Avatar: Fire & Crash?

As custom now dictates, I will separate this article into Grievances and Heroes. 
Grievance : an element of the show that I felt worsened my experience or the narrative. 
Hero : an element of the show that I felt heightened my experience or the narrative. 

I will begin with Grievances so we can end on a positive note!

TOP 5 GRIEVANCES

GRIEVANCE #1: KIRI, the 76-Year-Old Teenager

Don't you DARE get me wrong; Sigourney Weaver is definitely a hero of mine and I will not subject you to hate-speech… BUT…

It's just not a reasonable decision to have a 76-year-old voice a teenager. Vocal cords change as we age and it was lost on no one that Kiri's voice didn't belong to a fourteen-year-old… or however old she's supposed to be. 

It's also the voice of someone iconic. I'm not saying Gen Z or below has watched the full canon of her work, but most of us grew up with Sigourney at one point or another. Watching a blue teenager open their mouth and the voice of a senior icon is just WEIRD. 

So, I don't want to critique the performance itself. It's immaterial. There was simply no way for Sigourney to succeed here. I'm really happy she had a role in the first one and I understand wanting to keep a legend on board, but this wasn't the way. Even if you sorta kinda definitely make her Pandora's Jesus… Sorry, Jimmy. 

Also, there needs to be SOME rules surrounding Kiri's powers. Her just being blessed by Eywa is SO LAZY. It's like Deus ex Machina but for the ENTIRE movie. 

GRIEVANCE #2: SPIDER, the Real Alien

I've heard a lot of hate for Spider. So, before we begin, let me make it clear that I DO NOT agree with the general consensus. He's hard to watch, but not for the reasons I've been hearing. That's why I've put Spider in both categories. 

Spider is one of the only human characters we spend much time with. He's, in many ways, our passport into the world. Ordinarily, that's the job of the main character (like Jake Sully in the first film). However, in a strange role-reversal, our main human character feels more alien than anyone. Because he was raised by the Na'vi, he truly belongs in neither world. Spider can't quite keep up with his Na'vi friends and siblings and is utterly unsocialized toward most humans. 

When you have a character that is so disconnected from their communities and are made to be consistent outliers, they need to be supremely likeable. This is where things are going wrong. 

Jackson Champion, who plays Spider, doesn't seem to have that innate quality that forces audiences to gravitate toward him. His performance feels devoid of relationship and charm, making it difficult to root for him most of the time. That, paired with really shaky dialogue isn't exactly a recipe of success. That being said, Spider has a lot to offer. 

More on that later…

GRIEVANCE #3: QUARITCH, the Undying

Really fun bad guy. Would be spectacular if he would just DIE. 

It's becoming increasingly clear that James Cameron wants to develop Quaritch's character and make him more well-rounded. In the first movie he was downright evil and I understand the impulse to give us more and more empathy. His relationship with Jake continues to evolve and his relationship with Spider clearly means a lot to him. 

HOWEVER, you shouldn't need 12 hours of movie to handle that. You shouldn't need to feign his death THREE TIMES NOW. It dramatically lowers the stakes and trivializes everything our protagonists are going through. 

GRIEVANCE #4: LO'AK, the Useless

Buckle up, because this one's a long one. 

After the onslaught of Spider-Hate, somehow Lo'ak remains unscathed? A character who contributed almost nothing for the entire movie. Yes, he took it upon himself to go chase the exiled whale and that WAS important… but a character can't remain interesting or viable on courage alone. 

Yes, Lo'ak makes brave choices, but I wouldn't make the mistake of calling him a hero just yet. In order for that to happen, he would need to put forth ANY skill. Thus far, the only thing he demonstrated aptitude for is leaving his post after being repeatedly told not to. What's worse, when he DOES leave his post he DOES NOT help anyone. He consistently fails to shoot straight, run without falling, or think straight during a crisis. 

While I admit that his arc could have been interesting after the loss of his brother and the blame from his father, he just manages to be irritatingly inept. 

