According to IMDB, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” takes place exactly three weeks after the events of “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington), Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldaña), and their family are struggling with the loss of Neteyam, the oldest son. Spider, a human teenager that lives with the family, is becoming a liability due to his need for an oxygen mask. Jake decides he must return to live with the Sky People for everyone’s safety.
A couple of new clans are introduced: the Tlalim Clan, also known as the Wind Traders, and the Mangkwan Clan, also known as the Ash People. The Wind Traders are a neutral and nomadic clan that travels and trades across Pandora, bringing goods, messages and stories. The Ash People are viewed as a hostile clan that steals from and kills members of other clans. They also have a cult-like worship of fire and a disdain for Eywa.
I remember watching the first Avatar movie and being amazed at the world that director James Cameron was building. Pandora looked otherworldly to me. The second movie, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” was even better visually and story-wise. I loved how they included the use of a unique sign language to communicate underwater and that the Metakayina (an oceanic clan) had Tulkun (a sentient marine species) as “spirit brothers/sisters.” It made me have high hopes for the next Avatar movie.
The visuals of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” once again outdid the previous movie, but the plot seemed lacking at times and there could have been more character development for characters like Spider or more of a focus on new characters rather than continuing the story of characters introduced in the first movie.
Overall, I would recommend watching this movie mainly because of how stunning it looked and how the world was expanded a bit further. Avatar: Fire and Ash has a 66% rating on the tomato meter and 90% on the popcorn meter.
by Milo Stroud
