The Last Airbender: An Abomination
Summary
TLDRThe video script offers a critical analysis of M. Night Shyamalan's 'The Last Airbender' movie, highlighting its numerous shortcomings. It discusses the film's failure as an adaptation, its poor storytelling, and the controversial casting choices. The script also delves into the director's career trajectory and the potential reasons behind his missteps in handling the project. Despite its criticisms, it acknowledges a few aspects of the film's background design that still hold up. Overall, the video serves as a retrospective critique on what could have been a beloved adaptation, but instead became a point of ridicule and disappointment for fans of the original animated series.
Takeaways
- ðº The Last Airbender movie adaptation was widely criticized for its failure to capture the essence of the original animated series.
- ð¬ M. Night Shyamalan's direction and storytelling were seen as a significant factor in the film's failure, with critics pointing out the lack of character development and awkward dialogue.
- ð¥ The casting choices, particularly the whitewashing of certain roles, sparked controversy and were seen as a misstep in representing the diverse cultural backgrounds of the four nations in the Avatar universe.
- ð The film's portrayal of the four nations and their bending styles did not align well with the source material, leading to confusion and disappointment among fans.
- ð€¯ The pacing and structure of the movie were criticized for not effectively condensing the rich narrative of the series into a coherent film format.
- ð¥ The action sequences and bending abilities in the film were underwhelming, with firebenders, for example, relying on external sources for fire instead of generating it themselves.
- ð The concept of the Avatar was altered in the film, presenting Aang as a pacifist figure rather than the powerful bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds as in the series.
- ð The performances of the young actors, particularly Noah Ringer as Aang, were seen as uneven and not up to the standards of a major blockbuster film.
- ð° The change in setting and atmosphere, such as the portrayal of the Northern Water Tribe, deviated from the show's original depiction and did not resonate with fans.
- ð£ïž The film's dialogue was criticized for being stilted and unnatural, with characters often speaking in a roundabout way that did not feel true to their personalities or the world they inhabited.
- ð« The overall sentiment towards the film was overwhelmingly negative, with many feeling that it failed to honor the legacy of the original show and instead created a new set of problems.
Q & A
What was the initial reaction of kids at school to the premiere of Avatar: The Last Airbender?
-The kids at school were excited and imitated the bending moves from the show, with some even throwing rocks at others, showing a wide range of responses to the show's popularity.
How did the speaker feel when they were singled out for liking the water element?
-The speaker felt embarrassed and devastated because they were told that only girls could be waterbenders, which made them question their preference and feel out of place.
What is the speaker's overall opinion of the movie adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender?
-The speaker considers the movie a fascinating failure on multiple levels, including as an adaptation, an introduction to the show, and in terms of storytelling and character behavior.
Why was M. Night Shyamalan chosen to direct the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie?
-Shyamalan was chosen due to his previous success with small-scale thrillers and his desire to revive his career, as well as his personal interest in the show, which he watched with his children.
What was the main criticism regarding the casting decisions in the movie?
-The main criticism was the whitewashing of the cast, particularly the choice of actors for the waterbenders, which was seen as either a result of Hollywood nepotism or a lack of consideration for the source material's cultural backgrounds.
What did the speaker appreciate about the movie despite its numerous flaws?
-The speaker appreciated the backgrounds in the movie, particularly the aesthetic of the Fire Nation Capital, which they felt still held up well despite the movie's shortcomings.
What was the speaker's issue with the pacing and structure of the movie?
-The speaker felt that the movie failed in pacing and structure by trying to condense too much plot from the series into a single film, resulting in a disjointed and rushed narrative.
How did the movie's portrayal of the Avatar differ from the original show?
-The movie portrayed the Avatar as a pacifist figure who couldn't hurt others, which was a significant departure from the show, where the Avatar was a symbol of hope but not necessarily bound by pacifism.
What was the speaker's view on the performances of the main cast in the movie?
-The speaker was critical of the main cast's performances, particularly Noah Ringer as Aang, and felt that the actors were not well-utilized, with their characters lacking depth and motivation.
What was the speaker's final verdict on the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender?
-The speaker concluded that the live-action adaptation was a failure that did not capture the essence of the original show and suggested that a better approach would have been to create a new, original story in a different timeline.
