Avatar: Fire and Ash in UK Cinemas This Weekend

Film Feature by Chris Olson

James Cameron has never been a filmmaker to do things by halves. When he invited us back to Pandora in 2022 after a thirteen-year absence, he didn’t just offer a sequel; he offered a total immersion into an aquatic frontier. This weekend, the visionary director returns to the world of the Na'vi with Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third instalment in a saga that continues to push the boundaries of what is technically possible in a darkened room. While the previous chapter took us into the depths of the Metkayina reefs, this new journey promises a shift in temperature, introducing us to a darker, more volatile side of Pandora.

The narrative picks up shortly after the events of The Way of Water, with Jake Sully and Neytiri still grappling with the profound grief of losing their eldest son. However, the external threats to their family have only intensified. The "Sky People" remain a persistent colonial force, but the true intrigue of this chapter lies in the introduction of the Mangkwan clan, also known as the "Ash People." Led by the formidable and "witchy" Varang, played by Oona Chaplin, this tribe represents a departure from the noble Na'vi we have come to know. They are a group shaped by fire and nihilism, offering a stark thematic contrast to the spiritual harmony of the forest and sea tribes.

Avatar: Fire and Ash Film Reviews

The critical reception following the initial screenings has been as varied and dramatic as the landscapes of Pandora itself. At the time of writing, we at UK Film Review is yet to declare its official verdict (our invite must have been lost in the Christmas post), as we take the necessary time to sit with a film of this staggering three-hour-and-fifteen-minute scale. However, the broader critical landscape in the UK and abroad has already begun to fracture into opposing camps.

Empire Magazine has led the charge for the enthusiasts, awarding the film a robust 4 stars. Their review praises Cameron’s unwavering commitment to spectacle, describing the film as "technical masterful" and an "utterly transportive" experience that justifies its massive runtime through sheer visual wonder. For those who go to the cinema to be overwhelmed by "old-school religious epics" translated through cutting-edge CGI, the 4-star consensus suggests that Cameron has once again delivered.

On the other end of the spectrum, the BBC has offered a scathing 1-star review, dismissing the film as a repetitive exercise in "screensaver graphics" and "hippy-dippy new-age spirituality." This critique suggests that the narrative foundations are beginning to crumble under the weight of the visual effects, with the reviewer finding the dialogue clunky and the plotting "baggy."

Somewhere in the middle ground sits The Guardian, which provided a 2-star review. Their assessment acknowledges the undeniable "miraculous allure" of the VFX but argues that the franchise is suffering from diminishing returns. For their critic, the "daytime-soap-level convolutions" of the plot prevent the film from becoming the indelible onscreen event it strives to be, ultimately labelling it a "gigantically dull hunk of nonsense" that fails to push the story forward in a meaningful way.

Despite the divisive nature of the reviews, there appears to be one point of near-universal agreement: Oona Chaplin’s performance as Varang. As the leader of the Ash People, Chaplin brings a terrifying, feral energy to the screen that provides a much-needed jolt to the established dynamics. Her alliance with Stephen Lang’s Colonel Miles Quaritch—who continues his relentless, vengeful hunt for Jake Sully—creates a villainous duo that many critics have highlighted as a high point of the film.

Avatar: Fire and Ash arrives in UK cinemas, including IMAX and 3D formats, this Friday, 19th December 2025. It is a film designed for the largest screen possible, and regardless of whether you find the story compelling or the runtime exhausting, there is no denying that James Cameron remains the only director capable of commanding this level of global attention. Whether it is a masterpiece or a retread is a debate that will likely rage long after the final embers of the Ash People have faded from the screen.