The Last Airbender
Fans Bent Out of Shape
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The Last Airbender by M. Night Shyamalan is a HIT if you are one of the few who never saw the cartoon it was based on. As a nonviewer of the series myself, I didn’t see anything wrong with the film. The fans on the other hand were so upset by the film that when the ending credits came about and one expected the usual applause of a film well done, I heard a minor uproar. Accompanying boo’s being delivered gratuitously, there was a “What the hell was that?” and my personal favorite “…I don’t remember Ang being such a vagina.” So since the views were so different, I thought I would try something different this time around.
Anime Fan
Are you serious M Night? He wants us to accept this as an adaptation to the Avatar cartoon series? How does the director not even get the names right? “Ang” somehow becomes pronounced “Ung” and “Sokka” pronounced “Sew-ka”. That “twist” M Night is famous for just happened to be the fact he fucking changed the ending of the story. Stupid move.
Non-Anime Viewer
I think M Night’s film was almost flawless. The acting was phenomenal and chemistry on the screen is not something you see every day. The Last Airbender is loaded with slap-stick comedy that both children and adults would find entertaining. The bending in the films was out of this world! “Bending” is the ability or power to control the elements using your flow of chi and choreographed martial arts moves to physically control the elements to pretty much do your bidding. Benders can fling formed clumps or balls of the earth, fire, air, or water at their opponents. It appears to be that air, water, fire, and earth bending each has their martial arts style representative of the given element. The bending and the fights is what made the film such a blast for me. Even Sokka, who does not have the ability, kicked serious butt with his boomerang sword thing.
Anime Fan
No don’t get me wrong, the 3D graphics rocked my fucking socks off and the elemental effects were so real it was hard to remember that it was actually just 3D and not some alien holographic technology. The ending is really what killed it for me. If you saw the shows “Book One: Water” you would be flabbergasted as to why the hell you sat through what I call “this garbage.”
Non Anime Fan
Well being that it was indeed based on a cartoon, and keep in mind, M Night changed things up to keep it more realistic, he said so himself as did Jackson Rathbone.
Anime Fan
Pah-hahaha. Why? M Night should have stuck to the show’s details if he was making an adaptation of it! I mean, story-wise the movie was pretty accurate. Some small things that bothered me just didn’t let me love the movie. In the show, the Fire Nation is feared and powerful not because they are everywhere like ants, but because they are the only types for “benders” that can summon fire out of their ass (not literally) and use it at will. I sincerely don’t think the movie would have lost any of its realism by adding this key detail at all. Trying to keep it real, he changed the schematics of the movie. It takes a special kind of genius to ruin something with such a firm outline. I was not asking for a replica of the show, but wow. I’ll just say leave it to M Night to add what one could call a “twist” to something set in stone. You are right about the acting though. Most of the characters not only looked their cartoon counterparts, but the actors almost possess their voices. Sokka and Katara’s relationship is a great parallel to the cartoon and everything was present. Another thing I don’t really feel right about was the fact that he made the different nations completely different races. I am not sure what he was playing at there; it sort of threw me off.
Non Anime Fan
Well that’s good then. Everything seems to be structurally consistent with the show except for these few major details. I observed the greatest upset more towards the end of the movie. Even never having seen the series, the ending was pretty anticlimactic . . . yet consistent with Ang’s (or Ung’s) character. For anyone who doesn’t know, “Book One: Water”, is the first in a three seasons series, suggesting this film is the first of a trilogy! I can’t wait for it. The “fans” may not be pleased but I sure as hell was.
Anime Fan
I am not watching that shit again.
July 3rd, 2010 at 8:44 pm
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July 4th, 2010 at 1:10 am
Dude…I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to contend some of your comments!
I loved the TV series, so yes I'm biased, but I think I have good points to my disagreements!
First: Acting
"Acting was phenomenal" PLEASE!!! It was sooo sub-par my dead grandma could have acted batter!!! From almost every actor! But maybe it was the writing that did it, 'cause that REALLY sucked!
Second: Script
The dialogue was horrendous! It was painful to listen to. Especially, as you mentioned, their mispronunciation of Aang! Makes you wonder if Night actually DID see the series! How can you screw that up!!! And, no I don't put this under his powers of artistic license! Changing the races….maybe? Even making Appa's face look like a Smurf…maybe? But it's pronounced Aang and they only say the name in each episode!
Three: Bending/choreography
I don't know if you noticed but their "karate/bending/dancing" was out of sync with the actual bending.