Outlines
ðº Nostalgic Misunderstandings in 'The Last Airbender'
The paragraph discusses the author's childhood memories of the excitement surrounding the premiere of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' and the subsequent playground discussions about the show's elements. It also touches on a personal anecdote where the author was singled out for liking the water element, leading to feelings of embarrassment. The paragraph transitions into a critique of the live-action adaptation 'The Last Airbender,' highlighting the film's failure as an adaptation and introduction to the series, as well as its storytelling shortcomings.
ð¬ M. Night Shyamalan's Inconsistencies and Casting Choices
This paragraph delves into the career of director M. Night Shyamalan, noting his inconsistent track record with films. It explores why Shyamalan was chosen to direct 'The Last Airbender,' suggesting that his intention was to revive his career and fit into the Hollywood mainstream. The discussion includes the controversial casting decisions, attributing them to a mix of nepotism and Shyamalan's vision, which led to the 'whitewashing' of the characters. The paragraph also reflects on Shyamalan's realization of the film's shortcomings and his return to smaller-scale movies.
ð Appreciating the Backgrounds in 'The Last Airbender'
Despite the overall negative reception of 'The Last Airbender,' the paragraph expresses appreciation for the film's backgrounds, particularly the Fire Nation Capital. The author acknowledges the visual appeal of the CGI and the aesthetic combination of Southeast Asian styles. However, the paragraph also criticizes the film's script, pacing, and character development, arguing that the movie fails to engage the audience due to its focus on exposition and lack of character depth.
ð¥ The Fire Nation's Flawed Fire Benders
The paragraph criticizes the depiction of fire benders in 'The Last Airbender,' arguing that the film's decision to have them rely on external sources of fire makes them less interesting and less threatening. It contrasts this with the original show's portrayal of fire benders as powerful and capable of generating their own fire. The author also discusses the film's action sequences, suggesting that they fall short of the original show's excitement and that the live-action adaptation fails to capture the essence of the bending arts.
ð Disappointing Performances and Character Depth
This paragraph focuses on the performances of the actors in 'The Last Airbender,' particularly Noah Ringer as Aang and Nicola Peltz as Katara. It discusses the challenges faced by the young actors and the impact of the film's failure on their careers. The paragraph also touches on the lack of character development and the film's inability to capture the essence of the original characters, resulting in a disconnect between the audience and the characters on screen.
ð£ïž The Misguided Direction of 'The Last Airbender'
The paragraph critiques M. Night Shyamalan's direction of 'The Last Airbender,' arguing that his approach to storytelling and character development was misguided. It discusses the film's failure to establish a central theme and its mishandling of the concept of the Avatar as a symbol of hope. The paragraph also highlights the film's changes to the original show's narrative, suggesting that these alterations detract from the story's impact and emotional resonance.
ð¥ The Folly of Live-Action Adaptations
The final paragraph reflects on the broader implications of 'The Last Airbender' and other live-action adaptations, questioning the necessity and value of retelling stories that have already been perfectly executed in their original form. It argues that adaptations like 'The Last Airbender' can inadvertently increase appreciation for the original work by showcasing how not to adapt a story. The paragraph concludes with a plea for filmmakers to avoid creating major blockbusters that fail to capture the magic of their source material.
Mindmap
Keywords
ð¡Avatar: The Last Airbender
ð¡M. Night Shyamalan
ð¡Adaptation
ð¡Whitewashing
ð¡Pacing
ð¡Exposition
ð¡Bending
ð¡Casting
ð¡Character Development
ð¡Cultural Representation
Highlights
The impact of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' on children and their play, with kids imitating the elements and the social dynamics it created.
The personal anecdote of being singled out for liking the 'water' element, reflecting broader societal gender stereotypes.
The critical failure of 'The Last Airbender' film as an adaptation, failing to capture the essence of the original show and alienating its fanbase.
M. Night Shyamalan's inconsistent directorial record and his misstep with taking on a major blockbuster like 'The Last Airbender'.
The irony of Shyamalan's career resurgence being linked to his children and their interest in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'.
The questionable casting decisions in 'The Last Airbender' and the controversies surrounding them, including allegations of nepotism.
Shyamalan's admission of his lack of fit for blockbuster films and his better niche in smaller scale thrillers or horror concepts.
The disconnect between the ethnicities of the four nations in the film and the source material, highlighting Hollywood's casting issues.
The critique of the film's script, pacing, and character development, emphasizing the importance of a well-written narrative.
The observation that the backgrounds and visual effects in 'The Last Airbender' were one of the few redeeming qualities of the film.
The analysis of the film's action sequences and how they failed to translate the animated show's dynamic into a live-action format.
