OK I'm going to give a BRIEF review from a different perspective.
I'm a father of 2 kids who LOVED the Avatar series and they brought me along for the ride. I too fell in love with the animated series and thought it was as beautiful as it was entertaining.
SO - my kids and I had the date circled on the calendar to go and see the film for about 7 months now.
Here is what I liked about the movie:
1) The costuming (with 1notable exception - Zuko's burn was pathetic.)
2) The special fx.
Here's what was terrible:
1) The acting was wooden, forced and pathetic. That's the director's fault
2) Who told you to change the pronunciation of the names?
3) Ummm... what part of Buddhist Monks (Airbenders) Japanese Samurai (Firebenders) Inuits (Waterbenders) and landlocked Asians (Earthbenders- maybe Laotian?) don't you get? Seriously? Indian Firebenders? White Waterbenders? I know enough has been said about the casting - but come on, Night. Who told you to reimagine everything when it was ready-made for any competent director?
4) Where was the funny?! An UNFUNNY Sokka? An always serious Aang? WOW.
5) Dev Patel being cast as a angst-ridden 15/16 year old Japanese boy was ridiculous.. but not as ridiculous as
6) The guy from "Daily Show" being a Fire nation commander? SERIOUSLY? I was looking for a Jon Stewart drop-in.
7) The last time I saw the guy playing the Firelord, he was in TRAINING DAY as a Latino gangbanger. Wow Night. Wow.
8) Ummm - since when is Zuko's uncle a 6'3" 145 lb 44 year old Indian?
9) I fell asleep.
10) My kids LAUGHED at Appa. Not a good thing.
So in summary, something I loved was MANGLED by a "director's vision" once again. I used to love "Dungeons & Dragons," and it happened to that too.
M. Night should be through in Hollywood after this one as this was a boatload of money wasted.
The Last Airbender deserved better... If I were Nickelodeon, I'd probably want to sue - and I doubt the studio would give the greenlight to a new director and CASTING agent.
What a waste. Here's hoping that this doesn't happen to the "God of War" movie.
I'm a father of 2 kids who LOVED the Avatar series and they brought me along for the ride. I too fell in love with the animated series and thought it was as beautiful as it was entertaining.
SO - my kids and I had the date circled on the calendar to go and see the film for about 7 months now.
Here is what I liked about the movie:
1) The costuming (with 1notable exception - Zuko's burn was pathetic.)
2) The special fx.
Here's what was terrible:
1) The acting was wooden, forced and pathetic. That's the director's fault
2) Who told you to change the pronunciation of the names?
3) Ummm... what part of Buddhist Monks (Airbenders) Japanese Samurai (Firebenders) Inuits (Waterbenders) and landlocked Asians (Earthbenders- maybe Laotian?) don't you get? Seriously? Indian Firebenders? White Waterbenders? I know enough has been said about the casting - but come on, Night. Who told you to reimagine everything when it was ready-made for any competent director?
4) Where was the funny?! An UNFUNNY Sokka? An always serious Aang? WOW.
5) Dev Patel being cast as a angst-ridden 15/16 year old Japanese boy was ridiculous.. but not as ridiculous as
6) The guy from "Daily Show" being a Fire nation commander? SERIOUSLY? I was looking for a Jon Stewart drop-in.
7) The last time I saw the guy playing the Firelord, he was in TRAINING DAY as a Latino gangbanger. Wow Night. Wow.
8) Ummm - since when is Zuko's uncle a 6'3" 145 lb 44 year old Indian?
9) I fell asleep.
10) My kids LAUGHED at Appa. Not a good thing.
So in summary, something I loved was MANGLED by a "director's vision" once again. I used to love "Dungeons & Dragons," and it happened to that too.
M. Night should be through in Hollywood after this one as this was a boatload of money wasted.
The Last Airbender deserved better... If I were Nickelodeon, I'd probably want to sue - and I doubt the studio would give the greenlight to a new director and CASTING agent.
What a waste. Here's hoping that this doesn't happen to the "God of War" movie.