TOvatar 3 – Fire and ash – at the cinema from today 17 December – is a mix perfect for spectacularity, introspection and reflection on the present. The third chapter of the Cameron saga it’s not just a riot of special effectsAnd a world-work that draws from all cinematographic genres. Distilled into a visual and narrative system that leaves you amazed. Summa of the director’s “philosophy”, thus succeeds in the miraculous feat of bring cinema back to a grandiose dimension, where technical perfection fits perfectly with an emotional impact that also resonates with the drama of the contemporary world.
Avatar 3 – Fire and ash: review of James Cameron’s film, plot
The film ties together the threads of the story starting from harsh conflicts between the Na’vi and the RDA, the powerful human organization engaged in exploitation of Pandora. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) attempt to maintain an increasingly unstable balance between clans; in parallel, they try to overcome the recent grief over the death of his firstborn Neteyam.
In this climate of growing tension, the family comes into contact with the Mangkwan clanknown as the Ash People (Fire-related Na’vi community and the volcanic territories of the planet). Leading it is Varang (Oona Chaplin), a magnetic and cruel leaderconvinced that only brutal violence can guarantee survival. Neytiristill overwhelmed by mourning for Neteyam, She thus finds herself torn between the peaceful ideals of her people and a deep anger. With the risk of bringing it closer to the “extreme” vision of the Mangkwan.
In the meantime, the second son Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) continues his growth path away from the shadow of their parents. The sister Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) instead develops an increasingly intense bond with Eywa, Pandora’s life force that unites every form of life. In the background, Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang), in his Na’vi corps, continues his mission on behalf of the RDA and, allying with Varang, declares a no-holds-barred war against Jake and the entire planet of Pandora.
Zoe Saldaña in a scene from “Avatar 3 – Fire and Ashes”. (20th Century Studios)
Technique and heart
With Avatar 3 – Fire and ash James Cameron returns to Pandora. And he does it with a chapter that aims to redefine the idea of cinematographic spectacle once again. Exploiting all the potential of 3D which, once again, the film surpasses the levels of excellence immerses the viewer in a “volatile” action scene beautifully shot.
The adrenaline-filled incipit, however, is only the parenthesis of an introspective first part and focused on the Sully family’s grief over Neteyam’s death. At ease, as in the past, among the folds of the drama/melo, Cameron, however, doesn’t take long to push the accelerator again, especially after the start of the war between the brutal Mangkwan clan (with the unforgettable villain Varang), the men and the Nav’i.
Recovering “familiar” elements of his filmography – the fire that punctuated Terminator 2 and the “human” machines of Aliens – Final Clash – the director confirms his uniqueness in creating an impressive staging. Where the technique becomes a tool and narrative heart, not simple virtuosity.
On a narrative level, Avatar 3 perfectly balances the emotional consequences of wars and psychological fractures of the characters. Without giving up a sustained pace which, from the first hour onwards, becomes almost “unsustainable” in intensity visual and dramaturgical. The pure action scenes, in fact, follow one another without respite but the clash is never just physical, it is also moral and ideological.
Cameron proves himself to be a maybe the last great director capable of thinking about cinema bigger than lifewithout losing sight of the emotional and political impact. Avatar 3 – Fire and ash it therefore reveals itself as a turning point for the saga. Less oriented towards pure wonderalthough the return of the Tulkun cetaceans is one of the most moving scenes of the film, and more attentive to the depth of a story which is impossible not to connect torelevance of today’s conflicts.
Oona Chaplin in a scene from “Avatar 3 – Fire and Ashes”. (20th Century Studios)
The cast of Avatar 3 – Fire and ash: from Zoe Saldaña to new entry Oona Chaplin
Given the continuity with the previous chapter, all the protagonists return in the film: from Sam Worthington to the talented Zoe Saldaña. His Neytiri is once again the emotional soul of the story and the Oscar-winning actress for Emilia Pérez gives to his heroine new shadesdarker and more painful. Sigourney Weaver also returns in little Kiri’s Nav’i body: a magnetic presence, suspended between innocence and mystery.
New entry in the cast is Oona Chaplin, daughter of the great Geraldine and grandson of the legendary Charlie. Born in Madrid in 1986, the actress became famous thanks to the series game of Throneswhere she played Talisa Maegyr. She later saw herself in titles such as Black Mirror. In Avatar 3, Oona plays the role of the cruel Varanga woman halfway between priestess and witch that, over the course of the film, it is the “dark side” that strongly attracts Neytiri. Despite being his bitterest enemy.