The critique of the film's handling of the Avatar's role and power, contrasting it with the original show's portrayal.
The disappointment with the main cast's performances and the lack of depth given to their characters.
The contrast between the original show's complex characters and the film's one-dimensional representations.
The examination of the film's tonal inconsistencies and its failure to capture the spirit of adventure and humor from the animated series.
The critique of the film's handling of the Fire Nation and the loss of cultural significance in the adaptation process.
The discussion on the film's missed opportunities and the broader implications for the potential of a live-action 'Avatar' adaptation.
The final verdict on 'The Last Airbender' as a film that failed on multiple levels and the appreciation for the original show it inspired.
Transcripts
when I was a kid avatar The Last
Airbender had just premiered its first
few episodes it took the school by force
every dumb kid was swooshing and
slashing the air like they were bending
the elements some were just chucking
rocks at people I remember one day at
recess all the guys were gathered around
and we discussed which element we like
the best some kids said fire others
Earth and then there was me I said that
I liked water some little [Â __Â ]
immediately singled me out and said
don't you know only girls are water
benders that caught me off guard it
devastated me I couldn't recall any guy
water benders water I felt embarrassed
and I slunk away yeah you know in the
end the kid was just wrong uh we see a
lot of male water benders later on I
guess the lesson here is that uh in that
brief span of time before the gang got
to the northern water tribe a bunch of
dumb kids in rural Ohio
thought that just girls could waterbend
because our only reference was qara this
has nothing to do with the rest of the
video uh I just didn't want to be
another video essay that starts off
saying the last air bender is absolute
trash The Last Airbender the movie the
game is an utterly fascinating film for
me it's one of those brilliant moments
in Hollywood where absolutely nothing
works that's a penis it fails as an
adaptation of one of the greatest shows
to ever exist and it fails as an
introduction to anyone unfamiliar with
said show it fails at storytelling in
general hell it even fails in emulating
how humans behave and speak are really
powerful Benders in the the northern
water tribe my dad told me about it
before he left it's led by a princess
because her father died there a teacher
how does that even happen who forgets
how humans work oh that that's why
complaining about this movie is one of
the most done to death things on YouTube
for most late Millennials and early
Zoomers the cartoon was like a holy text
and this movie was the equivalent of
sacrilege burn him at the stake they
said Stone the
Shyamalan make him pay for his sins and
if they had just called him a once and
look I'm a major fan of Avatar it's
certainly the Best Western animated kid
show by a long mile friendly mushroom
she jo friend I understand the outrage
but now just so many years have passed
uh this whole experience is more funny
to me than anything the show exists I'm
glad it exists and you can never
replicate it no matter how many times
they try I think I've genuinely got more
entertainment from this movie being bad
than I ever could have if it was just
mediocre or even good and now here I am
making a video trashing that movie in
2024
I'm a little late to the party on this
one I got a feeling that Avatar fans are
going to make fun of something else for
the next 10 years so before that takes
over I decide to be the last one out
goodbye Last Airbender we got a new
thing to make fun of but before sending
this movie off to the farm and never
talking about it again I want to explore
just one question what the hell was
anyone
thinking if there is something that has
baffled people for over a decade it is
the question why ight Shyamalan why was
he the director chosen for this project
and to answer that we have to first ask
another question where was ight
Shyamalan in his career the answer is he
wasn't doing great some directors are
consistently good some are consistently
bad but Shyamalan is consistent in not
being consistent you might as well roll
the dice on his quality some of his
films are all right and then there's
those times that he just rolls a crit
fail the rebounding explosion makes a
critical
bomb ight shamalan works best with small
scale Thrillers or horror Concepts
doesn't mean they'll always be good what
no but it's what he's best at so why why
did he take on a major Blockbuster two
reasons one to fit in and two to bring
back his career from the verge of death
shyamalan's catalog is like a roller
coaster a lot more UPS than Downs
Shyamalan always has this ability of
releasing one decent movie right before
everyone has given up on him he really
has that knack for occasionally hitting
a home run so everyone just keeps him
around like Stanton so he's never really
done actual
Blockbusters except for those two times
and even he admits now he wasn't cut out
for it you know he says now after
everyone's clowned on it looking at the
interviews he used every COPE in the
book you know I always had a European
sensibility to my movies so they the the
pacing is always light little bit off
for for them you know and it feels a
little stilted and they need more they
