Parijat Ghosh 
James Cameron’s Avatar 3: Fire and Ash has landed with a surprising twist. The third chapter in the Avatar saga just debuted with the lowest critical score of the entire franchise on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics and fans are buzzing about it, and reactions are all over the map.
Avatar 3 Has The Lowest Rotten Tomatoes Score in the Series
With early reviews rolling in, Fire and Ash sits around a 70 percent Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s lower than both the original Avatar (around 81 percent) and Avatar: The Way of Water (about 76 percent). Critics say this marks the weakest critical start for any film in the Avatar universe so far.
Critics Went Hard
Some critics didn’t pull punches. The Guardian called the movie a “three-hour hunk of nonsense.” The BBC labeled it “the longest and the worst yet.” Reviews pointed to clunky dialogue, baggy plotting, and visuals that feel repetitive instead of groundbreaking. These remarks highlight frustration among reviewers who expected more after Cameron’s visual spectacle history.
Even well-known critics said the film felt un-immersive, as if the magic that transported audiences to Pandora before wasn’t as fresh this time. Critics also tagged the storytelling as familiar rather than bold.
But Not All Bad News
It’s not all doom and gloom with the movie, necessarily. Sometimes sequels just don’t overshadow the previous films. Especially, with the first Avatar film, which was way ahead of its time.
Some reviewers found plenty to enjoy. Many praised the jaw-dropping visual effects and technical achievements that the Avatar movies are known for. A few outlets even highlighted thrilling action sequences and world-building elements that still deliver big cinema vibes.
On Metacritic, the score sits in the generally favorable range, showing there’s still plenty of love for the experience even if critics are split.
Fans Are Still Hyped
Here’s where it gets interesting. Hardcore Avatar fans aren’t sweating the critics much. Across social platforms, plenty of viewers are shrugging off the lower score and staying excited about the movie. Some point out that The Way of Water earned a similar score and still crushed it at the box office. Audience chatter suggests that many are buying tickets anyway, curious to see how Pandora’s story continues, especially after the emotional setup from the last film.
What This Really Means
A lower critic score doesn’t spell doom. It just means Fire and Ash hasn’t captured critics’ hearts the way the earlier films did. It still delivers insane visuals and blockbuster spectacle. Fans and casual moviegoers often disagree with critics, and box office success might tell a very different story once the movie hits theaters.
Whether this score sticks or climbs remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Avatar mania isn’t dying anytime soon — even when critics raise their eyebrows.
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