The number one movie in the world as of January 2026 was the third Avatar movie, “Avatar 3: Fire and Ash.” Globally it brought in more than $1 billion, which is great because the budget was $400 million. A low performance could have cost director, writer, and producer James Cameron his career. So far, “Fire and Ash” has proven to be an engaging film and will surely lead to even more sequels for this franchise. Opening weekend alone made $89 million in theaters across the U.S.
Over winter break, I had the opportunity to watch this movie twice. Here are my thoughts so you can decide if it’s worth watching. It was the top movie for a reason!
The original Avatar follows a human character named Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, who travels to an alien planet called Pandora, and he must choose between helping humans or the Na’vi, a native species of aliens. The sequel movie, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” follows his journey in his new life, learning and becoming a Na’vi member, then continues into “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”
Director James Cameron, who created the Avatar franchise starting in 2005, is a Canadian filmmaker known for “Titanic,” “The Terminator,” and “Aliens.” His work in 3D special effects allows his movies to be filled with action and adventure, and it is on display in this sequel to the Avatar franchise.
My initial thoughts were that I was amazed by how the movie played. One change for this film was the perspective of Jake Sully’s son, Lo’ak, played by Britain Dalton, who became the narrator. The fresh perspective made me enjoy the movie because the audience understood his mindset and feelings of being an outcast.
Something I also loved was the visual effects; it felt like you were in the movie, which was better when I had the opportunity to watch the 3D version.
I had mixed emotions while watching–whether it was the tears or the laughter. I connected with a couple of characters, for example, Lo’ak and Spider, Spider whom was played by Jack Champion. These two characters capture the feeling of being alone and isolated, as they were excluded from their families and friends, and it’s something that relates to me.
Despite my enjoyment of the visuals and new perspectives, there are a couple of things I disliked about the movie. It was long–spanning more than three hours. There was so much I felt wasn’t necessary to add, so it dragged on longer than it needed to. Additionally, it was a lot to follow because they wanted more perspectives throughout, as each child and character’s story got more developed.
Jake Sully is back for more action and adventure, showing deeper character growth, more emotion, and becoming a better father. His character development allowed for more questions to be answered from the previous two movies, which is something I enjoyed about this sequel.
Spider learns about himself and his parents, teaching the audience about love and loyalty despite facing diversity. His story gets more interesting when his past is revealed, and it allows the audience to connect with him on a new level.
Lo’ak has more personal growth with standing up for himself and teaching others that every person is unique, so don’t judge others. He still is my all-time favorite character for this movie because he’s the one I relate with the most through the challenges he faces.
Miley Cyrus recorded the lead single for the film’s soundtrack called “Dream As One,” and it was released on November 14, 2025. Cyrus wrote and produced it with collaborators Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, and Simon Franglen. People can interpret this song in many ways, like healing and resilience, but I enjoyed how this song really captured what happened within the film. It emphasized the deeper and more meaningful scenes while wrapping up the movie. The song plays over the closing credits and has already received Golden Globe nominations.
Is it a movie I recommend for those who have seen the first couple of Avatar movies? Yes. It was something worth watching and inspired me to write down my thoughts. I have to give it a 9/10 for how spectacular I felt when I was in the theater.
There are some movies worth watching, even though they’re not a perfect 10. “Avatar: Fire and Ash” was impactful and appeals to all ages; the movie is rated PG-13. Fans of this series will enjoy watching and appreciate how inspirational it is.
