By Ben Wright (@iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)
This review is spoiler-free.
I’ll be honest, I have been concerned about this series for a while, however now that I made it through all eight episodes, it wasn’t as bad as I feared! In fact, in many ways, Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) excels in much of what it sets out to achieve!
I feel the biggest stick, that fans of the original cartoon series, will use to beat this adaption is that it loses some of the “heart” and “humour”. I don’t personally believe that is the case, as some of the humour moments were designed for younger kids, so by having a more mature approach to the storytelling, you need to switch things up to match these themes and tones. One thing the show captures perfectly, is the emotional notes, as when some of these land, they leave a lasting impression.
The story is truncated, for obvious reasons, but I don’t feel the plot was rushed at all, in fact I believe they got the pacing just about right. For those who have seen the original show, there will be great familiarity with the plot and what visuals are brought to live-action. With that said, there are also some welcome surprises with some of the changes and additions, with some scenarios blended or brought forward in the timeline. These amendments help ensure there are also plenty of surprises in store for seasoned Avatar fans.
As much as I enjoyed this series, overall, there were some issues. For me, the tonal shift wasn’t a negative, as I’ve stated previously, but I would say that some of the series’ flaws centred around some of the stilted character performances and background characters. While they don’t ruin the immersion of the show, they are noticeable. There were also a few instances of the visual effects lacking a little. My biggest disappointment with the series, in general, is the fight choreography – it was butchered in the edit – and this always ruins it for me.
So what about the cast performances?
With the obvious change-up in tone, Gordon Cormier’s portrayal of Aang needed to adapt accordingly, and I feel he does a good job with this version of the character. Likewise, Kiawentiio (Katara) and Ian Ousley (Sokka) bring their unique energy to these characters, with the latter being the strongest out of the main trio.
For me, the star of the series is Dallas Liu (Prince Zuko). Zuko is such a fascinating and compelling character, and I think Liu does an incredible job of not only nailing the essence of the character but bringing it to life in new and intriguing ways.
As for the supporting roles, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Uncle Iroh) was wonderful and had great synergy with Liu. Daniel Dae Kim (Fire Lord Ozai) was wonderfully menacing and credited to Elizabeth Yu (Princess Azula), who captured the smugness and ego of Azula.
From a technical standpoint, the show looks great and while there were a few shaky moments with some of the visual effects, Appa and Momo looked phenomenal in live-action! Likewise, some of the sets and costumes were just as impressive!
Overall, Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) is an enjoyable and well-adapted series, that isn’t afraid to take some risks, with such a well-loved franchise. While not every element works, some outstanding performances and stunning visuals leave a lasting impression.
What did you think of Avatar: The Last Airbender? Let us know in the comments!
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