need more electricity and all that stuff
and I'm like this is the way I I think
of things cuz you know Hitchcock and
corar and stany kubri these are like my
teachers and I'm the
Avatar I ran away but I'm back now who
do you think you are ight coima which
look it makes sense that nobody wants to
take the project they worked on and
throw it under the bus except if it's
Madam web but now that he's been removed
from it and he's been humbled went back
to midsize movie land where he belongs
he realizes that uh yeah this movie's
trash at the same time though why did he
have to learn this lesson with Avatar
why is your hair white young lady you
look very
odd it's because of his kids that's it
they were watching it in the room one
day and M Night waltzed up and started
watching it with them it was all over
from there imagine just liking a show
and your dad walks in on you and decides
to make his own version of it what a
nightmare by all accounts Shyamalan was
the one who came up with the idea of an
Avatar movie Paramount were kind of just
like oh okay I guess we're doing this
and Shyamalan really over promised he
wanted to do a three movie trilogy that
he would write into direct all by
himself he wanted to ride that Avatar IP
all the way back to the top and oh man
did he not do that at
all in hindsight betting at all on ight
Shyamalan was the first mistake the
second more Infamous reason uh one that
everyone has forever talked about is the
casting why do the water benders look
like that why do the fire Benders look
like that why do the Earth ERS look like
that well the Earth kingdom is literally
based off China so that makes sense why
did they do this was it malicious was it
racist and uh no best that I could find
Shyamalan kind of just didn't think
about it you see the ethnicities of the
four nations were determined by whoever
he decided to work with that was it the
reason Ang was white was because Noah
Ringer was a short 12-year-old black
belt in Taekwondo he had literally no
acting experience but he he sure could
do that go go go Shyamalan wanted to
cast Nia peltz's guara saying she was a
talented young actress who he envisioned
in the role if you watch my Transformers
4 video you could kind of tell that was
absolute [Â __Â ] 100 years ago all was
right with our world prosperity and
peace filled our days Fire Lord
son you took him from our village but
how did she work in two major Hollywood
films without any experience allegedly
pelts was only hired because of her
billionaire father Nelson pelts
allegedly a producer owed her dad a
favor like I said
allegedly but considering how bad she is
and how Hollywood works I 100% could see
this being true because of that well
Saka had to be the same ethnicity as
qara and all the other water benders had
to kind of resemble them too we'll never
get the true story but there is always
the possibility that this whole
unfortunate whitewashing incident was
never caused by actual racism but just
Classic Hollywood nepotism yippe it's
funny how much one casting Choice
drastically affected the film like
originally Zuko was supposed to be
played by Jesse McCartney yes that one
but he had a tour at the time or
something and dropped out so shyamalan's
next choice was Dev tell oh my God
imagine this trash fire of Jesse
McCartney in regards to the fire
nation's ethnicity Shyamalan said this
in a Gizmodo article from 2010 the fire
nation was the most complicated I kept
switching who was playing Zuko it was
such a complicated and drawn out thing
about practical matters but the first
person I was considering casting for
Zuko was Ecuadorian so I started
thinking that way then when that person
couldn't do it the next person who came
in was much more C asion and then we had
to switch everything around so here's my
personal Theory whoever was going to be
Zuko was going to determine the
nationality of the entire Fire Nation
like it sounds like here we almost got
ecuadorians Conquering the world but
since Dev Patel got the role well in
shyamalan's mind all the fire Benders
had to be Indian now not a single neuron
was activated in that brain but hey hey
I don't like being too negative before
going down that path of just completely
bashing this movie I want to say what I
actually like about the last air bender
the backgrounds I like the backgrounds
man that says a lot about modern CGI at
The Last Airbender movie still kind of
holds up and I like one specific
background more than any of them uh this
background the Fire Nation Capital yeah
it doesn't resemble the show's capital
in the slightest but I really like the
aesthetic it's like a grandiose
combination of multiple s Southeast
Asian Styles it doesn't fit at all as
the capital of the Fire Nation I I just
like the atmosphere okay that's
it oh to be a fly on the wall when ight
was writing this movie what was the
thought process how can you get so
invested in the show approach Paramount
with the idea go through all this work
and then that's the script you write
what what if we found you teachers
teachers to teach you bending Which
element would the last air bend fails
first and foremost because of its script
the greatest production and effects in
the world can't save a movie from Bad
writing unless you're the Star Wars
prequels but then again those are
actually funny another happy Landing the
last air bender is very similar to the
prequels dry Bland expository dialogue a
screenplay that was probably a first
