Cameron’s third outing in Pandora is a quandary to me. It is both a formulaic continuation of what we’ve seen before; spectacular vistas, amazing action, and heavy-handed messaging but it also plants the seeds of something truly compelling. All this centres around supporting characters Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) and especially Spider (Jack Champion.) For me, the new elements far outweigh the here we go again moments. This one has me extremely interested in the next entries.

When Spider’s oxygen mask craps out and he nearly dies, the Sully clan decided to take back to the human base to save him. Kiri and Jake are reluctant, but Neytiri, after the death of her son in the last one, wants him gone—like dead gone. While travelling with the air people, they are set upon by the Ash clan (kind of Pandoran Satanists, who have forsaken Eywa). Now separated, Jake and Neytiri argue over her growing hatred for ‘pink skins’ and their kids and Spider are fleeing the psychotic Verang (Oona Chaplin.) When Spider’s luck runs out, seemingly dies, and Ewya appears to intervene and make the first human capable of connecting to her and breathe on her lands, this portents a dangerous quandary for Jake and Neytiri. If the humans learn of Spider’s adaptation, the one thing making Pandora dangerous for the invaders will be lost.

This sole plot thread elevates this entry beyond formulaic and promises to pose interesting philosophical and narrative questions that could pay off handsomely. There is the formulaic (and spectacular) ‘final battle’ but what’s important is the hanging threads of what comes next. For the litany of IP sequels constantly spew off the production line, this is Avatar Fire and Ash’s greatest gift.

The highlight for me in the cast this time was newcomer Oona Chaplin as villain Verang. Her performance is understated and intimidating. Her character’s villainy is delivered with utter conviction and off-putting sexuality. Loved the performance.

I’m bucking the trend for this one, for all the reviews I have read about it. Fire and Ash is a better sequel, to me, than the Way of Water. In fact, the special features tell that this is the originally intended sequel split in two. No more eye rolls at the thought of more of them. I’m excited to see the next one. Never bet against Cameron. I’m glad it made enough to warrant the rest of the story now. As Borat often says, “Great success.”

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Edition

Home Video Distributor: Disney / Buena Vista
Available on Blu-ray - May 19, 2026
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH; French; Spanish
Video: Native 4K; Dolby Vision; HDR10
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; Dolby TrueHD 7.1; DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0; Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; three-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A

VIDEO

Flawless, immaculate, reference quality, magical. This 2160p DI is as good as it gets for digital productions. The Dolby Vision HDR blazes off the screen in completely immersive vistas and night scenes that drop the jaw. If you have large screens to view this at home, the detail is off the chart good and will completely command your attention. Perfection is all I can say to summarize.

AUDIO

Dolby ATMOS 7.1 is at full utilisation in this mix. The Ash People’s attack in the air people is technically masterful. The directionality and the intricacy of every cue cannot be understated. The overheads are used to full effect throughout, and this is one of the few movies to show off what they actually add to the experience on your home set ups, should you have them. Perfect sound for the perfect visual.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• Commentary One
• Commentary Two

Special Features:

This has a fantastic array of chaptered mini docs that can play all instead of piecemealing what’s offered—which is A LOT. The entire spectrum of production is explored and interesting. Remiss of the usual EPK ‘everyone one is a genius and everything is joy’ BS, these features take you through everything from the writing to the amazing inventions to pull this production off. A highlight was seeing the tribute of producer Jon Landau (who passed recently), showing what he contributed to the franchise. Version I reviewed was a US edition and included 1 X 4K disc and 2 X blu-rays plus the requisite slip case.

• Igniting the Flame: The Making of Avatar: Fire and Ash (2:55:33)
• Jon Landau Tribute (21:39)
• RDA Orientation (13:37)
• Marketing Materials and Music Video
  • Dream As One Music Video (03:30)
  • Theatrical Trailer 1 (02:25)
  • Theatrical Trailer 2

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	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade