What’s it about?

And then the fire nation attacked! No wait, that’s the other Avatar. Oh actually it’s this one too. Huh. Anyway, we return to Pandora where our family comes across another tribe with different views and perspectives.

What did we think?

It’s easy to poke fun at the Avatar franchise for having basically zero cultural impact after making a squillion dollars, but within the first minute of Avatar: Fire and Ash, you’re reminded of exactly why these movies make a squillion dollars. It’s basically the best looking thing you’ll ever see, and the definition of Movie Magic.

You’re immediately immersed in the world, and it genuinely feels like returning to a place you know well. Who cares that you don’t remember anyone’s names, you remember who they are, and their role in the story.

This third film was fined concurrently with the second, and it really feels that way – the story is a direct continuation, and treads some pretty familiar story beats, but there’s more than enough going on to keep you enthralled.

As a technical achievement, it’s genuinely unsurpassed. You never for a moment doubt that what you’re seeing is real.

I can already hear the wannabe cynics mockingly proclaiming it more of the same simplistic story, but fuck them – it’s absolutely magical, and not liking things doesn’t make you cool.