audience. This movie, much to the disappointment of critics and fans alike, is more of a second half of Way of the Water and less a true third film to complete a trilogy. It directly carries over the events from the second film, making the "fire and ash" more of a back drop. New villain Varang is sidelined for the traditional intra-familial drama from the Sully family and their human child, Spider. You have all the returning players from the second film including the whales which fleshes out how empty that film felt but, offers little in the way of something fresh and new. Since these films have such lengthy run times, one would hope we could have spent more time exploring a new side of Pandora by now. The good news is, this is by far the best these films have ever looked with another strong third act. The pacing feels better, the action is tighter, but it does miss a core emotional element from the second film. By proxy, finishing this one made the second look even worse than I had previously believed it was.
Since so much of this film is treading the same waters with the small inclusion of.a new faction that functions only to lure Quaritch, it's hard to describe the events. If you've seen the second, a logical leap would lead you to the third, with one major twist. Spider, Quaritch's son and human adoptee of the Sully family, begins the process of transforming into a Human.Na'vi hybrid (he sprouts a tail at the base of his neck). Dr. Spellman describes his lungs as being "colonized" (don't get me started) by the planet and thus, this leads to a new fear that if humans can breathe on Pandora, they'll colonize and take everything over. What I find fascinating is this transpecies/racial component that is central to these films and so largely overlooked. Sadly, this is not quite the spade to explore this is detail so that's for another time. This is, however, the most interesting twist next to Sigourney Weaver's "76 year old in a 14 year old body" double performance which still makes no sense. On some level, Cameron's technical work on these films is a master class but the way he's approached issues of identity and indigeneity haven't always worked. This story, carrying on the drama of the water tribe (which results in many of them gone by the end) coupled with these new possibility of anyone "becoming" a Na'vi without a body, certainly opens a new door. Cameron has always been forward thinking and in this case, Fire and Ash accomplishes an avenue to "what's next" for these characters.
Much to my surprise, this one's a knock out. Go see it in theaters now (and in 3D).
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