(Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios)
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(“Avatar: Fire and Ash” trailer courtesy of Avatar)
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” lives up to part of its name.
The movie is straight fire.
Additionally, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is the best installment, and well worth over three hours of people’s lives.
The “Avatar” franchise is one of the best depictions of colonialism and a God complex in Hollywood history.
Throughout history, one species or group of people always thinks that they are better than their counterparts.
One group, which is viewed as inferior, has something that the self-proclaimed superior group wants.
As a result, the so-called superior group befriends those from the supposedly lesser group to butter them up, before crushing them and taking their land and/or resources.
In the “Avatar” film franchise, the Forest People are under siege from the Sky People.
The Sky People initially befriended the Forest People by creating an avatar for Jake (Sam Worthington, “Hacksaw Ridge”), a human being, so that he could blend it with the forest people to learn their ways and customs.
The Sky People, however, wanted to use Jake’s knowledge so that they could invade the Forest People’s lands and take their valuable natural resources.
However, when Jake fell in love with a forest lady named Neytiri (Zoe Saldana, “Emilia Perez”), it throws a monkey wrench into the plans of the Sky People.
Jake begins to feel at home amongst the Forest People and tries to stop the colonial efforts of the Sky People, eventually choosing the Forest People over his own people.
Despite Jake’s best efforts and his ultimate acceptance amongst the Forest People, which eventually becomes his family, he cannot stop the destruction of the Forest People’s sacred land.
As a result, the Forest People eventually learn how to live amongst the Sea People.
That brings them some peace and harmony.
But nothing can truly stop a colonizer from trying to commandeer other people’s land because it is in their nature to steal, destroy and conquer.
Colonizers will always be an enemy of the people, even the Forest People.
Therefore, battles will become inevitable to the last man is standing.
But what happens when the victims of colonization have two enemies determined to take their place?
It might make for some strange bedfellows.
But it might bring out the best in the oppressed people as they continue to fight for their existence and survival.
In “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” Earth is becoming uninhabitable for the Sky People.
Therefore, they are conducting research to find out ways that people can live on Pandora.
Before, man could only survive on Pandora via masks, that had time restraints.
Other than that, they were forced to use avatars to learn more about Pandora and its inhabitants.
But the Sky People and Forest People might both be up a creek without a paddle because the ash people create a dilemma that is dark, demented and darn near diabolical.
When the ash people learn how use modern high-tech weaponry, there is no telling the destruction that they might cause to all their adversaries.
IMDB describes “Avatar: Fire and Ash” in the following manner: “Jake and Neytiri’s family grapples with grief after Neteyami’s death, encountering a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Ash People, who are led by the fiery Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.”
What also emerges from “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is pure cinematic greatness.
Before the screening, filmmaker James Cameron explained how “Avatar: Fire and Ash” was filmed with no artificial intelligence.
The filmmaker relied on the physical talents of each actor, before applying the otherworldly visuals that the “Avatar” film franchise is known for.
Commercials have bombarded television networks with many critics calling this installment the best one of the bunch.
Those critics are definitely not lying.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on perspective, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” cannot be understood without watching the prior installments first.
And with their long run times, it might become time consuming catching up on them before checking out the new one in theaters.
Thankfully, the Christmas season is approaching, and many people will have some free time, which they could use watching the cinematic brilliance of the prior franchise installments.
As moviegoers will expect the visuals in “Avatar: Fire and Ash” are top-notch, especially in 3D.
But one ship flooding scene towards the end of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is amazing.
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” is also fantastic from a character perspective.
Although not the main character, Spider (Jack Champion) is the most compelling.
Although his people are wreaking much of the havoc on the Forest People, he knows right from wrong and sides with right.
However, him surviving amongst the Forest People is often heart-pounding because moviegoers know that his body is not equipped to last long on Pandora without the assistance of scientific and technological advancements.
Or is it?
Champion shines in “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
But the movie still benefits from acting greats like Sigourney Weaver, CCH Pounder (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters”), Giovanni Ribisi (“Selma”) and Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”) too.
Although not a negative for fans, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” could be too lengthy.
But then again, moviegoers should already know what they are getting themselves into if they take this movie review seriously and watch the past movies in the “Avatar” franchise because it definitely lives up to its reputation for requiring much time in the movie house.
REGAL RATINGS
FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT
THREE CROWNS=GOOD
TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE
ONE CROWN=POOR
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