9 Ways James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash Went Off the Rails

Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third lap of Jake Sully’s marathon on Pandora, and yeah, it’s still a sensory wallop with that big eco-heart. But this one also stumbles in some pretty obvious ways. If you walked out feeling both dazzled and weirdly underwhelmed, you’re not alone.

Nine places Fire and Ash trips over itself

1. A finale that hits the gas too late
   Nearly three hours of build, then the ending suddenly sprints. The wheels start to wobble once the Mangkwans jump into the battle against other Na’vi clans, and the movie crams in a cascade of mini-endings: Ronal (Kate Winslet) dies in childbirth, Jake and Lo'ak reconnect, Kiri taps into Eywa, Varang bails, Jake and Quaritch trade final blows, and Spider links to the spirit tree where the ancestors accept him. It’s loud and loaded, but thin on actual resolution. For context, The Way of Water closed with Jake and Neytiri quietly seeing a young Neteyam in the spirit world — simple, gutting, and effective. Cameron usually nails endings; this one feels scattered.
2. Too many character spotlights at once
   It feels like a course correction for early critiques about flat characters, but the pendulum swings hard. We juggle Lo'ak’s grief, Spider’s whole arc about breathing on Pandora and belonging with the Na’vi as a human, Kiri’s Eywa connection, and attempts to deepen the villains (Varang and Quaritch). The result: one real emotional high point — a mid-movie forest scene with Jake, Neytiri, and Spider — while other arcs blur together. The Sully kids need screen weight so they don’t fade into the background, but the balance isn’t there yet. Maybe next time (if there is a next time).
3. Deja vu storytelling
   Once again, Na’vi versus sky people — only now with Mangkwans siding with the humans. The beats feel familiar: capture, rescue, chaos, escape. Even the Tulkun factor sneaks back into the finale, echoing The Way of Water. Maybe the repetition is intentional — same crucible, different choices — but a fresher setup would’ve helped.
4. No room to just marvel
   The original took time to breathe: neon forests, banshee flights, floating mountains — the good stuff. Some of that wonder lingered in The Way of Water. Here, momentum rarely lets up. The flying trading ships look gorgeous, sure, but the broader wildlife presence feels thinner. Watching Pandora’s creatures used to be half the fun.
5. Pacing whiplash
   The road to the finale is a slow roll; the finale itself is a rush. The most affecting scene — Jake and Spider’s conversation in the forest — lands mid-movie when it could have been a killer closing note instead of yet another Quaritch brawl. And speaking of Quaritch: a proud marine suddenly dressing like a Na’vi? That clashes with his whole identity-as-Colonel thing.
6. Villains without a plan
   Quaritch spends the film hovering at the edge of a conscience without committing to anything. Varang, meanwhile, walks on and steals attention by just existing — she’s that magnetic — but their partnership leans into a romance angle the story doesn’t need. Neither arc lands cleanly: Varang cuts and runs, and Quaritch swan-dives into what looks like his death.
7. Setups with no follow-through
   Big tension points — like Jake and Neytiri’s nasty argument — just evaporate. The Wind Traders are introduced with a lot of promise early on, and then never factor back in. For a movie this long, too many threads get dropped.
8. No runway for the next chapter
   The final image is Spider bonding with the spirit tree and being welcomed by the ancestors. Warm moment, yes. But with Varang gone and Quaritch out, it’s another 'we beat the sky people' wrap without a new threat on deck. Until we get a synopsis or teaser, there’s no clear direction for what comes next.
9. Relationships that don’t get the time
   Lo'ak and Tsireya clearly grow closer, and Spider and Kiri even share a kiss, but we barely see those bonds form. The Metkayina teens rally behind Lo'ak without a scene that earns their loyalty. Jake and Spider’s forest moment hits, but across the board, deeper character-to-character dynamics would have paid off.

The basics (so you can win the post-movie debate)

Movie: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore

Rotten Tomatoes (so far): 67%

Runtime: 3h 17m

US release date: December 19, 2025

Status: Now playing in theaters (USA)

Depending on your tolerance for messy finales and familiar beats, these might be minor scuffs or full-on immersion breakers. Did Fire and Ash pull you in anyway, or did the missteps keep you at arm’s length from Pandora this time?