Ordinarily, the character with a big heart but very little skill is satisfying to watch because they learn to match their intent with their ability. It's the transformation from a good person into a hero.

Based on the fact that Cameron had Lo'ak narrating, which I abhorred, it would appear he's supposed to be the main character… but that completely fell apart. Best I can tell, there's uncertainty about who their main character really is. 

GRIEVANCE #5: DURATION; I've Been Here the Whole Time? 

It's become increasingly common for the most expensive movies made to exceed three hours in duration. Avatar was actually among the original trendsetters in 2009 establishing it as a norm. I distinctly remember shock on people's faces when they shared how long the movie was with each other. It's hardly surprising now… but it should mean something more than budget. 

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of really long movies. That being said, I did recently enjoy a Dune marathon and was happy to plant my butt in a seat for over six hours. The difference rests within the contract between the director and the audience. If the expectation is to sit for THAT long, then the director better make use of every damn minute. 

There's an argument to be made that the animation is stunning enough to justify that kind of thing… but I would disagree. Once the narrative stops being able to support the visuals, the contract is broken. It starts to feel more akin to someone showing you pictures of their kid; it's just stuff the director cares about and wants everyone to sit through. 

Unfortunately, I would say Cameron missed the mark on this one. You could easily shave an hour off this movie and maintain the entire plot. 

To make matters worse, this movie broke the pattern and didn't explore a new part of the world. We remained with the ocean Na'vi and dealt with the same problems as the Way of Water. Yes, there was one scene where Quaritch visits Varang in her outpost/village at the base of the Volcano… but that was it! 

Same problem with the Wind Traders! They were really cool, super well designed, with their leader being interesting right away… and then it turned out their only purpose was to introduce Varang and her raiders. While that scene was gripping, I wish we had more time with other parts of Pandora if the enemies are going to largely stay the same. 

To summarize, it was too long and too similar to the previous film. 

TOP 5 HEROES

HERO #1: NEYTIRI, the Immovable

By far the best character of the entire franchise. 

Neytiri is the only character who has shown growth from the moment we meet her in the first movie, until now. Her arc remains incomplete and it's one of the only things I held onto as I sat through Way of Water and Fire & Ash. 

I appreciate the new layers added in this movie. Neytiri struggling to accept the humanity in her own family because of how deeply she hates Humans was interesting. Watching her deal with not being able to use her bow was under-explored, but interesting! 

As always, Neytiri remains potentially the most capable character of them all. Her bravery, skill, and intelligence are almost unmatched. It makes her scenes infinitely more compelling as few people enjoy watching people be bad at things (lookin' at you, Lo'ak). 

I also want to mention that this is a really compelling example of a powerful woman. Even if we ignore how terrifyingly lethal she is, she's so strong. She makes choices and stands by them. She never flaunts or flexes to prove she's tough. She just ACTS. Nothing stops her when she wants something. She's supremely loyal but also a realist. She's just AWESOME. 

Honourable mention: the scene where Neytiri helps Ronal give birth was amazing. I'll explain with a lightning round: 
- Scene didn't drag or labor on the idea that giving birth is painful: we know. 
- “Then Push!” delivered by Neytiri was perfect, hilarious, iconic. 
- Demonstrates how badass women are without feeling preachy. 
- Neytiri and Ronal are believable and very much behaving in character. 

There really isn't enough good to say about Neytiri. She's my favourite part of the movie every single time. 

HERO #2: SPIDER, the Useful

Alright, haters, let's talk about it. 

Sure, you found Spider annoying… but was it REALLY that annoying to watch someone fight at every opportunity? To watch someone genuinely contribute to every situation he's in? It's wild to me that one of the most hated characters in the franchise manages to be more useful than half the cast. 

What's even more interesting: none of Jake's children are as similar to him as Spider is. The whole tension between Jake and Lo'ak is that Jake operates like a marine. He's a soldier. He is a born leader, but also has a killer instinct. Lo'ak supposedly also possesses the traits of a leader, but his heart is kinder and he struggles to give into the ruthlessness that war demands. 

