Netflix's "Avatar - The Last Airbender" Non-Spoiler Review:
Avatar: The Last Airbender" is an amazing adaptation with perfect casting and skillful execution.
The Plot: The world is divided into four nations, each with people who can bend elements such as earth, water, fire, and air.
The Avatar is the one who controls all four elements and is reincarnated every generation, choosing one element nation at a time. It's time for Airbenders to have an Avatar born in their nation, but the Fire Nation wants to rule the entire earth, so they attack the Air Nation at night and kill everyone.
The series follows the Avatar's escape and journey to free the world from the Fire Nation's domination.
The Good:
The cast across the board has done an exceptional job. Gordon Cormier, who played Aang, the last Avatar, suited the role well and played with ease in both physical moments and acting skills.
Ian Ousley, who played Sokka, is my favorite; he did the best with the material he had. I also liked Yvonne Chapman's portrayal of Avatar Kyoshi.
The drama was well-executed, establishing motivations for both protagonists and antagonists. Despite the characters' limited screen time, they were well-established. You'll likely connect more with Zuko than Aang, which is an achievement in itself.
The scene where all his crew welcomes him with respect was particularly moving. There are many dopamine-inducing scenes throughout the episodes; in my opinion, the pilot is the best.
The series establishes the world without dumping too much information and balances the story well with world-building. The first time Aang turns blue gave me goosebumps, with perfect synchronization between editing, music, and special effects.
The surprise at Island Koshi is amazing, and we get enough scenes to keep us engaged.
The Bad:
At times, it becomes too melodramatic. Some scenes are overly melodramatic to establish characters' states of mind, which could have been shot or written in more detail to increase investment.
The backstories of Zuko, Sokka, and Katara are shot for emotional connection but fail to achieve the same impact. Initially, I did not like the performance of the actress who played Katara, perhaps due to her acting or the poor dialogue.
Most of the CGI is up to par, but sometimes it can take you out of the experience. Additionally, the Godzilla scene, which should have been a high point, did not work for me.
Overall:
Is "Avatar: The Last Airbender" binge-worthy? Absolutely. It's funny, emotional, well-written, and executed, with some exceptions.
The opening credits should be seen in 3D. In my opinion, it's better than the movie and "One Piece" when comparing the writing and character development. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it all night.
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