‘Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024)’ REVIEW: It was worth the wait
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024)’ REVIEW: It was worth the wait
Daniel Dae Kim in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Taken from the official trailer.
With the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series ending nearly 16 years ago, we finally get a live-action adaptation that we asked for — one that brings justice to the original story. Netflix’s original series gives us a deeper glimpse into the world of bending by giving us more background on the lives of each character before the return of the avatar, mature themes that highlight the emotions felt during warfare, and mesmerizing visuals and sounds.
An evident theme in the series is the chips put on the shoulders of the youth. We aren’t just watching Aang (Gordon Cormier) as a child learn how to master all four elements, but rather as someone who has to figure out such a complicated world right after finding out his elders have all passed away. It was also never right for us to know Sokka as just the funny guy, so instead they make it impossible not to recognize him as a young warrior who has to lead his tribe after his father departed for war, which is made very clear by Ian Ousley’s portrayal of the character.
Apart from the themes it tackles, what also makes this adaptation feel maturer is its openness to discussing topics like death, where we now get to watch Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) burn his soldiers alive as opposed to the animated series which erred on the side of caution for its young audience. Now, they know their kids have grown up, so it’s time to tell them the truth; this is an evil man to fear — giving us a genuinely threatening antagonist whom we now understand why the water tribe and earth nation feared so much.
The live-action adaptation brings more depth to the character arcs too. As we embark on each of their journeys, the stakes feel much higher and we get even more invested in the dilemmas the characters face — such as questioning whether their goals are worth achieving despite who or what might be at stake, which honestly, people need to consider more.
It’s very clear that the series has a good understanding of its audience, recognizing our growth over a decade and what we loved most about the animated series. They ensured to keep the cabbage man and the incredible musical score that we loved so much back then. Overall, it made such a fictional world feel as real as it could get, especially with great visual effects and cinematography, which could have easily failed like they did in M. Night Shyamalan’s attempt at making a live-action adaptation in 2010. Maybe technological advancement is a perk of waiting 16 years.
Eight episodes that run an hour each might be difficult to binge, but it throws multiple hooks to keep us watching. Get ready to debate with people about whether or not the changes made were good for the story. It’s definitely worth the watch.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) is now streaming on Netflix.
