By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Very few movies can earn over a billion dollars, say #1 at the box office for weeks, and still be considered a disappointment. James Cameron’s Avatar franchise has been so successful, with only two movies, that Avatar: Fire and Ash was considered a step back with only $1.5 billion worldwide. Now that it’s available on Disney+ and removed from box office watchers, Avatar: Fire and Ash is about to find a new audience, with no 3D IMAX theater needed.
The Fire Nation Attacked
Avatar: Fire and Ash does for 3D fire effects what Way of Water did for water, and while there’s no denying it looks fantastic, a lot of the impact is lost when it comes to home viewing. That’s where the other part of the franchise comes in. The first Avatar is derided for being Ferngully or Dances with Wolves, but the last two, with more of an emphasis on Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri’s (Zoe Saldana) family, have more in common with the old-school sci-fi of the 80s.
The Na’vi on Pandora were at peace until the Fire Nation attacked. Wait, wrong Avatar, no wait, that’s actually the right Avatar except this time the leader is Varang (Oona Chaplain), giving us our first outright evil Na’vi. She’s “hardened” and willing to go to extreme lengths for her people, but when the end result is joining forces with the humans and accepting a gift of guns from Quaritch (Stephen Lang), it’s evil, not pragmatic.
Varang is the standout of Fire and Ash with Oona Chaplain’s performance electrifying the screen every time she’s in a scene. The rest of the film focuses more heavily on Spider (JAke Champion), Quaritch’s son adopted by Jake Sully, and his growing relationship with Kiri (Sigourney Weaver). Kiri is experiencing some growth and changes herself thanks to an inability to connect with Eywa, Pandora’s version of Gaia. Getting cut off by the God your entire species worships does a number on the teenager’s self-esteem.
Oh, and it all ends with a giant CGI battle that looked amazing on the big screen, and still looks great streaming over Disney+.
What’s Next For Avatar?
Avatar: Fire and Ash isn’t as great as the second film, and it lacks the sense of wonder from the first, but this is James Cameron’s series arriving as a true sci-fi franchise. With three films, it’s no longer a one-off curiosity or the butt of jokes about lacking cultural impact, it’s grand sci-fi with its roots in the family-friendly adventures of 80s Spielberg and Disney. The critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, only 60 percent, makes it the worst of the franchise but the audience score, of 90 percent, is what really matters. With Avatar, by now, you know what you’re getting.
The fourth and fifth movies are currently planned, with, allegedly, the fifth taking the battle for Pandora all the way back to Earth. Avatar 4 is currently planned for December 2029 while Avatar 5 is planned for 2031, which sounds like a made up number and not five years away. You have plenty of time to find three hours to set aside for Avatar: Fire and Ash between now and 2029. If nothing else, it’s worth the watch to experience Varang for yourself.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is now available on Disney+.
