By: Marshall Stevenson of the Blerd Watchers Podcast
When considering what we have in the new Avatar film, we have to consider what Avatar films are. We have to consider the questions they ask, the themes they explore, and ultimately, answer if they are entertaining. Or not. Do the visuals justify and do service to the story being told? Does all the production design and filming techniques set this film apart from everything else we are getting in theaters? Does the film add to the lore, develop characters and give fans something new? Ultimately, is this film worth seeing in theaters, instead of waiting for the eventual streaming release? Lastly, the run time. Let’s talk about it.
My wife and I ventured out to the theater to experience this journey in 3D. We have been fans of the series since it was released while we were in college. We really enjoyed the sequel that we got, albeit with some small nitpicks. We collected our excitement and got in our seats. Avatar: Fire and Ash begins with a stark reminder of where we left the Sully family: in a state of shock and grief over the loss of the eldest son, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), in the previous movie.
This grief, as it does, manifests differently in each member of the family. Jake (Sam Worthington) busies himself with the defense of his new home. Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) is seemingly depressed. Their second son, Lo’ak (Britain Dalton, who also narrates the film) blames himself for his brother’s death. It’s a somber opening to be sure, but one that is needed to establish context for decisions to come. We understand that Jake and Neytiri are just parents who are concerned with keeping their family safe and together, leading us into our plot in earnest.
Let’s get back to our considerations, shall we? The Avatar films, at this point, explore family, love, duty and sacrifice. We can also point out its rather blatant examinations of capitalism, colonialism and entitlement. All these, I expected. What I didn’t expect, and got more of in Fire and Ash than I remember from previous Avatar films, was the prevalence of Faith. Added to the wonder of discovery, expanded world building and the usual hero’s journey, James Cameron manages to splice many of these themes and ideas together while also giving the people the sci-fi action we know and love. Not only that, these movies do an amazing job at redefining spectacle. The sequence where the family joins a clan of merchants to begin their journey is a standout here.
A common question asked by this series of films is, what would you do for love? What would you do to protect your family? For the Sully parents, the clear answer to that question is: Anything. As the plot develops, though, we come to understand how difficult that is, in this world in perpetual war, with growing children coming into their own. They have their own ideas, questions, motivations and quirks. One thing these movies also tend to explore, or ask, is what is family? We see many examples of the juxtaposition between chosen family and natural family. Spider (Jack Champion), Jake and Neytiri’s adopted son by way of a (deceased?) Quaritch (Stephen Lang), plays a key role in not only asking, but answering this question. His storyline is heartfelt, impactful and leads to one of the biggest emotional moments of the film. You’ll know it when you see it.
Speaking of seeing it, another consideration: the visuals. Much has been said about the use of the advanced 3D and high frame rates, but do these facets make for an actual better viewing experience? Absolutely, yes. The reason I can say this confidently was, for me, that I didn’t notice them. It just looked and felt like Pandora to me. I was immersed completely. And isn’t that the goal? Mission accomplished, James. Mission accomplished.
OK, time for the lightning round. The visuals do an amazing job aiding the storytelling in a really satisfying way. They capture the scale, grandeur and wonder that a planet like Pandora has. This is a beautiful film. Do they help the film stand apart? Yes. It’s a foregone conclusion that whenever an Avatar movie comes out, you can bet that they will push the visual envelope and it’s clear Fire and Ash does nothing but further that narrative. Extremely worth it to see in theaters.
Does the film expand the lore, give the characters development and give fans something new? Another resounding yes. Pandora is bigger, deeper and full of life. We have probably the best villain since the first film (really, she’s awesome), some callbacks to previous films that provide depth and make you ask, “What has this character been up to?”, as well a third act that is just as epic and visually pleasing as you would come to expect. It’s so difficult to really go into more without spoiling anything, so just trust me on this one.
Last but not least, the runtime. This movie is 3 hours and 17 minutes long. This is, however, only important if you are not a fan of the franchise. With that said, I would say the film objectively moves at a decently brisk pace to the point that it doesn’t feel like a 3 hour + movie. Are there some scenes that feel like they could be shortened? Sure. Are there other scenes that feel like they could be removed? Yes. Overall, though, leaving the theater, we were less concerned with how long the movie was, and more concerned with discussing what we did and didn’t like. The run time did not come up as a negative for either of us. This film is a great night at the movies, with a little something for everyone. The family is the center of the story, and should be. But there are also plenty of sub-plots and new characters to continue to build on this space odyssey for years (and more films) to come. Luckily for us, James Cameron agrees. Jake Sully will return.
