Avatar: Fire and Ash tells the next chapter of Jake and the Na’vi on the planet of Pandora. This film sees Jake and family dealing with grief and family challenges while facing off against an aggressive Na’vi tribe who ally themselves with Miles Quaritch to destroy Pandora’s ecosystem. This continues the bigger story of the Avatar franchise, following the events of Avatar: The Way of Water.

Quality

It should be no surprise but Avatar: Fire and Ash is a beautiful movie to watch. The colors are gorgeous. The details crisp. While there are a lot of digital effects utilized, it is difficult to tell where the digital begins and the practical sets end. This film continues the trend of this franchise to be not only telling big stories, but also building new technologies as they do so. The accompanying audio and soundtrack fit perfectly with the film as well. Overall, this made for a very enjoyable home viewing experience.

Extras

The extras included with Avatar: Fire and Ash really are what make this release worthwhile. Presumably, it will end up streaming on Disney+. However, there are multiple hours worth of high-quality bonus features that accompany the film. These are very enjoyable and informative. They are also worth watching and rewatching. I found myself reminded of the bonus features that were released with the extended versions of The Lord of the Rings back in the day. Those are still the best releases to date in my humble opinion. This, however, was a very enjoyable set of extras to watch as well.

Avatar: Fire and Ash Bonus Features

• English Family Audio Track: All objectionable language removed
• Igniting the Flame: The Making of Avatar: Fire and Ash — A series of featurettes that explores the filmmakers’ journey making Avatar: Fire and Ash with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and insights about the process from the creative talents who shaped the film.
  • Writing the Sequels: In 2013, James Cameron gathered a team of top screenwriters to craft a vision for the Avatar sequels. Together they created an ambitious saga that weaves new stories, clans, biomes, creatures and, most importantly, a family for Jake and Neytiri.
  • Pandoran Design: Production Designer Dylan Cole and his team tackle their biggest design challenge: creating a vivid world and culture for the new clans, the Wind Traders and the Ash People, and the creatures that share their world. 
  • RDA Design: Production Designer Ben Procter and his team of concept artists and art directors showcase the sets of Bridgehead and the RDA. From concept art to over 70 sets, Procter’s designs set the stage for many of the film’s action scenes.
  • The Women of Pandora: Dive deeper into James Cameron’s fiercest Na’vi warriors with the powerhouse actors that define these epic roles.
  • Varang and the Mangkwan: Like every aspect of the Avatar films, Varang and the Mangkwan are a melding of talents, from character and scenic design to costumes and body art, but most distinctive is the performance by Oona Chaplin. Discover how she approached her role.
  • Capturing Performance: Cameron and his cast take the “freedom to imagine” on Avatar‘s capture stage. The characters come to life instinctively as actors rely on their connection to each other, rather than the physical trappings of lighting, costumes, and sets. 
  • Stunts: Second unit director Garrett Warren takes us inside the action of Fire and Ash. If you see it in the film, his stunt team did it for real: climbing, falling, fighting, shooting, swimming, and even dogfighting on ikrans.
  • Editing and Virtual Camera: On the Avatar films, Editorial is the quiet hero of production. Discover the editors’ complex process of transforming filmed “scenes” from the capture stage into performance edits, camera loads, shots, templates and finally, a finished film.
  • WĒTĀ FX: Wētā FX tackles the monumental task of rendering every shot in photoreal detail. Fire and Ash is bigger and more complex than any film before it, with giant set pieces, virtual characters, dynamic creatures and vivid effects.
  • ILM: ILM undertakes a pair of key scenes: Jake’s imprisonment in a thanator cage, and his thrilling escape on the gritty tarmac of Bridgehead.
  • Score: Composer Simon Franglen takes us behind the scenes of his thrilling score for FIRE AND ASH, capturing the majestic beauty of the Wind Traders and the unsettling world of the Mangkwan. Also hear from Miley Cyrus on her hit single, “Dream As One.”
  • The Art and Impact of 3D: James Cameron takes us inside 3D, a critical component of the Avatar films. Audiences feel the immense scope of Pandora, not just through the breadth of the movie screen, but in the endless depth enabled by stereoscopic filming. 
  • Home in New Zealand: Though Fire and Ash’s live action filming was centralized in one cozy corner of Wellington, vendors from all parts of New Zealand banded together to build the sets, costumes, props, and even working maritime vessels
• Jon Landau Tribute: If James Cameron is the guiding vision for the Avatar sequels, producer Jon Landau was their nurturing heart. In this warm tribute, the filmmakers celebrate a beloved friend and colleague with remembrances from cast and crew.  
• RDA Orientation: Do you have what it takes to survive the wild frontier of Pandora? In these tutorial videos, the RDA provides essential training in Na’vi language and an intelligence briefing on the clans of Pandora and the biomes they inhabit.
  • Na’vi 101: The RDA’s Official Language Orientation: Before you set foot on Pandora, the RDA requires personnel to complete Na’vi language training. This video covers the basics of Na’vi – greetings, key phrases, proper pronunciation, and cultural mores. Trust us: say it right or pay the price.
  • Pandora Intelligence Brief: Prepare for deployment with this essential RDA orientation video designed to give new recruits a tactical edge when navigating the uncharted territories of Pandora. This isn’t just a new world. It’s a new frontier
• Marketing Materials & Music Video – Marketing materials used to build audience awareness of the film.
  • “Dream as One” Music Video: Multi Grammy-winning superstar Miley Cyrus performs her emotional end-title ballad, “Dream as One,” in the official music video.
  • Theatrical Trailer 1: New clans, new villains. The Sully family fights to survive. Watch trailer 1 now.
  • Theatrical Trailer 2: The Pandoran world goes deeper than you can imagine. Watch trailer 2 now

*Bonus features vary by product and retailer

Final Thoughts

Avatar: Fire and Ash is very much what one would expect from the Avatar franchise. It is definitely interesting watching it as there is a growing familiarity with Pandor, the Na’vi, and the lore surrounding these films. I personally enjoyed this film more than Avatar: The Way of the Water. I’m not entirely sure how to compare it with the original as it was an introduction to this world and impacted me in a different way. I personally was thankful to be able to watch this at home and be able to hit pause to go grab a drink or a snack. However, I enjoyed the film, its themes, and the character growth. I personally hope that we end up getting all five movies for this franchise as I’d love to see where James Cameron takes this. As I write this, I can’t help but thinking how “I’m not really an Avatar guy.” However, I do have to recognize that this is a solid franchise with some really impressive storytelling. There is a reason that James Cameron is a Disney Legend. While his films might be longer than I personally prefer to sit through, they really are solid. I definitely give this film a solid hat tip. I also strongly suggest adding it to your library if you enjoy a good set of bonus features!

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Mr. DAPs Hat Rating Scale

• No Hat – Didn’t meet expectations
• Hat Nod – It was ok
• Hat Tip – It was good
• Hat’s Off – Loved it!