Contrasting this, Spider possesses the will to fight tooth and nail in every possible moment. He manages to escape captivity and often saves others who are more capable than him. While the character might not be enjoyable to watch, he's actually a much stronger character in terms of narrative and purpose than his counterparts. 

Although, still unsure how he missed Quaritch with that crossbow at point blank… I'll chalk it up to him purposefully making it non-lethal on account of it being his dad…

HERO #3: VARANG, the Unstoppable 

Varang is what makes this movie worth watching. 

For the third time in a row, Quaritch is our antagonist. Had he been the only one, the movie would have been too similar to Way of Water. Upsettingly similar. In fact, I suspect the entire franchise would have collapsed had Varang not been included in the third installment. 

Not only is Varang's backstory, design, and performance STUNNING, but she enriches every character she interacts with. She gives Neytiri a real rival, she gives Quaritch an equal and paramour, she gives Kiri a reason for being in the story at all (that tail moment at the end?), and so on… 

It should be noted that what really sold the character, though, was the design and the performance. She wasn't necessarily written impressively (but it was solid overall). The artists who created her did a phenomenal job. Oona Chaplin, who played Varang, demonstrates how important the performer is during motion capture. Her movements, her voice, her demeanor were all menacing and predatory. It was captivating to watch. 

HERO #4: VISUALS, the Breathtaking

This feels a little like cheating, to be honest. OF COURSE the visuals are part of what I liked about the movie. They are absolutely unbelievable. I won't waste your time explaining because there are no words to illustrate what they achieved.

It's almost like when you give artists and animators adequate time to generate quality, it pays of! (Yes, Marvel, we're ALL lookin' right at you). 

HERO #5: ACTION SCENES, the epic!

The action sequences in this movie are incredible. 

I wouldn't go as far as claiming they break any new ground, though. The two previous installments also had great actions sequences that are both airborne and aquatic. That being said, they still managed to mesmerize. 

While perhaps not the most climactic, I found Varang's raid on the Air Traders to be one of the most enjoyable and compelling sequences in the movie. The way their fire arrows left trails of smoke across the sky was both menacing and beautiful. The aerial combat emulated a Star Wars fighter battle, with chaos spread across the airways. 

However, this scene did not stand alone. 

The scene where Neytiri rescues Jake from the human base was magnificent. Her character is so much fun to watch, and to see her unleash both her wit and her might against truly ANY enemy in order to save those she loves? Incredible. Especially after their previous conversations and tension between them - it shows that underneath all that's transpiring, their bond is unshakeable. 

That whole sequence also included Spider creatively springing from jail, the scientist played by Jemaine Clement defying his duties and using a giant machine to help Jake and Spider escape, and Neytiri infiltrating the base and bodying everyone who stands in her way. 

However, due to the final battle being near identical to previous final battles in the Avatar franchise, I will not be shouting it out. It was cool. Seen it before, unfortunately…

TO SUMMARIZE…

I've struggled with Avatar. 

It blew people away when it first came onto the scene, but the sequels have not been homeruns by any stretch of the imagination. They are repetitive in theme and content, they rely more on their visuals than their narrative, and they are too long. It's okay to have a three hour movie, but best you earn it with more than just investment into motion capture. Substance is what's needed. 

However, this installment left me with a better taste in my mouth than Way of Water. There was less of an emphasis on damage to the natural world (it felt unbelievably preachy in the 2nd movie) and more emphasis on the struggles our characters are facing in their lives. It's challenging to keep a story compelling if you only rely on large moral questions like that. Yes, I want Jake Sully to save the environment… but I want him to save his family a whole lot more while I'm watching…

I want to support James Cameron as a Canadian (though I don't appreciate how much business he brings other countries and not ours… but enjoy New Zealand, my guy!)

Can't wait to see the next one… I think.