draft directing that didn't work well
with the actors at all and a film that
was tonally strange and a often bizarre
yet still the backgrounds were strangely
good crazy how that happens while the
prequels have been redeemed by childhood
Nostalgia the Clone Wars and Battlefront
2 brainwashing well of course I know him
he's me the last air bender did not have
that luxury nor should it it's time for
you to stop doing
this the Avatar would have to be an
airbender are you an air bender
boy leave him like like no amount of
time is going to redeem this movie nor
future bad adaptations two bad things
can exist at once the only thing this
film has is exposition a house of
exposition built on a shaky Bedrock of
more Exposition there are no characters
here only Wikipedia articles that badly
retell World building that may or may
not pertain to the situation at hand as
you know I conducted a raid on The Great
Library which most said didn't even
exist good one with adapting a cartoon
that just aired is already a dumb idea
and adapting an entire season of
character growth and relationships into
a 3A structure is even worse yeah here's
my opinion this movie didn't fail
because it tried to condense a season of
plot into a single movie no this movie
uniquely failed because it didn't know
how to do anything it didn't know how to
condense it didn't know how to write it
especially didn't know how to Pace
itself because it's entally the first
three episodes of the show and
then the blue spirit and then the next
half of the film is the climax at the
northern water tribe so that's the first
issue I'd say act two begins once they
leave the southern air Temple they get
captured cuz this little dick was
slinging rocks and they're brought to
the Fire Nation prison you just know
what ight was thinking see the show had
anep episode where the earthbenders were
imprisoned and it's just like that but
you know that prison was a metal barge
in the middle of the ocean the one place
the prisoners couldn't earthbend in the
movie it's a dirt pit I can't think of a
place more surrounded by Earth and yet
the earthbenders still do nothing why
are you acting this way you are powerful
and amazing people they're just too sad
poor little guys what's their excuse
here I don't know they're just sitting
there so a can go up to him and say hey
guys know you can throw rocks right and
then they're like
okay is that even fighting back I don't
know maybe they should have given up the
movie is just chock full of these little
tidbits from the show that are
disconnected from their original purpose
like why does the earthbending village
have a waterbending scroll why didn't
the firebenders just burn all the stuff
down did you guys want to lose the war
see it's the scroll like in the show you
never see it again after the shot though
Avatar Koshi loves games I do too I mean
I still
do yeah when I think about Avatar Koshi
the first thing I think about is how
much he loved
games k who knows maybe having
disconnected chunks of the show that
play no relevance in the story was just
part of shyamalan's European artistic
taste maybe the swedes absolutely love
this scene I don't know look we don't
need every plot point we could have
survived without the episode where a
gets his fortune told or the two tribes
that hate each other actually I take it
back I will defend the Great Divide
until the day I die I like that Ang just
lied to these people about their
foundational myth after this Montage a
gets captured and saved by the blue
spirit and then the rest of the movie is
at the northern water tribe yeah so
there's a pacing
issue so in writing there's the term
called cheze off's gun act one there's a
gun on the wall seems pretty unimportant
then an act three the gun is used to
shoot the bad
guy setup payoff you get it Mite does
the exact opposite of that in act one
there's like five guns on the wall the
characters talk about why they're five
guns in the wall and then in act three
the main bad guy gets ran over by a
truck will the exposition being said be
relevant who knows but there are really
powerful Benders in the the northern
water tribe my dad told me about it
before he left it's led by a princess
because her father died why did Saka
need to mention that the water tribe is
ruled by a princess because her father
died that information won't be relevant
until they reach the north actually I
don't think that information is relevant
ever like she doesn't reflect on her dad
dying once it doesn't contribute to her
character at all she has no character
why did he say this they could have just
shown her when they reached the north
why' you waste our time like that M
night this Exposition problem is what
brings down the entire movie Ang air
bended a sphere around them and ice
formed and he couldn't remember anything
after that instead of having characters
that interact with motivations and
attributes that the audience would care
about ight instead wrote lore dumping
machines that explain Common Sense
things that people in the world should
already know it's not a place made up of
things you can touch but it exists
nonetheless it is filled with the most
amazing forms dazzling creatures that
exist in the most exotic valleys
mountains far get on with it yes get on
with it so much of this movie feels like
a first draft by a writer who
intentionally overit everything to
compensate for having no deeper
substance a smoke screen yet it's a poor
smoke screen like you can see him
