Home » News » Avatar Fire and Ash X reviews: Visual spectacle, but netizens feel they’ve seen the same movie thrice now
Avatar Fire and Ash X reviews: Visual spectacle, but netizens feel they’ve seen the same movie thrice now
Avatar Fire and Ash X reviews: Third instalment in James Cameron’s franchise looks pretty, but feels empty, offering audiences nothing new by way of story progression
Dec 19, 2025
A still from Avatar Fire and Ash
Avatar: Ash and Fire, the third chapter in James Cameron’s ambitious 5-film Avatar franchise, hit theatres worldwide on December 19. After introducing audiences to the aquatic Na'vi clan Metkayina, or water people, who live in harmony with Pandora's oceans in the second film, Cameron uses the third instalment to introduce the more aggressive Mangkwan clan, or the Ash People, who live in volcanic land. Humans are still central to the conflict on Pandora, but this time, it also pits two indigenous clans against each other.
Dive back into Pandora and watch Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water now on JioHotstar with your OTTplay Premium subscription.
Avatar 3: Netizens not pleased about old wine in new bottle
The film, though, has evoked largely negative reactions, with a majority feeling that Cameron’s sole focus was on visual brilliance, making it a sure-shot Oscar contender for visual effects, but that there’s precious little to feel good about otherwise. “Same story with better visual effect”, that about sums up the overwhelming sentiment on social media. There is no emotional weight to the story, which runs too long and plays it safe. Several netizens pointed out that they’ve been seeing the same film for the third time now.
Comments about the film ranged from, “James Cameron is the most overrated director who has not created anything different in the last 30 years. Same Movie, Same story and same VFX”, to, “Avatar 1, 2, and 3, all three are literally the same movie”, “Avatar: Fire and Ash drags a stale, recycled template for 3h 10m, mistaking length for depth. What felt magical once now feels predictable and exhausting”, “A colossal waste of money. All spectacle, zero soul. Stunning visuals can’t mask the lack of depth and originality” and “Had to walk out of Avatar: Fire and Ash after an hour — all hype, zero pull. Looks pretty, feels empty. Fire, Ash, Water… Avatar is officially a PowerPoint presentation with a budget”, among others.
Given that there are two more films in the franchise, several netizens felt that it was time Cameron stopped making Avatar films. Even though the response has been largely critical of the lack of a solid story, Avatar: Fire and Ash had a strong box office opening worldwide. While the first two films had grossed USD 2 billion each, the third part, which was made at USD 400 million, is expected to close in on the figure achieved by the predecessors. Compared to the second film, though, it has registered a dip in initial collections.
Avatar: Fire and Ash FAQs
Q: When does Avatar: Fire and Ash hit theatres?
A: Avatar: Fire and Ash released worldwide on December 19, 2025. It had its world premiere earlier on December 1, 2025, in Hollywood.
Q: Which OTT platform will stream Avatar: Fire and Ash in India?
A: The film is expected to stream on JioHotstar (via OTTplay Premium also) in India after its initial theatrical run. This continues the partnership established with the previous two films in the franchise.
Q: Are there more Avatar sequels planned?
A: Yes, two more sequels are planned and are in various stages of production. Avatar 4 is tentatively scheduled for release on December 21, 2029, and Avatar 5 is scheduled for December 19, 2031.
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