Avatar: Fire and Ash, 2025 - ★★★★

Avatar: Fire and Ash remains a must-see for its immersive visual spectacle, much like the prior films but now on a grander scale with a slightly darker tone.

Unfortunately, James Cameron seems to have slowly run out of stories to tell. It tackles the same themes—ecological concerns, family drama, extractive capitalism, and colonialism—while repeating the same structure, recycling familiar tropes, and building emotions through dialogue and situations in nearly the same ways.

This time, the Sully family must process grief amid Pandora's escalating war. We also meet the Ash People, who symbolize the overwhelming grief from war's fiery aftermath.

I don't mind simple storytelling or even rehashing the same tales in a slightly different setting. But I can't help feeling disappointed by how badly they underutilized the Ash People. We could have deeply explored their cultural differences, worldviews, relationships with others, and the moral ambiguities they entail. Instead, they became mere plot devices, lacking fully developed depth and nuance. One might say the movie exploits them for "exotic" spectacle, much like the humans in the story exploit them as resources. This mistreatment still leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

That said, I truly love Pandora, the Na'vi, and their rich culture, and I can never get bored of their awe-inspiring world, where people live for love instead of hatred.

The film still has a big heart and certainly hits all the emotional highs and lows, much like the previous ones. I certainly root for the characters and against the humans. It's one of the few movies where we can confidently say "humans suck" without feeling awkward or guilty.

All in all, if you're seeking jaw-dropping visuals and technical wizardry, this is a must-see in theaters. You won't regret immersing yourself among the Na'vi in Pandora's world for three hours—it's well worth the ticket price for the Wind Traders scenes alone, imo. Just don't expect much depth or innovative storytelling, and you'll have a great time. The ending, though a bit rushed, feels somewhat satisfying, and the story could potentially wrap up here without further installments.