Director: James Cameron
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Jack Champion, Oona Chaplin, Cliff Curtis, Kate Winslet
Rating: (M)
★★★★
REVIEWED BY THOMAS GREEN
In the latest return to the luscious alien moon Pandora, Avatar: Fire and Ash (Rialto, Reading) treads heavily through reiterative plot beats, but, nevertheless, the adage remains: Never bet against James Cameron. The deep reverence for this world he’s created is truly enriching among the industry’s sea of dreary mediocrity, practically demanding to be seen in 3-D on the biggest screen you can possibly find.
In this entry, renowned Na’vi hero Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), his partner Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and their family are once again pursued by their persistent arch-enemy, Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). This time, however, Quaritch joins forces with an outcast clan of destructive fire-worshipping Na’vi, led by their vicious chieftainess Varang (Oona Chaplin). Their struggle for survival is further complicated by the Sully family’s young adopted human, Spider (Jack Champion), suddenly gaining the ability to breathe in the toxic air, a terrifying revelation that could signal one significant step for the invasive human colonisers, and one gargantuan death knell for Na’vikind.
As usual, the action is top-notch, but Fire and Ash feels refreshing with its heightened sense of melodrama, carrying genuine sincerity behind every character interaction, as the cast is taken into darker territories.
Despite the occasional clunky line of dialogue, every impeccably-textured frame of Pandora helps to forge a powerful emotional connection to its denizens and their surroundings. The dramatic tensions resonate on a grand operatic scale, perfectly fitting that of Cameron’s titanic ambitions. Truly, this trilogy-capper burns brilliantly.
