Netflix new series Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix in live action never felt like a smart idea.
Why bother attempt a remake of one of the greatest animated shows ever made? Especially because someone else had previously tried once and failed so miserably that the fans decided to forget about it forever.
Here we are, then, since it seems that Netflix is hooked to the idea of live action remakes. They intend to create a megafranchise, incorporating elements from several seasons of the original series as well as possibly even more from Korra, and it all begins here. And I have to admit, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender is far superior than I had anticipated, even if I consider the original to be one of my all-time favorite programs. This is despite a ton of skepticism. By the end, I was actually enjoying it.
Netflix, You can sense that the actors and team behind the show are passionate about the original material throughout the entire production. Indeed, I have read every single quote that suggested someone was adding, modifying, or removing something that sounded awful. There were a number of warning signs, in my opinion.
The entire thing is very much an attempt at a love letter to the animated series, but in reality, I do not think the alterations overpower the total. Even though the adaptation necessitates certain structural adjustments, there are innumerable sequences and lines that remain true to the original. Nothing very harmful that I could find.
Compared to the animated series, it is not as good. It isn’t, of course. Although this colored pencil picture of the Mona Lisa is excellent in its own right, it is a completely different medium and will never be able to match the original masterpiece.
Thus, I believe you need to grade this using a little curve. I am not sure how superfans will respond to the show, but I have a feeling that a lot of them will not be tolerant of certain things. Additionally, I am not sure how this will help “onboard” new fans who have not watched the original, which is how I approached the One Piece adaption on Netflix (which was excellent!). All I can say about this as a fan is
Here, casting is the main source of success. Although many pointed out how uncannily similar the casting selections appeared to the cartoon characters, it really succeeds in channeling those characteristics. Dallas Liu, who plays Prince Zuko, gives, without a doubt, the most outstanding performance of the entire series. Liu skillfully conveys rejection disguised as wrath. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee’s Iroh, whose sole flaw is that he’s…tall, joins him once more as another excellent casting choice.
The series is anchored by Ian Ousley’s Sokka and Gordon Cormier’s Aang, despite the fact that they take longer to warm up. No, Sokka is not quite on the “girls are awful” kick here, but he still battles the same kinds of insecurities that gave rise to that perspective since that is who he is.
I believe Cormier’s portrayal of Aang is a little uneven at first in terms of line delivery, but as the program goes on, so does he, and for an Aang who had to be as young as he is, Cormier does a great job completing the character. Once more, there was worry before to the program is debut that Aang would be darker and more somber than it was in the original, but that is just untrue in
The team at Fire Nation is excellent. As Fire Lord Ozai, Daniel Dae Kim is incredibly menacing. Ken Leung plays the cunning and conceited Commander Zhou brilliantly. Elizabeth’s Yu as Azula initially struck me as a miscast because, well, she is an actress and does not quite look like the original, but she is got the fire. You will come to believe in her harshness by the end.
As you can see, Kiawentiio’s Katara is the only item missing from this list. She was the one who, out of all the characters, I felt fit the least. Nothing about her performance was poor, but considering how important Katara is to the play, I was not feeling the same level of enthusiasm from her. She does not feel as on point as most of her castmates before the series’ pivotal fight, when she really excels. Maybe in next seasons (which I think the program deserves), that will change.
Most of the visuals are good. There are a lot of times when sailing on boats and riding Appa get a little too green-screeny for my liking. Occasionally, though, the VFX are excellent. Amazingly animated is Appa himself. The cityscapes are breathtaking. And yeah, these are not as fantastic as the intense animation bending fights from the original series, but they are still really impressive for live action.
The timing of the show is another thing that makes it effective. When you think back on it, M. Night Shyamalan’s attempt to condense a whole season into one movie was utterly absurd, but this? Eight episodes total, each lasting between fifty and sixty minutes on average. The 20 episodes in the first season of the show lasted between 20 and 22 minutes apiece. Doing the arithmetic gives you approximately the same amount of time, if not more, to tell the story than in book 1 of the original series, plus it gives the program room to grow.
It is difficult. Whatever happens, I am aware that not everyone will enjoy this show. People trying to recreate such a beloved series was almost unfairly put in this situation. Even yet, I would still classify this as a hit, even though this trend has been hit or miss, particularly on Netflix. I was actually curious to see how they handled the next two novels of the original series, but my pretty low expectations have been exceeded. Send me Toph. What comes next? Alright, give Korra to me. Come on, let us do this. It is not my money.
It is difficult. Whatever happens, I am aware that not everyone will enjoy this show. People trying to recreate such a beloved series was almost unfairly put in this situation. Even yet, I would still classify this as a hit, even though this trend has been hit or miss, particularly on Netflix. I was actually curious to see how they handled the next two novels of the original series, but my pretty low expectations have been exceeded. Send me Toph. What comes next? Alright, give Korra to me. Come on, let us do this. It is not my money.