Movie Avatar: The Last Airbender

Zaltana said:
the critics themselves are the fanboys don't you think?
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Not at all. None of the reviews I read were based off what the fanboys are complaining about. They slammed the movie for terrible acting and dialogue, horrible action scenes and the like. Not one of them complained about the casting of white people or really anything that makes it too different from the animated show.
 
I think the Godzilla principle might apply here: Terrible movie, but lots of fun to watch. Just a thought.
 
Tyrath said:
Not at all. None of the reviews I read were based off what the fanboys are complaining about. They slammed the movie for terrible acting and dialogue, horrible action scenes and the like. Not one of them complained about the casting of white people or really anything that makes it too different from the animated show.
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well then i guess they're all to cynical for their own good. no short supply of those types either these days either.
 
A lot of times critics are too tough, I agree. But come on, that doesnt mean they should let bad acting, horrible scriptwriting, and awful action pass by just because.
 
I feel so personally invested in this movie because I loved the series so much. I'm going to see it today, but I really am not feeling hopeful because of the movie reviews. There are a ton of things that I know already they did that I'm pissed about, but I can't wait to see some live action water bending. Well live action CG water bending.

Also, just a side note, I think that people who saw the Happening and hated it didn't really get it. The movie was supposed to be a take on horrible B movies - gore and really bad acting and shit. If you take it at face value for what it was, a pretty cool plot with lots of people dying and just stupid shit all around, its much more entertaining. I really think you all should give it another try. I don't want to spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it, but there are some scenes in that movie that are just awesome as hell. As a lover of b movies and just silly movies all around, this one is def in my top five.

I mean really - Mark Whalberg is SUCH a good actor, you can't tell me he isn't - so lets not go around talking like he can't act and was terrible in that movie. Same with Zooey. She can act too - that horrible work they did was on purpose. So detached and just no depth to their character - its a homage to how poorly put together b movies were. People forgot how to just enjoy a movie and always have to pick it apart. I'll defend this movie until I die - so if anyone wants to debate this with me lets GO!
 
Tyrath said:
A lot of times critics are too tough, I agree. But come on, that doesnt mean they should let bad acting, horrible scriptwriting, and awful action pass by just because.
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Now you're making assumptions on a movie you haven't seen. "horrible" scriptwriting, and "awful" action are very negative descriptions that you can't technically use without seeing it. Or you're just word vomiting what you've read lol. As those who have seen it have said, the action and cinematography are amazing.
 
People read what they want to read. I wasn't criticizing the movie specifically. I was saying theres a difference between critics being too tough on something and calling bad things for what they are.

I'll watch the movie when I don't have to pay for it (R5) and give you my own opinion of it.
 
Then I misunderstood, however, it came off very negative and I don't feel the "you read what you want to read" excuse is valid if there is no other way to take it lol. ^^ That's good that you'll watch it at some point though =) Open mindedness = awesome~
 
Oh..Im all for watching terrible movies. Especially over the summer. My only problem in this thread was people taking the attitude that "all critical reviews of movies are bullshit and too cynical blah blah blah". Movie reviews, like I said, I generally take with a grain of salt but when something is almost unanimously hated there must be something wrong. I have yet to see a <10% RT movie that wasn't godawful.
 
the movie is unanimously hated because, like with all film adaptations, it is not a line by line live version of the animated series. which i personally never expect from any sort of movie make of pre-existing material. i stopped listening to critics a long time ago because you're at the mercy of their overbearing opinions. I wonder when was the last time they actually sat down and watched a film without reflexively picking apart every minor detail of it.
 
Purism is as purism does, says I.
 
I'm gonna catch this movie tomorrow (well...today) and I'm hoping it isn't bad. I'm down with Hali with the whole M. Night Shamalamadingdong approach. He had some decent movies in the beginning but they really start to suck as they go on. I'm really REALLY hoping that this movie will make up for some blunders.
 
I watched this Thursday night in 3D. To me it was about what one could possibly expect when you cram an entire season into an hour and fourty minute movie. I enjoyed it, but I was also disappointed at a few things.

