The movie Avatar: Fire and Ash has recently been released. It is the third addition to the Avatar series, which the public previously completely obsessed over. Avatar 3 is a strikingly beautiful, dark, compelling, deep, and entertaining movie. However, it does have some aspects that could be improved.

Unfortunately, instead of focusing on the Na’vi characters that the entire movie franchise is supposed to be about, the third movie was centered around Spider, the human son of the villain, who was taken in by the family of the Na’vi main characters; Jake Sully, Neytiri, and their kids.

The movie fittingly begins with the Sullys grieving the loss of Neteyam, who died in Avatar: The Way of Water. As the movie progresses, however, the plot and focus shift towards Spider, centering him as the main character. There are so many new interesting characters introduced that would have been a great option to center instead of this ripoff Tarzan. Spider is just more of a side character that is nowhere near as impactful or important as the other main characters. 

Despite how long it was, Avatar 3 very rarely got boring or tiring. The visuals, intensity, and setup are simply too captivating to lose attention. However, the runtime of over 3 hours could have been shortened by not including Kiri and Spider beginning to like each other. Even though they are not related, they grew up together and were raised by the same people. They call the same person dad, adding an uncomfortable tone to their relationship once it turns romantic. No one needed or wanted this to be included in the movie.

An outstanding aspect of the third Avatar movie is the stunning visuals. Like the other two movies, watching Avatar 3 feels like a dream and is impossible to look away from.

With introducing fire into the movie, scenes with the leader of the Mangkwan people can be intensely dark yet mesmerizing. Every frame in the movie is striking and hypnotic. 

The movie has many extreme and violent parts. It shows a darker side of the Na’vi that leaves viewers speechless. All of the actors did an outstanding job, portraying every emotion flawlessly. Oona Chaplin, who played Varang, had to portray an evil, unhuman-like character and did so perfectly, surpassing our highest expectations. Every movement, tone, and expression was painted perfectly to create her character. Varang is not a misunderstood villain, but truly evil, desiring power and destruction. This adds a twist that makes the movie brutal and significant.

If you enjoyed the first two Avatar movies, you will love Avatar: Fire and Ash. It will definitely be loved by viewers who like adventure, action, and emotional movies. 

It is a great movie for mature kids/tweens to adults. Because of its intense and darker tone, however, Avatar: Fire and Ash will likely be too scary for younger kids as it also shows heavier concepts. It may also trigger those who are sensitive to viewing mental health challenges and/or grief.