Avatar: Fire and Ash * Expertly Crafted And Does What The Avatar Franchise Does Best, Tell A Beautiful Story With An Awesome Message
December 16th, 2025
A year after settling in with the Metkayina clan, Jake and Neytiri’s family grapples with grief after Neteyam’s death. They encounter a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Mangkwan clan, also called the Ash People, led by the fiery tribe leader, Varang, who has allied with Jake’s enemy, Quaritch, as the conflict on Pandora escalates to devastating consequences.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Jackson N. comments, “Welcome back to Pandora! Avatar: Fire and Ash is the perfect return to Pandora and the Avatar universe. This film is expertly crafted and does what the Avatar franchise does best, tell a beautiful story with an awesome message. This is sure to be one of my favorites for a long time.” Elsy S. adds, “I really enjoyed the movie Avatar: Fire and Ash because of its ruthless villains, shockingly realistic portrayal of Pandora, and how the characters’ reactions perfectly line up with what one might expect, considering their personalities.” See their full reviews below.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
By Jackson N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) in 20th Century Studios’ AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome back to Pandora! Avatar: Fire and Ash is the perfect return to Pandora and the Avatar universe. This film is expertly crafted and does what the Avatar franchise does best, tell a beautiful story with an awesome message. This is sure to be one of my favorites for a long time.
The story takes us back to Pandora, where the Sully family is mourning the death of their son Neteyam (Jamie Flatters). This sparks a chain of events leading them to a new tribe, a betrayal, and intergalactic warfare. Their adopted son, Spider (Jack Champion), comes to grips with the harsh reality that without being able to breathe in the Pandoran atmosphere, he’ll be unable to live there. Jake (Sam Worthington) decides to send him away and the family begs him not to – or to at least let them go as a group on one final trip, as a family, to drop him off. Begrudgingly, Jake accepts.
Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) in 20th Century Studios’ AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
One of the best things about the Avatar saga is how much it addresses real world themes. The humans have destroyed earth and are senselessly colonizing Pandora. The Banshees experience deep polarization; cut off from the Na’vi and left without a connection to the land, they act blindly in hatred of something different. All of these story elements connect to things we’re experiencing today but when woven in with the fantastical world of Pandora, it feels exciting and fun, even as thought provoking, deep topics are explored. The visuals and character animation in Avatar: Fire and Ash are epic and it’s worth seeing in the theatre for the 3D experience. The first person flying scenes feel like you are actually flying in the world of Pandora. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced!
The actors perfectly depict their characters’ emotions, and that is particularly challenging when most characters are made with advanced CGI using performance capture.
Varang (Oona Chaplin) in 20th Century Studios’ AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
And, the movie begins with a message from Avatar director and creator, James Cameron, that the film was made without the use of any of the new AI tools. The fact that they can painstakingly make more than three hours of rich and engaging content that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire movie will never cease to amaze me. If you are looking for a film to watch over winter break, look no further.
The main message of Avatar: Fire and Ash is that every day we have a choice, to do the right thing, or do the easy thing. This film includes themes of family connection, parental love, and the power of working together to fight for what’s right. As Jake Sully says, “Many arrows together cannot be broken.” Parents should be aware, there is a lot of violence, but none of the shots highlight the gore.
I give Avatar: Fire and Ash 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theatres on December 19, 2025.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
By Elsy S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13
A scene from 20th Century Studios’ AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
I really enjoyed the movie Avatar: Fire and Ash because of its ruthless villains, shockingly realistic portrayal of Pandora, and how the characters’ reactions perfectly line up with what one might expect, considering their personalities.
The story takes place on the planet Pandora and follows Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and their children, Spider (Jack Champion), Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), and Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) as they work to stop the humans, Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang), Varang (Oona Chapi), and the Ash tribe from covering Pandora with fire. They decide to send Spider away and go with him to see him off, but their ship is attacked by the ruthless Ash tribe. In the end, Jake and Spider get captured, but are freed by Neytiri. Colonel Quaritch and the Ash tribe form an alliance, and a huge battle takes place, which the Na’vi luckily wins.
