By Ben Wright (@Iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)
This review is spoiler-free.
Years after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Team Avatar reunite when a new threat begins to disrupt the balance of the world they’ve fought so hard to protect. It’s a story that continues naturally from the original series while still being accessible enough for newcomers.
One of the first things the film does is reuse a storytelling device from the TV series to bring everyone up to speed, and it’s such a simple but effective choice. Even if you’ve somehow never watched Avatar before, you’ll have no problem following what’s going on. Although… if this is your first experience with the franchise, what are you doing? Go and watch the original series first! You’ll get so much more out of this. Even so, the film doesn’t rely on you already knowing every character or every bit of lore to have a great time.
The visuals are honestly breathtaking. There were so many shots where I just sat there taking it all in. The environments are gorgeous, the action is fluid and colourful, and every nation feels distinct. It’s one of those films where you could pause it at almost any point and end up with something wallpaper-worthy.
If you’ve been watching these characters for years, there are moments that land with far more weight than they ever could for someone coming in fresh. That’s not because the film keeps reminding you of the past; it’s because you’ve already spent so much time with them. It trusts the audience to bring those emotions with them instead of forcing them.
The voice cast is really strong as well. Part of me would’ve loved to hear the original actors return just to carry that legacy on, but I don’t think it’s something the film should be criticised for. These characters are adults now. They aren’t supposed to sound exactly like they did years ago, and once you accept that, the new cast fits surprisingly well.
Sokka is probably my favourite part of the film. He’s still funny, still quick with a sarcastic comment and steals plenty of scenes. My only slight criticism is that I would’ve liked to have seen a little more of the leader we know he eventually becomes. Knowing where his story ends up in The Legend of Korra, it felt like the perfect opportunity to start nudging him in that direction. Instead, he stays a little too comfortable as the comic relief.
The only part of the film that didn’t really work for me was the new character voiced by Dave Bautista. Bautista himself is absolutely fine; this isn’t a performance issue. It’s the writing. The direction his character takes felt obvious almost immediately. In fact, after reading the official synopsis before release, I already had a pretty good idea where that storyline was heading, and unfortunately it plays out almost exactly how you’d expect. It’s a story that’s been done so many times now that it never really surprised me.
Thankfully, that’s about the only criticism I have.
Lauren Montgomery does a fantastic job helming the movie. She understands exactly what this world should feel like and never loses sight of the characters amongst all the spectacle. It’s also a real shame the film leaked ahead of release because you can’t help but think how much that must’ve hurt everyone who worked so hard on it.
Then there’s Jeremy Zuckerman. He absolutely cooked! The score is phenomenal and works perfectly alongside the animation. There are moments where the visuals are already stunning, then the music kicks in and somehow lifts them even further. It’s easily one of my favourite scores of the year.
There are loads of Easter eggs and little nods for long-time fans too. The nice thing is they never feel like they’re there just to get a reaction. If you spot them, you’ll smile. If you don’t, the story carries on without missing a beat.
Apart from one storyline that was far too predictable, I honestly had an incredible time with this. It’s gorgeous to look at, wonderfully acted, beautifully scored and just a joy to spend a couple of hours back in this world. As someone who’s loved Avatar for years, it was everything I’d hoped Aang’s return would be.
Team Avatar’s return was absolutely worth the wait. Stunning animation, an incredible score and plenty of emotional moments for long-time fans make Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender one of the most beautiful animated films I’ve seen in recent years. Aside from one predictable subplot, I loved every minute.
X-Geeks 