Coming out of Avatar 3, the thought that crossed my mind was just one. The truth that sequels become more ordinary is indeed not wrong, haha.

Despite preparing myself after reading reviews online, this movie is truly spectacular but lacks fun.

During the film, I found myself saying "wow" several times, but afterward, the first thought that came to mind was, "So what's left?"

At this point, the Avatar series feels less like a movie and more like a visual effects exhibition created by James Cameron.

When it comes to visuals and direction, there's almost nothing to criticize. The detail in the ocean, forest, volcano, and every single creature is astonishing.

Watching it on the big screen is a real treat for the eyes. It's a theater-specialized film to the extent that I thought, "I wouldn't feel half of this at home."

Perhaps aware of the complaints that the second film was boring compared to the first, this time the battle scenes have definitely increased. So, it's understandable that there are evaluations saying there's less chance to get sleepy throughout the runtime.

The problem is... the story of this movie is too familiar. To be honest, it's a story I've already seen.

I saw it in the first film, I saw it in the second, and I see it again in the third. The structure of the plot is mixed between the first and second films, and the large-scale battle scenes in the latter half constantly evoke a sense of déjà vu, as if I've seen this scene before. The scale of the battles has increased, but the emotional scale seems to have evaporated due to the repetition of clichés.

Considering that director James Cameron said he envisioned this series as one grand narrative, I can understand the natural continuation of the plot from the previous films. However, from the audience's perspective, it doesn't necessarily feel like a strength. It feels more like we are still telling the same story rather than continuing it.

As for the characters, Neytiri is still strong, and her combat skills are undeniable. The confrontation scene with Quaritch is indeed impressive, and Quaritch plays the scene-stealer role well. The connection between Kiri and Aeywa, as well as the contrast of the Metkayina clan choosing human weapons and cruelty over Aeywa, is interesting in itself. The problem is that these intriguing setups do not delve deeply and end up skimming the surface.

In an age where AI has become so smart, it's surprising that such content settings and developments are not constructed more intricately. And what's frustrating is the characters' credibility. The frustrating choices and shallow motivations criticized in the previous film are repeated here as well. There are scenes where it's hard to understand why they make such choices and why they act that way. So, no matter how spectacular the battle scenes are, the reaction is just, "Oh, they're fighting again."

This time the subtitle is 'Fire and Ash,' but ironically, what we see the most in the movie is the ocean again. What's going on? For an audience expecting the Metkayina clan, known for fire and ash, it's hard not to feel that the title and content are disconnected. If it weren't for the character Quaritch, this subtitle would have truly lost its meaning.

The running time exceeds 3 hours, but personally, I didn't feel like the time flew by as I immersed myself in the story.

In conclusion, Avatar 3 is neither a well-made movie nor an entertaining one.

For those who have followed the series, it feels like an obligation to watch, and for newcomers, it may be hard to find a reason to invest 3 hours.

The spectacle remains, but the freshness has already disappeared. I believe this once again proves the saying that sequels become more ordinary.