Director James Cameron and Oona Chaplin on the set of 20th Century Studios’ AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Photo by Mark Fellman. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
This is an amazing sequel to the first two movies, directed by James Cameron, and really adds to the story line in a way that isn’t overwhelming, and also is necessary. The story really demonstrates the importance of family love, and how we should not take what we have for granted – especially not in nature.
My favorite character is Varang, because of her commanding presence, and her clear protective instincts for her tribe. All of the actors’ portrayals of their roles are impeccable, and line up with their characters perfectly.
My favorite duo is Varang and Colonel Quaritch, because they suit each other so well, and really have a clear impact. My least favorite part is when we find out that Kiri can’t connect with Eywa, because her mother is human…sort of. The film’s sets are wonderfully made, and really embrace the natural beauty of Pandora, using the forest, the ocean, the fire, and more.
Varang (Oona Chaplin) in 20th Century Studios’ AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
This film is somewhat darker than the previous films, introducing the stark, Ash-covered lands and fiery culture of the Ash Clam with their red and black body paint and volcanic homes – which contrast with the lush landscape of Pandora.
The film’s message is about learning to let go of what you believed to be the truth, and learn to accept new cultures, and traditions. Be forewarned that there are some extremely violent scenes, partial nudity, and adult references.
I give Avatar: Fire and Ash 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 14 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theaters on December 19, 2025.
What are the best movies and TV shows for kids and families of 2025? While the year started slowly in cinemas, streamers quickly raised the bar. Kicking off the year were major home releases like Aardman’s Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Netflix) and StuGo (Disney+). Theaters quickly followed with family-friendly hits like Autumn and the Black Jaguar and Universal’s Dog Man.
Season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is based on the second installment of Disney Hyperion’s best-selling book series titled “The Sea of Monsters” by award-winning author Rick Riordan. In the new season, Percy Jackson returns to Camp Half-Blood one year later to find his world turned upside down. His friendship with Annabeth is changing, he learns he has a cyclops for a brother, Grover has gone missing, and Camp Half-Blood is under siege from the forces of Kronos. Percy’s journey to set things right will take him off the map and into the deadly Sea of Monsters, where a secret fate awaits the son of Poseidon.
I got an early look at the first four episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Season 2 and it is incredible. The season picks up right where the previous season left off and each episode is filled with action, adventure, humor, and it kept me on the edge of my seat.
Aryan Simhadri reprises his role as Grover, adding both comic relief and loyalty that make him a fan favorite. New characters are introduced this season, including Daniel Diemer as Tyson, the lovable Cyclops, who is also Percy’s paternal half-brother, the son of Poseidon.
This series is about courage, friendship, and staying true to yourself even when the odds are stacked against you.
The Merchants of Joy is a 2025 documentary following five New York City families who dominate the lucrative, competitive Christmas tree business, showing their year-round hustles, family dynamics, and gritty realities behind the festive holiday tradition, as they battle for prime locations and face challenges from each other and a mysterious rival, blending heartwarming holiday spirit with the tough business of making a living from the season.
Merchants of Joy is an inspiring film about a Christmas tree lot owner’s journey through the Christmas season. I love this film because it depicts a real life situation. It shows how hard the seemingly easy things can be. I also like that it shows how your past doesn’t make you who you are today.
This is a wonderful film, although it did take me a while to get into the story. There is such a diverse cast. Each tree lot owner is very different from the others. Some of these owners have criminal records; while others have been in the business for as long as 50 years. My favorite part is the end when I realized that selling a Christmas tree is more than just selling a tree – it is selling joyful moments in time. My favorite company is NYC Tree Lady, run by Heather Neville. Heather is a very straightforward person. The reason I enjoyed watching her so much is because she tells you not to dwell on the past. She has a criminal record and still looks to the future and to whom she is today. Heather always looks to the future and encourages the viewer to do the same. She will flat out tell you what to do but then ask what she can do for you. Greg’s Trees, another company, owned by a guy named Greg, who may look alright but he is not.
Little Greg is a high school drop out and is finding time to spend with his father because he doesn’t know when his last Christmas will be. He is also beginning to take over the business for his father.
