AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER: SEASON ONE
Starring: Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, and Daniel Dae Kim
Creator: Albert Kim
PRESTON
You may enjoy Avatar: The Last Airbender if you are a fan of the anime (or movie), aged 8-18 years old, or if you are the parent of a child under the age of 12 years old…otherwise, uh-uh. Go in with kid-show expectations: over-the-top, cliché, cheesy, CGI and green-screening. It’s atrocious, and the script was most definitely generated by an AI application. This is a love it or hate it situation, and I fall firmly into the latter. I dreaded each new episode, and I only pushed through knowing that I was working selflessly to inform you, my sweet reader. You owe me one *smirk*.
KATIE
If you haven’t seen the original anime, you could probably enjoy Avatar: The Last Airbender as a pretty average Netflix show and move on with your life. I, however, love the anime, which is superior to this soulless adaptation in every conceivable way. It just feels hollow, with dialogue that consists of characters simply stating what’s happening, drab lighting, inconsistent visual effects, cheap-looking costuming, and a story that is a mish-mash of plots from the original series, which makes it feel like it’s rushing to cover as many of the original episodes as possible in an hour.
AMARÚ
I never watched the Avatar: The Last Airbender anime, but I watched the new live-action adaptation with an avid fan, so I’ll admit this is a semi-influenced review. I’ll also admit that the CGI and green-screening are fairly atrocious. But hearing that the production design and casting is pretty spot on and recognizing that, somehow, the visual effects enhanced really great action sequences made me focus on what was entertaining. There’s a wonder that fits the more predictable kids’ show aspects, yet it doesn’t shy away from darkness. I appreciate that balance, even if there’s plenty of room for better executed growth.