sneaking away even if these characters
weren't Lord dumping to one another I
don't think the problem would ever be
solved because even regular dialogue
just sounds strange and stilted why is
it all so damn weird everyone talks in
the most roundabout way possible like
Grandpa Simpson never getting to the
point you said I I
apologize I should have explained
further if you failed the test as all
others did you were free to leave but as
it turns out you are the only one in the
entire world who could pass this test
just say he's the Avatar holy [Â __Â ] what
we end up with is this Unholy Trinity of
wasting time dialogue that comes from a
dimension that was generated by chat GPT
Fire Nation knew the Avatar would be
born into the air Nomads so they
exterminated all the air Nomads while
some actors probably weren't great I
can't blame them in the slightest okay
maybe a little but you try to make these
lines sound halfway decent is there a
spiritual place where I can meditate
there is a very spiritual place the city
was built around this place all three of
these factors manifest a film that is
uniquely horrible well not uniquely
horrible I I did say earlier that it was
like the prequels but you know why the
prequals were redeemed while the last
air bender never will be because behind
all of its flaws the setting and action
of the prequels were cool as hell and
the last air bender is not the last air
bender actually took something that was
already cool and made it
worse the last air Bender's action is
just woof bending in general just
doesn't translate as well to liveaction
like yeah there's some cool scenes in
the Netflix adaptation like imagine half
of this stuff in real life it look goofy
as hell that said though they still
didn't even really try Five Guys throw a
rock we the biggest tragedy here are the
fire Benders why can't they make their
own fire why force them to use another
source it just makes them so much less
interesting how did these guys
consistently wage a war for a 100 years
if they could only do this one of the
reasons the fire Benders were so
threatening was that they could you know
shoot fire from their hands might as
well call them gun Benders but if they
have to carry the fire around them
themselves well now you can just defeat
them by snuffing out whatever Source
they have it's like a boss fight once
you find out the exploit it's all over
fun fact with enough dirt you can
suffocate a fire just dce the flames and
jump the guards dummies my goodness what
an idea why didn't I think of that for
some reason ight thought producing fire
should be the special skill set that
only a few fire Benders could do he
making fire out of nothing it'd make it
more impressive I guess impressive who
the fictional firebenders that don't
exist the general audience cuz the
general audience already saw three
seasons of this being the norm imagine
if the Michael Bay movies made it that
the Transformers could never transform
on a whim and it was a big deal when
Optimus Prime transformed or something
who would be impressed with that they
should just do that on default he wanted
that moment with iro though so uh I hope
it was worth it it's like ight took
every opportunity to make this world
actively less interesting like the water
benders aren't this Arctic civilization
based on the Inuits anymore they're like
colder Russia everyone's dressed like
Russians remember how the Northern Air
Temple was resettled by Earth Kingdom
refugees who turned it into a new home
yeah there's this one guy in it now he's
just hanging out the worst change of all
though is what the movie does with the
idea of the Avatar you see this movie
does have a central theme it's not a
good theme but uh it exists see the
lesson to takeway is that the Avatar
cannot hurt others I guess has the
Avatar you are not meant to hurt others
like this little display is just to show
how powerful the ocean is not to
actually hurt anyone uh he's not
supposed to do that it's just to Spook
the Fire Nation and the running away
when was that ever established you see
throughout the film the Avatar is
supposed to be a symbol of Hope yeah
yeah in the show the Avatar is a symbol
of Hope because the Avatar is the most
powerful Bender in the world hope in the
Avatar is kind of like hope that an
asteroid will hit your enemy's house
everyone has hoped that the Avatar will
obliterate the fire lord and stop the
Fire Nation from waging their War you
know because he's so powerful in the
movie The Avatar's main goal is now just
to inspire people why are you acting
this way you are powerful and amazing
people you don't need to live like this
oh just got to believe in themselves
lift their Spirits enough to not want to
be in a prison camp and maybe we can
stop in the villages on the way start a
change in the war in these small
villages ironically the liveaction
message is far more in line with the
children's show than the actual
children's show bringing balance means
harming and even killing people bringing
the world out of balance and that
dilemma was the central focus at the end
of the series I guess I don't have have
a choice
Momo I have to kill the fire lord I mean
he still didn't do it cuz like lion
turtle magic or whatever but that's not
the point in the movie The Lesson Ang
has to learn is that the Avatar is a
pacifist he can't actually hurt people
as the Avatar you are not meant to hurt
others he's a Captain Planet figure that
comes in and inspires change by doing
