FEW SPARKS INSIDE DAZZLING WORLD OF 'FIRE AND ASH'

James Cameron's third 'Avatar' film recycles the same story, but dynamite villains and a realistic Pandora make it a worthy place to revisit

- AMY NICHOLSON FILM CRITIC

20th Century Studios.

OONA CHAPLIN portrays Varang, a ferocious leader of the rebellious Ash Clan in conflict with other Na'vi in "Avatar: Fire and Ash."

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” feels like a tricked-out station wagon with James Cameron at the wheel speeding us to his favorite spot in the galaxy.

The trailblazing 71-year-old director has himself been visiting Pandora for over half a century, ever since he first dreamed of it at the age of 19. As 26-trillion-mile destination cinema goes, this third update of the adventures of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a former United States Marine turned big blue Na’vi daddy, his wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and their blended brood of biological and adopted kids, is essentially an overlong home movie. There are spats and hugs, frolics and bonding, and not much thrust to the tale. These characters have simply become so real to Cameron that they're family.

Cameron's affection for the place is still a convincing reason to hang out in outer space until the popcorn visionary finally returns to our planet. But plot-wise, the story is the same as ever. Earthlings, also known as “pink skins” and “sky people,” want to pillage Pandora’s natural resources. The Na’vi, eco-warriors with hardbodied girlfriends, fight back along with assorted alien dinosaurs, whales, squids, plants and blobs.

Jake and Neytiri’s relationship has strained since their oldest son, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), was murdered by soldiers in 2022's “Avatar: The Way of Water.” Neytiri, her face smudged with black mourning makeup, has turned toward prayer. She’s never liked humankind. Now, she loathes “their pink little hands and the way they think.”