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I'll start with the most important sentence: My kids loved this movie, so if were rating it just for them, this would be 5 big big stars. We had watched the entire air bender series as a family, and I went from bored to interested to fascinated to just as excited as my kids to watch the next episode. The anime series has surprisingly complex character development, complicated stories built around easily understood episodes, and a real message of hope, redemption (for multiple people), and saving the world! I was certain that there was no way that a movie could capture what the series had done.
I was right--the movie didn't capture what the series did. But it isn't fair to expect that--the series had 10+ hours to cover the material that the movie covers. M. Night and Co. had a daunting task to try to pull that breadth of storytelling into a cohesive not quite two hour movie, and I have to say that they did it. If you expect every twist and turn of the series to be here, you will be sadly disappointed. What you will get is the important emotional beats to be hit, you will get character development, you will get engaging performances by young actors, and really enjoyable special effects. If you approach this movie like a retelling of a legend you already know, and you won't be disappointed.
Let's talk a little about the script. Some have complained that it is hard to follow--because I knew the series well, the story was easy to follow, but I understand how those who are not familiar with the story might have felt that some things seemed to jump a bit. They do. They also did in Harry Potter 1 when Chris Colombus did it--but the movie was still enjoyable on its own. Don't approach this rigidly--be willing to let it wash over you somewhat. The children do a really wonderful job. They are not veteran actors, and they make some choices that a veteran actor would have avoided. But they bring an excitement, a freshness to the roles that is perfect. The young man who plays Aang and the young lady who plays Kitara in particular do a wonderful job. I loved seeing these folks come to life, and if they weren't as complex as the cartoon characters, remember, they are trying to do this in 1/5th the screen time. Pretty impressive job overall. Aang is very likable and quite a charmer. He must have had signficant martial arts training ahead of time, because he is very impressive in the action sequences.
The movements that bring about the "bending" are beautiful. The entire film is full of asian/eastern cultural references, so from a spiritual perspective, if Buddhist or Taoist inspired elements offend you or are something you want to keep your kids away from, then avoid this film at all costs. If you are willing to discuss the spiritual aspects with your children from whatever spiritual direction you come, then this will actually provide a rewarding platform. Just because I don't particularly admire a spiritual choice doesn't mean that it can't add interest to a fantasy story--and for those who do like the eastern philosophy, I think that there is a lot to enjoy here as long as you aren't looking for the endorsement of a single philosophy, but are willing to take the ride to get a blend of sort of pan-asian things.
The special effects are top notch. The air, fire, and water are all amazing (not much earth moving in this film). The sets are gorgeous, and if some of them look highly stylized and fantastic, well, it is a fantasy world. Momo is a delight, but losing much of his story line made me sad, even if I understood how it was a good thing to cut. Apa was fun, and just as I had hoped. THe bad guys had just the right tone--Prince Suko (I'm not sure if I spelled that right) seemed a little older than I had expected, but his mixture of misplaced loyalty to his unloving father, his desperation to gain his honor and to win the love of a parent was just right. His uncle was cast against type from the cartoon, but the actor pulled it off well, and after my first apprehension that htey had gotten it wrong, I was pleased. I didn't love general zhao or the Firelord, but I don't hink I was supposed to love them. The water princess was adorable, and the scenes between Jackson Rathbone (Sato) and her were great.
I really enjoyed this film quite a bit. As I mentioned, my kids loved it, and it has been playing every night since we got it. If you are in the need of this sort of family adventure, it will fit the bill, and I definitely hope that M. Night will get to make the other two and turn this into the heroic trilogy we know it to be.
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Top reviews from other countries
Stella Starnes
"The Last Airbender"; it's a blast of fresh air, you either go with it or you don't!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 30, 2016
