I Enjoy The Avatar Movies, But Do They Really Need To Be This Long?

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I’m a big fan of getting lost in movies, especially long ones that take you to other worlds. So it feels strange to say this, but I think the Avatar movies are just too long. I know there are plenty of fantastic epics out there – James Cameron himself makes them! – but after spending over three and a half hours watching Avatar: Fire and Ash, I feel like I need to explain why.

Now that the newest Avatar movie is scheduled to come out in 2025, I want to share my main issue with the series. I really enjoyed Fire and Ash and think it’s a fantastic film, but honestly, I found it was just too long and made sitting through it difficult. Let me explain!

I Love A Long Movie As Much As The Next Guy, But Even I Have My Limits

I absolutely love a movie that really takes its time! Some of my all-time favorites, like newer films such as The Brutalist – I even heard it has an intermission! – and classics like The Godfather Part II and Lawrence of Arabia, are well over three hours long. For me, these filmmakers deserve the space to fully develop their stories and characters. It just makes for a richer experience when they aren’t rushed.

Despite my excitement for Avatar: Fire and Ash, its nearly three-and-a-half-hour length felt a bit excessive. I was so eager to return to the world of Pandora and the Na’vi that I prepared for the movie like a major event – I didn’t eat or drink anything beforehand, fearing I couldn’t miss a single moment. However, that level of preparation ultimately didn’t feel necessary.

Like 30 To 45 Minutes Of Fire And Ash Could Be Trimmed

TopMob’s review of Avatar: Fire and Ash noted that this film is the longest in the Avatar series yet—longer than both the original Avatar (162 minutes) and Avatar: The Way of Water (195 minutes). It definitely felt long while watching, and I often found myself checking how much time was still left—sometimes with over two hours remaining before the movie ended.

The movie isn’t bad – in fact, it’s a really impressive sci-fi film and a fantastic cinematic experience thanks to James Cameron. However, it’s a bit too long. Cutting about 30 to 45 minutes of scenes – like some of the extended flying or underwater sequences – wouldn’t hurt the movie at all.

I enjoyed the movie throughout, but by the end, I was completely drained. It kept switching between intense action and slower, story-focused scenes, and after a while, it really wore me out – both physically and emotionally.

I’m pretty confident we’ll see the fourth and fifth Avatar movies, and I hope James Cameron makes them a bit shorter and more focused. This would benefit both the story and the viewers.

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2025-12-21 19:10