Avatar: Fire and Ash (dir. James Cameron)

By: Adam Freed

Say what one may about the bombastic and outsized science-fiction imagination of James Cameron (Titanic, The Terminator), but the man delivers.  As consistent as sunrise, Cameron has dedicated himself to an obsessive pursuit of technical innovation that has, decade after decade, changed the landscape of what is considered possible in the world of film. From the dawn of the director’s underwater obsession in The Abyss (1989), to the creation of an entirely new planetary ecosystem in Avatar (2009), Cameron has come to epitomize the technical brilliance that generations of filmmakers never dreamed possible.  Likening the auteur’s work to that of Victor Frankenstein, Cameron’s detractors continue to ponder that just because he has invented a way to digitally render entire worlds, is doing so the best use of his remaining years?  To this end, it is very unlikely that Cameron’s stunning new creation,  Avatar: Fire and Ash will convert any non-believers in the Pandora-based adventure, but for the faithful who already find comfort in the company of the Na’vi, what James Cameron and his massive team of digital creators have accomplished is once again nothing short of breathtaking.  In a world of three dimensional conversion in pursuit of profit margins, Fire and Ash is a deeply satisfying and immersive 3D adventure, and the best example of large scale filmmaking imaginable.  

James Cameron’s second Avatar sequel doesn’t provide quite as many surprises as Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), but it does root deeply into Pandoran lore, a menacing and memorable new antagonist in Varang, played delightfully by Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones).  Varang, a fire worshipping warlord, seeks to expand her influence across the alien planet and uses an unlikely alliance with long standing Na'vi antagonist Col. Miles Quaritch as a means to this grumose end.  Quaritch is once again played via motion capture, by Stephen Lang (Sisu: Road to Redemption, Don’t Breathe).  The debate as to the authenticity of individual acting performances within the Avatar franchise is sure to continue as Cameron’s unique motion capture technique requires every ounce of physical and emotional output from his cast of notable and gifted performers, but never completely removes the misconception that audiences are witnessing an animated image backed with voiceover performance.  While this may be an unfair criticism, Cameron’s use of invented technology likely still outpaces the realm of understanding of an audience seeking escapism rather than a tutorial on the director’s technical prowess.  In simple terms, there is little to be gained for the common audience in knowing how the sausage is made, a reality that will continue to prevent Avatar’s outstanding cast of actors from receiving their due credit. In addition, James Cameron’s films have long been plagued by allegations of irksome dialogue, a charge on which Fire and Ash does not fully acquit itself, yet all seems forgivable as whatever conversational woes persist, they come wrapped in a stunning physical experience unlike anything offered in modern cinemas.

In James Cameron’s outsized world of Pandora, it has become commonplace to expect the unexpected.  Avatar: Fire and Ash is more of everything that audiences have come to love from James Cameron’s Na’vi saga.  Inspired and physically demanding performances from Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez, Lioness), Kate Winslet (Titanic, The Reader), Sigourney Weaver (Aliens, Ghostbusters) and the aforementioned Oona Chaplin are likely to receive second billing to the pure grandeur and visual marvel of Avatar: Fire and Ash.  Filmmakers like James Cameron only come along once in a lifetime. Perhaps it is time to stop questioning his motives and instead allow for the monumental nature of his creation to achieve the transportive goal.

Target Score 8/10 - Avatar: Fire and Ash is more of everything that fans will come to expect from legendary director James Cameron. Although there is risk of being overwhelmed by the film’s colossal presentation, large format filmmaking has never looked better or been more immersive.