James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ has made its long awaited return to theatres and going by the early reactions on Twitter, fans are rather divided in their response to the film. Following the early screenings of the film, many viewers took to their social media handles to share their honest feedback about the film that had fans and the critics buzzing. While many have hailed the film as a ‘visually staggering, emotionally charged cinematic spectacle’, others have criticised it for its ‘repetition, predictability and 3-hour runtime’.Early reactions largely agree that “Cameron’s technical mastery remains unmatched.” One viewer tweeted, “Spectacular! It delivers for every character. It has some of the best action in James Cameron’s career. It’s beautiful in heart, sight, & sound. It’s huge, rich, & sweeping. It is the most movie in one movie I’ve ever experienced.”Another post praised the film’s emotional depth, saying, “AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, much like the first two movies, is a visually spectacular experience, but also the most emotional entry so far, building on the world and the characters in fascinating ways. I loved it.”One tweet described it as “a glorious war film,” adding, “Cameron tests fate vs faith on the biggest & most emotional scale possible. This really is every ‘pro’ of every film so far – feeling like the 3rd act of the franchise. Technically (obviously) magnificent. Just a generational blockbuster.”Others highlighted the film’s darker tone saying, “This chapter feel darker, more volatile, and more personal. Moving melodrama. Biblical sacrifices. Explosive ambushes. Oh, there’s also two bloodlusty villains.”While acknowledging the visual spectacle, many felt the narrative felt repetitive and familiar, while they criticised the film’s long runtime. One early viewer wrote, “Saw an early screening of #AvatarFireAndAsh last night. Had a good time with it. The visuals are still amazing and all the action scenes are top notch. It does feel like they’re doing a lot of the same stuff from the last movie and it’s a bit too long. Overall it’s a good watch.”Another expressed similar concerns saying, “#AvatarFireAndAsh PEAK CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE. MINDBLOWING storytelling and visuals, BEST movie in the Avatar franchise. Only downside: some scenes are repetitive and slightly predictable.”Criticism was sharp around the film’s length and narrative, with one saying, “#AvatarFireAndAsh is, as expected, a visual spectacle and a masterclass display of the latest VFX tech. But, it does feel like much of the same. Narratively VERY dense and often tedious. I fear Big Jim’s big franchise has overstayed its welcome for me.”Another viewer bluntly said, “Avatar: Fire and Ash has some fun action set pieces but boy if it isn’t mostly a repetitive bore. Virtually identical to The Way of Water and feels pointless… These movies also never need to be three hours long.”“#AvatarFireAndAsh finally brings the franchise’s long-standing narrative weaknesses to the surface,” read one post. “It’s still an entertaining show, but this time the 3-hour runtime truly weighs on it, and the ending feels far from resolute,” said another.
Fans swoon over Avatar villains
Villains, however, appear to be one of the film’s strongest talking points. Oona Chaplin’s character Varang drew particular praise. “By the way #Varang is easily one of the most compelling villains in the saga,” one tweet read. “Every look, every move screams no remorse. Cold, driven, unforgettable. Made Quaritch look like a puppy.”Another viewer noted, “Chaplin is a wickedly delicious villain, while Saldaña owns every moment,” though adding that several plot points felt “reductive of the previous film.”
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ box office predictions
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is projected to dominate the Indian and global box offices. While the film is expected to make a Rs 30 crore debut in the country, its worldwide opening weekend is estimated to range between USD 340 million and USD 380 million. While this would fall short of the record that the 2022 ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ achieved, it would still rank among the biggest openings of the year.
