Parents' Guide to Avatar: Fire and Ash

This is a visually arresting spectacle with standout performances, but it does little to move the epic saga forward. While the effects and performance-capture technology remain cutting-edge in Avatar: Fire and Ash, Cameron's third installment suffers from a sense of déjà vu. It's another frustrating "middle film," introducing yet another Na'vi clan without giving them the depth or cultural grounding afforded to the Metkayina in The Way of Water. The Sully family also feels surprisingly flat, presumably because the story is so sprawling that, even with its long runtime, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver's screenplay doesn't leave room for meaningful character development.

As the ruthless Varang, Chaplin is a compelling addition to the ensemble; she's an agent of chaos whose clan rejects Eywa in favor of brute self-reliance, resembling militant, piratic atheists determined to destroy others' beliefs. It's unfortunate that her storyline is tethered to a romantic subplot with Quaritch, since much of Varang's appeal lies in her fierce independence and loyalty to her people. Adults, particularly parents, may find the subplot involving Lo'ak (who blames himself for his brother's death) repetitive, even if it rings true for adolescents convinced they know better than everyone else. And Kiri's growing supernatural abilities still aren't explained, clearly positioning her for an even larger role in future installments. See it for the epic visuals and hope that the final two films deliver storytelling deep enough to live up to the spectacle.