Is Avatar 3 Dividing Reviewers Even Before Scores Drop
Early reactions to Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film in James Cameron’s blockbuster series, are pouring in from critics who caught advance screenings, and they show a clear split in opinions even though official review scores have not yet been released. The movie hits theaters on December 19, 2025, running a hefty three hours and 15 minutes, and follows Jake and Neytiri’s family as they deal with grief over their son Neteyam’s death while facing off against a new aggressive Na’vi tribe called the Ash People, led by a fiery character played by Oona Chaplinhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt1757678/.
Some critics are calling it the best entry yet, praising its jaw-dropping visuals, emotional depth, and bold action. For instance, one reviewer described it as a glorious saga that pushes visuals and emotion to new heights, with the best action of Cameron’s career and a standout villain in Chaplin’s Varang, whose chemistry with Stephen Lang lights up the screenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSo08Wa_HTU. Others echoed this, saying Cameron delivers a hyperreal experience that is emotional and exhilarating, with bigger, darker, and more moving moments than the first two filmshttps://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-social-reactions/. Critics like Dorian Parks and Bill Bria went further, naming it their favorite in the series, while Todd Gilchrist called it the best and unexpectedly the horniest of the threehttps://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-social-reactions/. David Poland highlighted its more complex and drama-laden story, and Matt Neglia pointed to its most epic scope and runtime with the franchise’s deepest emotional beatshttps://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-social-reactions/.
On the flip side, not everyone is sold, with complaints centering on a familiar story that feels like Way of Water 2.0, complete with clunky dialogue and nothing truly fresh despite the stunning 3D visuals and actionhttps://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/12/2/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-reactions-are-muxed. Molly Freeman noted its visual stun and better spectacle-to-story balance but called some story choices bizarrehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSo08Wa_HTU. Sean Chandler said it is not better or worse than the prior films, visually stunning with big emotions and a satisfying third act, but the story feels too familiarhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSo08Wa_HTU. The overall vibe from these first social media posts is that it is a take-it-or-leave-it Avatar movie, very much in line with what fans expect but unlikely to redefine cinema like Cameron’s past hitshttps://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/12/2/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-reactions-are-muxedhttps://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-social-reactions/.
Fans known as Avatards seem to love it, drawn to the deeper Pandora exploration, new tribes, and technical feats, even if the plot lacks noveltyhttps://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/12/2/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-reactions-are-muxedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSo08Wa_HTU. With a massive $400 million budget and Cameron flipping the script by showing negative Na’vi sides through the Ash People, the divide hints at strong box office potential from spectacle seekers but tough critical reception aheadhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt1757678/.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSo08Wa_HTU
https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/12/2/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-reactions-are-muxed
https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-social-reactions/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1757678/