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If you watched Avatar: The Last Airbender, you would’ve seen a very well crafted animated television program. Anime usually plays well on the smaller screen but is often misdirected when it is put on the larger screen. Now often criticized director M. Night Shyamalan has given his distinct flavor to this long running fan favorite. Maybe so that this wouldn’t be mistaken for another, much better film, Shyamalan removed the word Avatar from the title of his version of this beloved series. The plans are to follow this dud with not one but two more movies based on the "Earth" and "Fire" elements. I for one hope that "The Last Airbender" dies a quick death and quietly goes away.


The world is represented by four kingdoms that are represented by the four basic elements, and these each have a part to play in keeping the peace that has lasted throughout the world. These elements are of course water, air, earth, and fire. Each element has people who can control their specific elements. There are a select few, called Avatars, who have been able to control all four of these elements. When the current Avatar, Aang (Noah Ringer) runs away and then simply disappears, the Fire Nation launches an attack on the countryside hoping to take control.


Katara (Nicola Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone) rescue a child in what appears to be a gigantic ice ball, it is revealed that this is Aang who had to hide under the water and was frozen in the sphere. The group head back to their village where soon a legion of firebenders led by Prince Zuko (Dev Patel), the exiled son of Lord Ozai (Cliff Curtis). Prince Zuko takes Aang back to his ship where he has his Uncle Iroh (Shaun Toub) test him to determine if he is the last Airbender.


Easily escaping, Aang joins Katara and Sokka on a journey to find other benders who would help train Aang control the other elements. First up of course is water. They travel to the far Northern Water Kingdom and Aang begins his quest to learn how to bend the water element. Close behind them is Commander Zhao (Aasif Mandvi), the Fire Nation’s military leader who is determined to bring Aang back with him. This of course leads to the Waterbenders joining Aang in his quest to beat the Firebenders. Prince Zuko is forced to go into hiding and is determined to also bring Aang home to his father. He makes it into the water kingdom before anyone else does and is the first to battle Aang.


Finding the strength to beat the Firebenders, Aang saves the Northern Water Kingdom from destruction and everyone who witnessed his display bows before him. Lord Ozai is now more then ever poised to destroy Aang, he enlists the aide of his daughter. We get a slow fade out as part one comes to an end. The ending isn’t exactly a cliff hanger and doesn’t really leave an opening for a sequel. But if anyone can make it work though it is Shyamalan, the master of redundancy. Rumors are that the second in the series is being written now. I hope it gets lost among Shyamalan’s many other script projects.


I give The Last Airbender a 0 and on my avoidance scale a 4. I can not with good conscience even recommend this movie to fans of the anime series. The film’s dialogue is childish and makes little sense. The added 3D makes the onscreen images dark and murky. At times it is hard to follow some of the action. I will say this, the special effects and action sequences, which are fluid and vivid, do give the film something positive to build on. It is a shame that Shyamalan was more interested in these visuals than he was with the narrative. The 3D format was added after the filming was completed, which screams of a Hollywood tactic to just take more of your money. Let the studio’s know that this is not acceptable. Stay away from the 3D screenings, as there is NOTHING 3D about it. You may enjoy the film more without the glasses that are there for no reason.


The last Airbender is rated PG for fantasy Action Violence
Running time is 1 hr. 43 mins.
Distributed by Paramount Pictures