Four: timeline
I KNOW there is a lot in the first "book" to put into a movie, but he RUSHED it! It was forced and most everything was explained with long/unnecessary dialog!
Make it 3 hours then! People would sit through it if it's good enough.
Conclusion:
If he directs the other 2, I'm not going to see them! Pity really.
THANKS!
July 4th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Exhibit A on Anime fan hating the movie – Haha I really liked it. I am just going to have to sit and watch the show because I HAVE TO see what all the upset is about. Honestly, I wouldn't know it was supposed to literally match their moves. Thanks for reading.
M Night is the expert. My friend who is also a fan said Ang, or "Ung" was the only actor that bothered her. He was too fake.
July 6th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Ok, I'm not really sure where to start with this, however why does Hollywood feel the need to take every comic or cartoon that I love and just turn it into crap or something that was just stupid or boring. I wasn't extremely upset with the movie, mad but not irate, but I found myself being bored with most of the movie to be frankly honest. I think my issue was that I hyped myself up too much when I knew I was going to be disappointed.
I agree with most of the comments made by suleman and the anime fan side of the review. The mispronunciations of most of the main characters really was annoying. I mean they are basing it off of something that already exists. I really don't think Shamalamadingdong ever watched the show as he says he did with his kids.
I think the thing that made the most upset was that they didn't even make Aang a kid like he is supposed to be in book one. They referenced some of it within the flashbacks but it still wasn't set in. And why did they have to make Aang such a pussy? I mean he looked like he was about to cry in every bloody scene! As also mentioned the final battle was more like a joke.
There are many things I could rant on but I think that would be kind of pointless. The fan of the show in me is screaming but to those that haven't seen it wouldn't get most of the references. I can say if you've never seen the show and either liked the movie or just thought it was ok, go and pick up the cartoon. It is well worth it and then you might be upset as others when you have seen what the movie could have been.
Over all I didn't think it was a load of steaming dung, but I definitely didn't think it was good. As I said before, I was just bored watching it and more disappointed about how amazing the movie could have been if just a few minor things were changed.
July 9th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I'm a big fan of the series and, overall, i enjoyed it. I don't think it was the disaster most make it out to be. The main thing is that the whole film is rushed. The story moves so fast, I wonder how anyone who hasn't seen the show even knows what's going on.
As far as the acting, I don't think it was phenomenal, but really the only BAD acting I thought was from Aang and Sokka. And although changing the pronunciation of their names was completely unnecessary (its not like this series was adapted from a book, there really is no creative license to change how they were pronounced), it didn't irk me too much.
I think that if they had used basically the same script but elaborated on a few things to make the film longer, it would have been great. Overall I think the direction was pretty amazing. The fight scenes looked gorgeous and M. Night really is a master of adapting his visual style to every script, even if the script isn't great.
I hope M. Night does get the chance to direct the next two films, if they get made, but that he also takes SOME of the criticism of this first film to heart.
July 11th, 2010 at 8:05 am
I appreciate the different approach to writing the review. I've noticed that reactions tend to be extreme: a lot of hate but plenty who love it.
July 21st, 2010 at 12:13 am
The Last Airbender Is A Hit…
[...] The hit animated adventure series comes to life, as a powerful young warrior learns he is key to restoring balance to his war-torn world… [...]…
August 10th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
this moivie was so terrible that it shouldnt be permitted to continue. the cartoon was never ment to be a movie. instead of paying to see another part of this saga my family and i went out to buy the cartoon series on DVD. we thing that is a better use if our money than wasting it on another M Night directed film.
August 10th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
The movie was a complete bust. the cartoon is so much better. Just wait once you see it you will realize that M NIght tore it appart.
August 10th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Oh and along with the bending deal, it doesnt take that long for a waterbender to pick up a drop of water. Bending is instantanious especially in battle and for a master.
And the so called love relationship between Sokka and Eue was SO AWKWARD!!! It was awful. I mean could you make it any more wierd. It was stalkerish and disgusting and completely unlike the cartoon.
News Flash, a series that long cannot be made into a movie that short even if it was only one part. It should have been as long or longer than harry potter at least!!
August 10th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
no offense but i feel like the movies script was written by a monkey. It was awful and most of the acting skills were even worse with the exception of zuko and aang. yea its pernounced aand not ung!
September 11th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
I saw a bit of it…errr…the events in between are pretty accurate, the ending!? :O