There has been a lot of online chatter about this movie. The cackling began with fan boys dripping at the jowls with anticipation during pre-production. And then the secrecy surrounding the production itself. But I didn’t join into the fray until the introduction of the characters. I have nothing against the fine young people chosen to do this project – I think they did a great job. However, like many like-minded individual (who can articulate this objection better than I am wiling to here) I did have a problem with the choice in casting.
Much like my “Lord of the Rings” issue, “The Last Airbender” says to me – Ethnic = helpless or bad, White = immaculate. Aside from that I liked the movie (okay, maybe one other exception which I will address later).
Ask any kid or kid at heart about the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” cartoon series and you will get an earful of fandom. What they will all agree on is Aang (the main character was NOT white) neither were his cohorts. This is considered small and nit-picky to some and imperialism to others. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.
Politics aside, on to the movie review, I feel it was a decent adaptation of the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” mythic world. There is a big dollop of Hollywood imitation sugar to go with that story. So the original story is chopped up and compressed to remove any interesting repetitive bits. A metric ton of CGI is added as a binding agent and preservative. And 3D is thrown in as an after thought to provide the tasteless bullshit crust. All in all “The Last Air Bender” is a chicken nugget. Kids love chicken nuggets. It’s not good for you, it doesn’t taste like anything, it doesn’t in anyway resemble the original chicken, and it will last forever.
The adequately constructed story follows Aang, of the Airbending tribe (power to manipulate air) as he attempts to come to grips with the idea of being the last Avatar (a being that can manipulate all elements: Air and the Seventies group Earth, Wind and Fire). Aang is destined to bring peace and balance to the world but he is just a kid. This worked really well with my boys. They were drawn in right away. Complex ideas are conveyed visually sparing us 10 pages of rambling dialog. There’s your review.
Lastly a few words about 3D: FUCK YOU HOLLYWOOD AN YOUR BULLSHIT MARKETING PLOYS. Don’t buy a 3D ticket to this movie. What a complete and total warm, damp pile of garbage. I was expecting graphic, complex, intriguing imagery to propel not only the story but the inevitable discourse afterward. Oh but no! What I got was the opportunity to pay to unwittingly be a part of your movie executive bukkake fantasy. You evil bastards. I had my kids with me you freaks. You got me you bastards. I hope you choke on the extra dollars I had to pay for that bullshit. Fuck you all.
Last Airbender: decent kid’s flick.
