RIOTUS

No cultural mark is what people say when talking about the Avatar series of films. This is the second time I’ve seen the chronically online people wonder and question why we are seeing a new Avatar film. Even people I talk to in real life look at me, baffled that another is coming out, and then also tell me they haven’t watched the last one after I bring up that they see Avatar: Fire and Ash. How does a franchise of films where the previous two entries both made over two billion dollars and are the number one and three all-time, respectively. Yet folks will say numbers don’t equal quality, and that is true, but if a film does that well globally and clearly has a cultural impact outside of the United States. The real question is – is the US audience just not tapped in anymore into what’s actually good?

See, I’m a big Avatar person. I think James Cameron‘s story of humans and the Na’vi on the world of Pandora has a universal enough story that is simple to understand in plot and what it’s trying to say, while also highlighting his incredible filmmaking skill and his drive to push cinematic technology. This is still the only movie franchise that I feel needs to be seen on the best screen possible and in 3D, as it’s really the only great film 3D experience. I guess the question is, why should you still care about Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family’s plight?

Well, Avatar: Fire and Ash picks up some time after the end of Avatar: The Way of Water, with the family still reeling from the loss of Neteyam and still with the Metkayina clan. Jake and Neytiri’s family is more distant from each other than ever. Lo’ak, feels guilty for the death of his brother and worries about moving into the role of the eldest child while also dealing with the unresolved resentment his father, Jake, holds towards him about what happened before. Neytiri’s dislike of humans has reached the level of hatred. Her depression at the loss of her son is a smoldering aura that pushes everyone close to her away from her. Kiri is still finding her place in the world and her connection to the world and their deity Eywa.

Jake and Neytiri decide that Spider needs to go back to the Omatikaya tribe’s lands for his safety. The Sully clan meets the Wind Trader tribe to go take him back, but they are attacked by the Mangkwan Clan, the Ash people led by Varang (Oona Chaplin), and these are the antagonists the Sully family has to deal with the most. The Sky People, aka the humans of the RDA, are still there doing the same terrible stuff they have always been doing, but Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is still here to continue to go after his hated rival Jake Sully while also dealing with his conflicted feelings about Spider.

So I think something that helps this film is that, unlike the first one, which introduces everything, and the second that has to reintroduce the audience, this one just goes for it as it starts. The film feels like a big Act 2 or maybe something like The Two Towers. We fully know our characters on both sides, and we can put them directly in action with each other and throw in some new characters to shift how those dynamics work. Varang drives so much of the action with her full-on heel performance. For the film is more Neytiri as the HERO with Varang as her villainous foil. Having Varang teaming up and becoming involved makes them the perfect dark couple to go against our hero couple of Jake and Neytiri. Chaplin and Lang work very well off of each other in each scene they’re in. Lang actually steals most of this film with his performance. He’s charming and entertaining. He’s a perfect antagonistic rival.

The reason I call him a rival is that Quaritch’s character, especially in recombinant (human/Na’vi) form, his and Jake’s relationship get more into the not completely hating each other, a respect, but it’s still on sight. Basically, shonen dynamics. Now, as I said earlier, Neytiri is the hero of this movie and has a lot of the real bad ass moments and the overcoming arc. She gets beaten up by the new bad guy and has to get back on top and does all the stuff that you’d expect to see Jake do. Now, in this third outing, Zoe Saldaña gives another spectacular performance as Neytiri. It’s at a point that it’s a real shame that her performance in these films hasn’t been recognized as it should because of the nature of performance capture and most people professionals, including not understanding how all this works.

The pacing in this film impressed me so much with how it moves from set piece to set piece, quiet moments, and great visual spectacle, with no real flaws in its craft. I’m a big fan of high frame rate use in film, and with the 3D, it stands apart from other things you see on screen. I think the use of the high frame rate has improved in this one from that of the last film. While I know it bothers some folks, it’s something I feel adds to the film, especially with how Cameron uses the frame rate changes. The 3D especially has some standout moments in the water scenes. There’s one scene where the kids are in the river, and the way the water just crashes up against the camera as you’re seeing in the water and above it makes you feel way more immersed in the action and what’s happening with the characters. The direction and 3D are also excellent during the flying scenes. There are way more aerial battles in this one, as we have more Na’vi on Na’vi action. The camera movement is fast, the edit keeps you engaged in the battles, and keeps it moving from character to character while never feeling lost or hard to read. It’s also in 3D, so with the depth that’s a challenging feat, and Cameron clears it with ease.

As I stated earlier, with Saldaña’s performance, all the actors doing the performance capture are excellent in this. Sigourney Weaver really does well as Kiri. Britain Dalton as Lo’ak has a lot to do in this film, as he’s so pivotal to the whole arc. A lot rests on his shoulders with his performance, and he’s great in this. You really care about Lo’ak and his internal struggles from the last movie. Great coming-of-age arc. I’m very impressed with Kate Winslet‘s role in Ronal because I have to remind myself it’s her, as they made her character not look like her in any way. Speaking of Spider, Jack Champion impresses me a lot with the work he does, since he’s the only character we see as a human in this. The scaling all works, and he fits into this world and makes a lot more sense in this film than in the last one. This film solidifies the importance of Spider and Kiri more than just being extra kids.

The film and series feel to me like an animated series I’d watch as a kid, but a bit more sophisticated. The close family of characters with distinct looks and cool-looking weapons and machines all throughout. Well-thought-out, amazing production designs all through this. The film still has an environmental tone. The whale-like creatures are still important; the RDC and military are still the most blatant and clear examples of colonialism. For some, it’s silly, but I still reiterate that’s precisely why it works and how it can work around the world. The visuals are beautiful and awe-inspiring, while everyone can relate to Jake, his family, and the Na’vi – even the new “bad” ones. Avatar: Fire and Ash continues to be the best big cinematic experience you can have in these modern times, and I can’t wait to see it again and again.