Summary
- Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation is faithful, with proper character development.
- Characters from the original series are brought to life in the live-action adaptation, showing depth and connection.
- Despite some special effects issues, the live-action series is a worthy adaptation, much better than the previous film.
There was a lot of trepidation surrounding Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. It’s par for the course, considering how beloved the original series was, and how reviled the live-action film was by comparison. And while the latest version of Avatar: The Last Airbender gets off to a bit of a shaky start due, in large part, to heavy exposition, the Netflix series is a rather faithful adaptation, carrying the spirit of the original while bringing its world to life through intricate details (the way bending is rendered onscreen is pretty great), lush costumes, and proper character development.
Based on the acclaimed animated Nickelodeon television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender is an action-adventure fantasy series developed by Albert Kim. The series follows Aang, a young man training to harness the four elements to live up to the title of Avatar – the one who will restore balance to the world.
Pros
- The live-action series gets the characters and story right overall
- The fight sequences are great, as is the variety of bending
- The cast is great and they really grow into their roles
Cons
- The special effects are not always that great
- The series has a shaky start due to heavy exposition
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1 basically follows the journey of the Nickelodeon show’s first season. Aang (Gordon Cormier) — the last airbender and avatar who can bend each of the four elements, earth, wind, water, and fire — has emerged after 100 years of being frozen in ice. With the help of friends Katara (Kiawentiio) and her brother Sokka (Ian Ousley), Aang aims to learn the remaining bending skills and save the world from the threat of the Fire Nation, which has sent the exiled Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu), along with his Uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), to find him.
Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Cast Brings Beloved Characters To Life In Their Own Way
Every episode sees the trio in a new location, which is a great way to expand the worldbuilding and the development of the characters along the way. The characters themselves are multidimensional. There’s an instant connection I had with them and, while the cast feels very much like their animated counterparts, they also breathe new life into Aang, Katara, and Sokka so they’re more than empty copies. And for those who haven’t seen the original series in a while, the new Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation will make you feel like you’re reuniting with old friends after some time apart.
The actors, perhaps because of their ages, take a bit to settle fully into their roles, but once they do (by the end of the second episode) their performances and dynamic grow stronger with each episode. Liu is especially well-cast as Zuko, balancing a fiery anger with resentment and emotional vulnerability. Zuko’s villain redemption storyline from the original series is wonderfully set up in the live-action’s eight-episode season, and it’s hard not to feel for him as he struggles with gaining his estranged father’s approval without losing himself in the process.
The buildup is well-paced and the stakes are high, with the overarching story never overshadowing the individual arcs of the characters.
Cormier’s Aang is weighted down by guilt for not preventing the massacre of the Air Nomads, and the pressure of saving everyone from the Fire Nation, but the actor is able to infuse the character with unbridled joy and hope despite the burden he carries. Comier is everything Aang should be — kind, trusting, and always willing to see the best in others. Kiawentiio as Katara is genuinely lovely, especially as she gains more confidence in her waterbending abilities in the second half of the show. Ousley’s Sokka is good for a laugh, though not everything lands, while showcasing his insecurities.
There are certain characters — Elizabeth Yu’s Princess Azula, specifically — who don’t get as big a storyline as the others, but the seeds are planted for more to come in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2. Yu’s performance is a perfect blend of rage and disdain, and I can’t wait to see what she does next with the role. On the other hand, the series doesn’t lose anything by minimizing the role of characters like Momo, who is primarily there for comedic relief, and Appa, who has less personality here than in the original series.
Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Special Effects Are Hit Or Miss
Where the live-action series falters a bit is in its special effects, which can fluctuate depending on the episode. Some of the visuals are shaky, and don’t look as crisp as they ought to. Luckily, this is only the case in certain instances, especially at the start, and is never enough to derail the show. As the series builds to an explosive season 1 finale, the effects get better, as though the budget was being withheld for use on the majority of the second half.
Netflix’s live-action adaptation, developed by showrunner Albert Kim, does excel at bringing to life the various bending styles — earthbending and waterbending look especially good during fight sequences, which are pretty good despite not being as intricate as its animated predecessor. The buildup is well-paced and the stakes are high, with the overarching story never overshadowing the individual arcs of the characters. Avatar: The Last Airbender makes certain changes to canon, but it doesn’t stray far from the original story or the spirit of the animated series.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Is A Worthy Live-Action Adaptation
I can also say with complete confidence that the Netflix series is exceptionally better than M. Night Shyamalan’s disastrous The Last Airbender. It’s more of a faithful adaptation, and you can tell the writing team are fans of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko’s work. The worldbuilding is beautifully developed, and you really get a sense of each location, what makes it tick and how the people have been shaped by it. The costumes are gorgeous, the makeup and hairstyles generally superb (minus one poor choice in wig), and the details of the sets and locations elevate the series.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is yet another successful adaptation for Netflix, which hit home-runs with the live-action One Piece. The streamer may have missed the mark with series like Cowboy Bebop, but Avatar: The Last Airbender shows what can be done when an adaptation gets creative while staying true to its source material. With a great cast — including the always fantastic Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai — showing they’re able to grow alongside their characters, and a story full of depth and excitement, the live-action series is well worth the wait.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Live-Action) Cast Gordon Cormier , Dallas Liu , Kiawentiio , Ian Ousley , Daniel Dae Kim , Paul Sun-Hyung Lee Release Date February 22, 2024 Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) bryan konietzko Writers Albert Kim , michael dante dimartino , bryan konietzko Rating Not Yet Rated