Last night I saw The Last Airbender, not because I’m a big “Avatar” fan, but because I’m a big M. Night Shyamalan fan. If asked, I will not openly admit this to my fellow filmmakers, but I thoroughly enjoy watching his films. The worse they get, the more I like them. I find it refreshing that Shyamalan has a sense of humor, and I love that no one gets it. He’s like the guy at a party that laughs at inside jokes he only has with himself. I was surprised that he chose to this particular kind of film, knowing his prior “work.”
I have never seen the TV show “Avatar,” so I had fresh eyes to look at the film. Even though it did seem more like a film geared towards a younger “kid” audience, I really enjoyed it (although I must warn you, it IS a kids’ movie!). As I am writing this review I am also reading reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and if you do the same you will find a completely different perception on this film. The reviews are terrible, and I guess I understand why people thought the film was bad, but I still disagree. It reminded me of a wuxia-style kung fu movie (martial arts film focusing on mysticism – my favorite!) mixed with real-life anime characters. I judged the dialogue and character style from an anime point of view, which in my opinion looks “clunky” with human actors.
It’s probably just a personal preference, but I love movies that have the battle between the “civil” or industrial world versus the natural or spiritual world. It never gets old, because it always has been (and probably always will be) a problem in real life.
The final verdict: don’t go see this film if you’re expecting a huge blockbuster wonder. See it if you already like these kinds of film or are a Shyamalan fan – or, if you’re interesting in seeing an “anti-blockbuster blockbuster.” The acting is OK, the special effects are FINE and the plot doesn’t have too many holes. Will any of this stop me from seeing any sequels that possibly might come along? Probably not. I love bad movies.
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