AVATAR: Fire and Ash

 

Jeri Jacquin

Today on Digital and coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray, 3D Bluray and DVD from director James Cameron and 20^th Century Studios is the continuation of AVATAR: Fire and Ash.  

On Metkayina, Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) are grieving the death of their son Neteyam, but there won’t be much time for grief because Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is back. When Na’vi merchant ships arrive, they decide that the safest place for Spider (Jack Champion) to be is back at the human scientist camp. When their children Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), and Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss) refuse, it is decided they will go as a family together.

The Colonel is being ordered by General Ardmore (Edie Falco) to find the one person they believe will get people on their side – Jake. Of course, the Colonel has a score to settle with Jake, and he also wants to find Spider. Once the family is on their way, they are attacked by the Na’vi known as Mangkwan and their vicious leader Varang (Oona Chaplin). Running for their lives, Spider runs out of air, and it is Kiri who saves him. At the same time, it changes Spider!

Varang wants one thing: to take over all the Na’vi and rule them all. Seeing the weaponry, she knows it's her way to reach her goal. The Colonel also realizes that since Sully and the other Na’vi will fiercely fight, he turns to Varang, giving her what she wants. Jake leans on Tonowan (Cliff Curtis) and his wife, Ronal (Kate Winslet), to help bring the people together. Fighting the sky people one more time for not only their continued freedom, but to put those on notice that the Na’vi will not be destroyed – now or ever!

Worthington returns as Jake Sully, fighting once again to keep his family safe while dealing with the grief of losing his son. There is tension between all family members, but once the fight begins, they each bring their own abilities with Jake at the helm. Worthington has a more emotional side to his character this time. His character may be blue, but all the emotions show on Worthington's face. Saldana returns as Neytiri, a mother who is also grieving, and that grief turns to anger that has her saying and doing things that are quite surprising. I was actually quite surprised at the anger-hatred mix, and there is one particular scene that sums it up. That being said, she still is a fighter – not just for her family, but for her people.

Lang is back as the violent Col. Quaritch, a man who doesn’t get the Na’vi and doesn’t seem to want to. He might have a fondness for Spider, but only when it’s convenient for him. Put a gun in his blue hands, and he’s all about the battle and will do anything to get to the one person he holds a grudge about – Jake Sully. Lang gives us a character we love to hate. Weaver, as Kiri provides the story of a girl who wants to know who she truly is and where she comes from. I love that Weaver is her voice because it reminds us that Grace isn’t that far away. Chaplin as Varang is a totally unlikeable character as a leader who doesn’t mind killing her own. All that is in her heart is power, pure power, and will team up with whoever gives it to her. Well done, Chaplin!

Champion as Spider is a young man who is torn between two worlds. The Na’vi are the people he has known almost all of his life; the Colonel seems to be a person of interest, but not enough to turn away from Kiri and the rest of the Sully clan. From the first film until now, I’m pleased that Champion returns because I suspect his role will become even larger in future films. Stay Spider Champion! Dalton, as Lo’ak, is also dealing with the death of his brother, but it is the guilt that is putting a wedge between himself and his parent. Turning to his Tulkun water friend Payakan, Lo’ak sees him as the one thing in their world who believes in him. Dalton is such a sad character, yet a warrior that his father doesn’t quite see yet. Bliss, as Tuk, is as adorable now as she was in the first film. She is all watching, and her story, I have a feeling, is yet to be told.   

Shout out to Winset as Ronal, a strong Metkayina who doesn’t take guff from anyone, and that includes Neytiri, as they seem to still be in a war of women's power. Cliff Curtis as Tonowari, a chief who not only does right by his own people, but sees the Sully clan as one of his own. David Thewlis as Peylak, even blue, I knew immediately who he was as the captain of the Na’vi sky merchants.

Other cast include Joel Moore as Dr. Spellman, CCH Pounder as Mo’at, Jemaine Clement as Dr. Garvin, David Thewlis as Peylak, Jamie Flatters as Neteyam, Bailey Bass as Reya, Filip Geljo as Aonung, Duane Evans Jr. as Rotxo, Dileep Rao as Dr. Patel, and Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge.

Twentieth Century Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. Their amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have, please visit www.20thcenturystudios.com

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Bonus Features include English Family Audio Track, Igniting the Flame The Making of AVATAR: Fire and Ash, Writing Sequels, Pandoran Design, RDA Design, The Women of Pandora, Varang and the Mangkwan, Capturing Performance, Stunts, Editing and Virtual Camera, WETA FX, ILM, Score, The Art and Impact of 3D, Home in New Zealand, Jon Landau Tribute, RDA Orientation, Na’vi 101: The RDA’s Official Language Orientation, Pandor Intelligence Brief, Marketing Materials & Music Video, “Dream as One” Music Video, and Theatrical Trailers.

AVATAR: Fire and Ash is a three-hour and seventeen-minute battle of not only the Na’vi and the Sky People but the Na’vi against the Na’vi! That means Jake, his family, and the peaceful Na’vi are having to deal with all sides coming at them. The visual are, as in previous films, are colorful, bright, and the action sequences will have eyes moving all over the screen. It lacks nothing for special effects knowing that although the Na’vi are tall and blue, it is the actors who bring them to life.

The film won Best Visual Effects for Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett at this years Academy Awards. It also won Top 10 Films from the American Film Institute Awards, Best Voice Acting/Animated/Digital Performance for Oona Chaplin from the Austin Film Critics Association as well as Best Visual Effects, Outstanding Voice Performance for Zoe Saldana from the Black Reel Awards, Best Special Visual Effects from the British Academy Film Awards, Best Visual Effects from the Critics’ Choice Awards, Best Visual Effects from the Florida Film Critics Circle, and so many more.

Director James Cameron says the film “is an immersion…and into a world that brings these characters to life as they feel like real people. These characters pull you into their stories. It’s a very emotional journey. It’s a film about grief, loss, and how people process it and get through it to get to a hopeful place in life. I am so proud of the actors for what they did in the film.”

Worthington, as Sully, describes his character in this film, “We find Jake struggling with his son's passing away, trying to find hope and direction. His relationship with the newest clan is the darkest he’s encountered. What I like about the film is the connectivity and the shared unity.”

AVATAR: Fire and Ash is another installment of Cameron’s story with more to come. In his plans are two more Avatar films set to be released in 2029 and 2031, if you can imagine those dates in the future. Let’s wait and see!

In the end – the fight isn’t over!