Avatar, le dernier maître de l'air

I'm too exhausted with these pointless live action remakes of animated classics to get angry anymore. This Netflix redo of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER is at best competent, with handsome production design and costuming. Storywise, it strips out the humor of the original, leaving us with grim imitations of the characters we so loved. The sadsack reimagining of the feisty Katara is particularly horrid.

The acting is spotty. Some of the performers are pretty good, but so many of the line readings come off like community theater. Where's the passion?

While not the fiasco the previous live action feature was, this new AVATAR is just pointless. Yeah it's not bad, but why settle for not bad when the original show was great? I'd rather just rewatch the old one for the hundredth time.

No misunderstanding, I'm loving the latest Netflix live action series. I've really liked One Piece, Yu-Yu Hakusho and Avatar, and I finally see that things are being done right.

The issue with Avatar is another: it's born from a cult series that is very difficult to fill. On the one hand, it has effects that are sometimes very noticeable in terms of green screens. On the other hand, between chapter 3 and 6, so many stories are mixed together that it's a literal mess. We have a good cast, but perhaps the weakest point is Ang himself during some moments. Chapter 2 was a delight, I really liked 7 and 8. It feels like there isn't as much chemistry between the main trio and perhaps the Ang-Katara ship wasn't seen at all during this season. The best thing for me is the Zuko and Ioh plot that develops very well. Well, that's why the title of my review: given the original material, it can and should give more...I look forward to the next seasons.

At long last, Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender has arrived. And I must say, I didn't necessarily care for it too much. This calls for the classic line: If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

I wasn't swayed one way or the other. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. It kind of just exists. I couldn't help but compare everything in the show to the original cartoon. (One of the best TV shows ever in my book.) Everything was done in its shadow.

At one point I was watching with my brothers and we were like "this is kind of mid. We should just watch the cartoon." And that's what we did. I think that tells you all you need to know.

I heard someone say that this was on par with Disney's recent live action remakes. Mostly soulless remakes. And I would have to agree.

The best part of this show is the casting I would say. The acting is just ok though.

Overall, I didn't care too much for it.

My daughter and I recently completed the 8-episode series Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) on Netflix. The storyline unfolds in a world where tribes are aligned with the elements-Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Some members of each tribe can "bend" or control their respective elements, while only one person, the Avatar, has mastery over all four elements. After the Avatar disappears for over a hundred years, the Fire Nation seizes the opportunity to attempt world domination. Meanwhile, children from the Water Tribe stumble upon the long-lost Avatar, possibly just in time to save humanity.

This series is directed by Michael Goi (American Horror Story), Roseanne Liang (My Wedding and Other Secrets), Jabbar Raisani (Lost in Space), and Jet Wilkinson (Home and Away). It stars Gordon Cormier (The Stand), Kiawentiio (Beans), Ian Ousley (Young Sheldon), and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost).

This live-action adaptation does an impressive job recreating the Avatar universe, characters, and storyline. While some of the acting feels slightly uneven, and a few character designs may not entirely match the animated series, overall, this is a commendable relaunch. The universe is stunning, especially the creatures and visual effects for bending. The bending abilities look fantastic, adding to the visual appeal. There are also well-incorporated subplots and side stories from the original cartoon. The characters' struggles are well-portrayed, and the series ends at a fitting point. There's a lot to appreciate here.

In conclusion, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a solid live-action relaunch of the beloved animated series. I'd give it an 8/10 and strongly recommend it.

Sooo, all in all, I think this is a decent adaptation with an okayish casting, though the acting and scripting is a little lacking. The characters seem at times too grim, or lacking the humor that defined them.

Aang is a great choice as an actor, but the character is far too mature, instead of the kid he is supposed to be. Katara is more somber than in the animated version, and she and Aang lack chemistry. Originally I didn't like Zuko's actor choice (Zuko is my favorite character), but he grew on me by the end. Uncle Iroh is pretty good, but like could've been better? He seems too somber as well. I mean he's ok, but he doesn't inspire in you the ways the original uncle Iroh did, if that makes sense. I did not like the Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee castings at all. However Sokka is perfect. I think the actor is a tremendous choice that embodies Sokka both in looks and in character.

The plot is kinda messed up at times, with plot holes and some scenes that could've been done better. But overall I enjoyed watching the series and the special effects were amazing. But I felt that it lacked the epicness of the animated series.

I'm excited for seasons 2 and 3 though, to see where it goes.