Netflix’s latest release, Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) has permeated the internet with mixed reviews. While some fans are pleased with its solemn tone and faithfulness to the original soundtrack, others are disappointed when compared to the quality of the original manga. Personally, when I heard the news that the original author said this, Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-08) was dropped from the live-action project due to creative differences, so I knew I would start the first episode with low expectations.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-08) was one of Nickelodeon’s most influential cartoons, reshaping the way an entire generation viewed storytelling in Western animation. The manga centers on her 12-year-old Anne, who harnesses her four elements of earth, water, fire, and air and trains to fulfill the Avatar’s duty of restoring peace and balance to the world. This show has always been a favorite of mine since I was little, so it was a shame that I had so little hope for this new adaptation. I’ve only had time to watch the first two episodes of Her, but since the new format is longer, I think I’ve consumed enough content to give an honest review.
I agree with those who think this film adaptation is unremarkable, but not terrible. Think about it while sipping the lukewarm water that has been sitting on the table since morning. It might be a little more bitter and disappointing, but you enjoy it for what it is (or at least tries to be). In this analogy, you can hope that the reheated, lukewarm coffee tastes as good as it tastes straight out of the pot, or you can be grateful that there’s still coffee left. I chose the latter perspective. Because I knew that adapting was nothing more than getting into lukewarm water.
There was quite a bit about the first two episodes on Netflix that I didn’t enjoy. Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024). The show’s most notable flaw was the incredibly awkward dialogue. Unfortunately, no amount of skillful dialogue delivery could prevent me from cringing at the awful writing. The character of Katara, a young waterbender who travels with Aang, was a character I felt the adaptation messed with. Her fiery passion, feminist drive, and motherly empathy have been replaced by a meek, empty human shell.
While I thought some of the costume designs were fun, the Water Tribe costumes often looked too “pretty” and broke my immersion. After fighting the forces that perpetuate a corrupt world, it’s easy to remember that he’s just wearing a costume, when the actor doesn’t look a single hair out of place. I also don’t like the exposition dumps that are spoon-fed to the audience during the episode. It was an awkward interruption to the flow of the story, and at times there was too much information for me to process. I wish it would have been delivered naturally like in the manga, but I think viewers without prior knowledge would be overwhelmed by the endless lore drops.
Before I dive into the aspects of the show that I enjoyed, I need to talk about its direction in terms of tone. The comic was a hilarious and uplifting adventure with adorable characters, hopeful scenes, and a childlike spirit in a world of anxiety and doom. The Netflix adaptation was notable for taking a darker direction, with far fewer on-screen murders, serious moments, and humor. I’m all for implementing more gory scenes into the show, but I feel like the fun and laughter has been completely sanitized by the adaptation, making the show feel bland and unappealing. In my opinion, that’s the biggest drawback.
Still, there were some parts that I found enjoyable. It was clear that this adaptation aimed to be faithful to the original (aside from a few changes) and was done with love. I wish the movie was more serious, but the actors Aang and Sokka played their characters with so much heart. I also enjoyed the dynamic between the actors between Zuko and Iroh. Finally, some scenes, such as when Anne enters the Avatar State and freezes herself, are great and feel like they were ripped from the comics. Despite its flaws, this adaptation didn’t creep me out.
I think animation, an underrated art, is the perfect medium for this story. This feeling I had was proven correct when the live action didn’t deliver the way it should and could have. As I mentioned, I’ve only seen the first two episodes of him so far, so my opinion may change, for better or worse. So far, this warm adaptation is what I felt watching, despite its glaring flaws. I don’t think it’s well-crafted enough to recommend it to anyone who isn’t a big fan of the original, but it’s available to stream on Netflix for those interested.
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08) logo photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