fancy bending tricks turns out the
Hundred Years War wasn't actually a
stalemate at all but earthbenders just
weren't really feeling it what a great
lesson these people were letting
themselves be oppressed by an invading
power because they just didn't try hard
enough thanks Mite I'm going to do
nothing so instead of turning into this
fish Kaiju and wiping out the Fire
Nation Navy by force Ang just does this
use the ocean show them the power of
water did emni accidentally mix up
Airbender pacifism as Avatar pacifism I
think he did not meant to hurt others is
that really the central theme you want
to stick with cuz you're just shackling
yourself for no reason what was your
plan for the next two movies ight for
him not to fight anybody let's not
pretend there were plans here we were
flying by the seat of our clown pants in
this
situation why does Ang always look so
scared you know this isn't a horror
movie
right considering he literally never
acted before this I think Noah Ringer
was all right he's a flying lemur bat we
keep them as pets he's good at physical
acting and action uh even if the
choreography is often strange and dumb
though half his moves are just ight
saying eh swing that stick around and
look cool why they thought he would be a
good lead for a three movie Blockbuster
series I will never know I really think
ight thought he was going to get another
Haley Joel Osman discovered new talent
and it blew up in everyone's face more
than anyone Noah himself he apparently
was a fan of the original show and was
elated to be a part of it then the movie
came out how dare he be hired as a
firsttime child actor at the end of the
day it was his face more than anything
that became cemented with one of the
worst films of all time his face will be
on every thumbnail for all of eternity
no ringer quit acting soon after only
appearing ing in one other movie Cowboys
versus Aliens and do good things you go
get our people
back man he never had a chance he
vanished from the public Spotlight so
hard that it's impossible to find any
recent pictures of him you're lying I
don't blame him imagine if the world
only remembered you from that time when
you were 12 it's not like he had a
billionaire family to fall back on
speaking of
which I'm lumping these two together
because in this movie they're really not
too different they're both cardboard
husks that follow Ang around also with a
terrified look on their face like I said
before Nicola pelts is the worst actor
in the film it doesn't help that she's
also the narrator for the whole thing my
brother and the princess became friends
right away my brother and I live in the
southern water tribe which was once a
big city Ang air bended a sphere around
them and ice formed and he couldn't
remember anything after that there is
nothing here that even resembles qara no
motherly role no moral grandstanding
even if you had never watched the show
you would have thought qara and Saka
were just the same
character
so are you the avatar
on Saka is there too they try on
occasion to do comedic bits with him but
they're so far and few between it
catches you off
guard like so much of the tone in this
movie is ominous it's got kind of creepy
music most of the
[Music]
time everyone's sort of terrified like a
monster is going to jump out and drag
Ang away or something but then they'll
throw in some random joke that doesn't
mesh at all he was bending tiny stones
at us from behind a tree it really hurt
say what you will about the Netflix
version but that guy is far more like
Saka damn girl cover that up in public
funnily enough the romance subplot with
UA isn't that much worse mainly because
I just didn't care about that romance in
the two episodes it was in UA was never
great in the show yeah I said it team
Suki for life she wasn't bad she was
just there you know dear Mario he's come
to the castle I make a CI for you and
because of that liveaction UA is pretty
close to how she was in the show Bland
pretty uninteresting but Saka liked her
so we liked her too look her sacrifice
was always sad but let's not pretend her
turning into a space Rock changed her
personality much one funny thing I
noticed is that in their final scene
together Saka doesn't even maintain eye
contact at all he's just staring at her
forehead the whole
time these two are the best part of the
movie it's actually funny how the
quality goes up whenever it's their
scenes like a glimpse at a film that
wasn't a 4 out of 10 on IMDb maybe
something like a 6 out of 10 there's a
relationship here you can at least infer
one is supposed to be a rage filled
Prince and the other is his wise uncle
there are some elements of the character
actually here not a ton but it's
something I think they might actually
have conversations a few times that
aren't simply Exposition tell me what
you know about the prince he did
something wrong he spoke out of turn to
a general in defense of some of his
friends oh wait never mind the pain of
banishment is conveyed pretty well from
Dev Patel IO very clearly cares for Zuko
he doesn't resemble the show iro in the
slightest but he does look like someone
who used to lead armies I could see his
character working if there had ever been
sequels and that isn't something that
I'd say for the main Trio at all there's
one character who certainly isn't in the
sequels you know cuz he
drowns xia was the threatening arrogant
and confident leader of the Fire Nation
Navy he had no care for the spe
