Avatar: Fire and Ash has debuted with the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of the Avatar franchise, raising questions about the future of James Cameron’s planned sequels.
As of now, the third installment sits at 70% from 106 critics, down from Avatar: The Way of Water (76%) and the original Avatar (81%).
The mixed reception matters. Cameron has previously said Fire and Ash needs to be a success for the franchise to continue, with reports suggesting the film’s break-even point is around $1 billion worldwide.
Check out what the reviews have to say below.
What the reviews say
The Negative
Critics who scored the film rotten largely agree on one issue: while Fire and Ash is technically impressive, it feels repetitive, bloated, and creatively stagnant. Many argue Cameron is recycling familiar beats from the first two films without pushing the story forward, resulting in a visually stunning but emotionally hollow sequel that overstays its welcome.
“Fire and Ash is a technical masterpiece. But when a film’s greatest strength is its CGI and its greatest weakness is its soul, it’s hard to recommend.” – Movie Files
“Disastrously boring and redundant… the entire story of Fire and Ash is been there, done that two times already.” – My New Plaid Pants
“Some of us saw a while ago that turning Avatar into a franchise would prove to be a creative cul-de-sac.” – Daily Telegraph (UK)
“197 minutes of screensaver graphics, clunky dialogue, baggy plotting and hippy-dippy new-age spirituality.” – BBC.com
“Disney gave James Cameron carte blanche and a blank check to do whatever he wanted, and he wanted to do ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ again, except not as good.” – TheWrap
The Positive
Supporters of the film praise Cameron’s craft, scale, and commitment to theatrical spectacle. Even critics who acknowledge the familiar story beats argue that Fire and Ash delivers an unmatched big-screen experience, with cutting-edge visuals, emotional moments, and performances that reward fans invested in the saga.
“We’re lucky to be living in a world where this movie exists because, warts and all, it’s proof positive that big, blockbuster, commercial cinema can still be a work of art.” – io9
“Anyone hoping for a seismic shift in the overall saga should recalibrate their expectations. Still, this is about the most spectacular spectacle you could ever ask for.” – Empire Magazine
“Avatar: Fire and Ash isn’t the technical leap forward that its predecessor was… But what it lacks in novelty, it more than makes up for with refinement on every level.” – IGN Movies
“For all intents and purposes, it’s the best one yet.” – Slashfilm
“Avatar: Fire and Ash continues to be the best big cinematic experience you can have in these modern times.” – RIOTUS
The Takeaway
With a lower Rotten Tomatoes score than its predecessors and a reported billion-dollar break-even point looming, Avatar: Fire and Ash now faces its biggest test yet — whether audiences will show up in numbers large enough to keep James Cameron’s Pandora saga alive.
Release info
Avatar: Fire and Ash stars playing in theaters on Thursday, December 18, with early previews and opens wide on Friday.
Starring includes Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, David Thewlis, Jemaine Clement, Giovanni Ribisi, Britain Dalton, Jamie Flatters, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, Brendan Cowell, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Duane Evans Jr., and Kate Winslet.
