Netflix’s Avatar The Last Airbender Review
WRITTEN BY GEORGE DAVIES
After over a decade the Avatar the Last Airbender is back in live action, did it live up to the animation or should Aang stayed in the ice?
The highly anticipated live adaptation of Avatar the Last Airbender was given a fresh approach, after the disaster which was the live action film almost 14 years ago, this time as a tv show with Netflix at the helm. However, did it live up to the anticipation or fell short much like the live action film?
For the majority of the main cast, such as Gordon Cormier who plays Aang and Kiawentiio who plays Katara, this was their first big gig in acting and had big expectations going into this project due to playing iconic and beloved characters. Although some critics have criticised the acting and script, I believed that the young actors performed well and successfully managed to capture the essence of the characters from the animation, which made them so great. You could tell that the three main actors Gordon (Aang), Kiawentiio (Katara) and Ian (Soukka) all had a great chemistry offset and that transitioned onto the screen through their characters in their family-friend hybrid relationship.
In some areas of the season, certain arcs, Prince Zuko’s in particular, did feel rushed and should’ve taken more time to develop and would have led to a big impact on his development. However, I thought that Dallas Liu captured the anger and the burning conflict inside Zuko perfectly and believe that he has a great future going forward. I thought the friendship between Zuko and his Uncle Iroh played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee was one of the many highlights of the show.
In some places the dialogue did feel partially weak, however I think it was an enjoyable experience and great to see a beloved childhood classic revamped into live action, successfully this time round. I think a big credit is due to its cast as they carried the elements and personalities of their respective characters from the animation to live action.
Another positive is due to the set design and the costume department, they truly kept faithful and true the animation in terms of outfits and the themes and identity of each elemental nation or faction. Also, on a personal note, I’m so glad Aang just had a normal blue arrow tattoo rather than the weird looking symbol arrow that was in the films.
Overall, although it wasn’t perfect in all areas and could’ve been tweaked and improved on, Netflix’s Avatar the Last Airbender was overall a great watch to anyone who’s a fan of the original animation, the cast were fantastic and were all well casted in each role. It was a very enjoyable watch that has me wanting for more. I think that it lived up to the anticipation and is one not to be missed.
Netflix’s version is already a success as seasons 2 and 3 have been ordered and are in development.