spiritual world and truly was an
embodiment of the fire nation's hunger
for Conquest they will call me xia the
Conqueror J the moon Slayer J the
Invincible he killed the [Â __Â ] Moon and
in the end he was defeated both by the
spirits and his own pride in the movie
he's played by the pizza guy from
Spider-Man 2o in 8 minutes I am
defaulting on Joe's 29 minute guarantee
you know I conducted a raid on The Great
Library which most said didn't even
exist good on with it he gets killed by
random water benders instead of the
ocean Spirit the main bad guy kills a
spirit defies them openly and then he
gets killed by random extras bold
storytelling the problem with casting
oiv Mani is that he is very clearly a
comedic actor a comedic actor with very
little physical presence he's doing the
best he can with these lines but because
he's an exposition machine he more comes
off like a nerd that annoys the fire
lord as you know the fire lord has
banished his son The Prince and
renounced his love of him and will not
let him return to the throne unless get
on with
it it took two seasons of buildup before
we ever saw the fire Lord's face an
ominous presence that everyone feared
you will learn respect and suffering
will be your teacher and here's how he's
introduced in the movie as you know I
conducted a raid on The Great Library
which most said didn't even exist got on
with it he's just a guy walks around his
Palace all day he doesn't even seem that
invested in the war more so annoyed if
anything this was the one who burned his
own son's
face this is the guy who wants to
conquer the world every change em might
makes man it's just you
think my
son is this person the soldiers are
called ping the blue
Spirit yes apparently there was actually
a scene of him being threatening and
they just cut it out of the movie why do
you keep making every wrong
decision I do
father they thought they were going to
get a
sequel The Last Airbender is a film
where nothing went right and really it
wasn't just because it had no reason
existing in the first place even then if
we had to make that movie ight had no
place taking on such a task he clearly
wasn't cut out for it my voice is
actually giving out and even then
there's still so much I want to talk
about like how the choreography sucks
how the extras don't know where to go
the slow motion is used because they
weren't confident in that action and you
know now that I think about it I didn't
even mention how they just pronounce all
their Nam name's wrong the Avatar the
monks named me Ang so good don't are you
the Avatar
Ang it was this long into the video and
I just mentioned it that to be a last
air bender review record y em might
watched the show it's not like he didn't
know their names or anything he
intentionally changed the pronunciation
he says it was to make the names more
Asian and accurate but no it's not even
in the correct way half the time in
these interviews I swear emite just sort
of Lies like he makes up reasons cuz the
real reason is too stupid to admit I
cannot imagine he never envisioned
anyone else except Nicola Peltz as qara
I think the main reason he changed the
pronunciation was to make this series
his own thing saying the right
pronunciations would just make people
think of the show and this isn't the
show this is a serious liveaction epic
created by by ight Shyamalan one that
was going to bring his career right to
the top even if he did enjoy the series
watching it with his kids I think he
mainly enjoyed it by using it as a
vessel for his career who's to say this
is a funny YouTube video I don't know is
a live-action Avatar adaptation just a
Folly an attempt at capitalizing on
something that already has been done
perfectly yes yes it is what made people
love the show was the fact that it was
animated every com beat every emotional
moment every bit of action even if you
did an exact Recreation of the story and
live action it just wouldn't translate
the same some things are just lightning
in a bottle I guess because people are
going to ask my opinion I did see the
Netflix series at least the first couple
of episodes and it isn't the worst at
least compared to the last air bender
but it's still not good after a bit you
just think what's the point why watch
something that slightly changes and
muddles the story of the original what
am I getting rewatching a story I've
already seen done better in animation
and the answer to that was nothing I was
getting nothing out of it these two only
exist to capitalize on a show that
already told its story if there was
going to be a liveaction avatar show
that was darker than the original then
it should have just been set in an
entirely different story in time make up
a new Avatar have a more mature original
story and nobody would compare it to the
cartoon but that requires you know an
original story which is why they didn't
do it sometimes bad adaptations make us
enjoy the things they're trying to adapt
even more there's now an example of how
to do the story absolutely wrong and it
makes you realize that you're kind of
Lucky for getting the original in the
first place I think I said the same
lesson in the Pacific Rim video but it's
a lesson that pops up more often than
you'd think so thank you M Night
Shyamalan for making something so
horrendous it made us appreciate the
show even more please never make a major
Blockbuster
[Music]
again
ringing
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
