James Cameron’s latest Avatar sequel, “Fire and Ash,” has sparked a sharp divide between audiences and critics following its release.
The film returns viewers to the visually rich world of Pandora, focusing once again on Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and their children as they confront renewed threats from the Sky People and a fierce new Na’vi faction led by Varang (Oona Chaplin).
Audience reception has been largely positive. The movie currently holds a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on more than 500 verified ratings. While the score may fluctuate as holiday-season viewership grows, it already stands as the second-highest audience rating in the Avatar franchise, narrowly trailing “The Way of Water,” which scored 92%.
In contrast, critics have been far less enthusiastic. Based on 217 reviews, “Fire and Ash” has earned a 68% critics’ score, making it the lowest-rated film in the Avatar series from a critical standpoint.
The significant gap between audience and critic scores suggests that “Fire and Ash” is on track to set a franchise record for the widest disparity in reception—highlighting how the film resonates more strongly with fans than with reviewers.