My major disappointment was that seeing it in 3D was a freaking waste of money. I really hardly noticed any 3D effects and its not like there really was any kind of high definition that was brought out clearer due to being in 3D. If anything, the most clear thing I saw aside from the water bending was Apa's fur, when they showed him in close ups.

A few other things that bugged me: Why can't they pronounce names and words correctly? Why do fire benders require a source to use their bending? (that was dumb, they could bend fire from the air in the show)

I still enjoyed the movie, but the cartoon is still far superior. Granted, I will still go see the following Book 2, 3, and 4 movies that will inevitably be coming out in the future. Seems he's going to make a movie for each season.

One thing I feel he did do well, even if some of the characters looked nothing like their cartoon counterparts, was capture the character of each character. Katara was probably the only character that I felt didn't really flesh out. She wasn't nearly as strong as she is in the show. Though the rest of the characters, Sakka, Aang, Zuko and particularly Zuko's uncle Iroh were spot on roles, even if not necessarily in appearance. Zuko's actor felt a little forced at times, but he did well for someone I've never heard of.
 
Ecks said:
I watched this Thursday night in 3D. To me it was about what one could possibly expect when you cram an entire season into an hour and fourty minute movie. I enjoyed it, but I was also disappointed at a few things.

My major disappointment was that seeing it in 3D was a freaking waste of money. I really hardly noticed any 3D effects and its not like there really was any kind of high definition that was brought out clearer due to being in 3D. If anything, the most clear thing I saw aside from the water bending was Apa's fur, when they showed him in close ups.

A few other things that bugged me: Why can't they pronounce names and words correctly? Why do fire benders require a source to use their bending? (that was dumb, they could bend fire from the air in the show)

I still enjoyed the movie, but the cartoon is still far superior. Granted, I will still go see the following Book 2, 3, and 4 movies that will inevitably be coming out in the future. Seems he's going to make a movie for each season.

One thing I feel he did do well, even if some of the characters looked nothing like their cartoon counterparts, was capture the character of each character. Katara was probably the only character that I felt didn't really flesh out. She wasn't nearly as strong as she is in the show. Though the rest of the characters, Sakka, Aang, Zuko and particularly Zuko's uncle Iroh were spot on roles, even if not necessarily in appearance. Zuko's actor felt a little forced at times, but he did well for someone I've never heard of.
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Bold: I was curious about that, from some previews made it seem they required a source, some didn't. I can kind of understand their reasoning, it is pretty unfair that they can just create fire out of nothing, while everyone else requires to have their element present; but I was hoping they weren't going to go that route.

Glad to hear that's the only real negatives from a fan of the show, I'm going to go see it in a few hours.
 
Just got back. It's not the best movie ever made, but it's a decent enough adaptation. The movie was fairly disjointed with them jumping between areas so often, but they pretty much had to with the time constraints. They still hit pretty much every key part of the first season, so it was a good adaptation in that it didn't leave out key components of the series. The second book will be MUCH easier to adapt into a movie, since they only have 3 major plot points; Toph, the Library, and Ba Sing Se.

My only real complaints are Iro isn't fat, Sokka isn't funny, and they mispronounced Aang and Sokka's names. Aang(Pronounced "ong" like "on" but with a G at the end) makes some sense, given that's how it really would probably would be pronounced anyways, but that's not how it was in the show and that annoyed the crap out of me. Sokka not being a goofball was fine too, the sections they focused on were mainly serious, his silliness usually showed up in non-key episodes; but it wouldn't have killed them to give him some wise cracks.

They're changing Sozin's comet a bit, but it's going to let all firebenders bend without a source of fire, which is fine. It makes more sense than just they're stronger. Also, it's taking 3 years to get there instead of the 1 year that the whole series spand, but that shouldn't have all that big of an impact on the actual story.

Overall, I'd rate it about a 65.
 
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Bajaratt said:
Just got back. It's not the best movie ever made, but it's a decent enough adaptation. The movie was fairly disjointed with them jumping between areas so often, but they pretty much had to with the time constraints. They still hit pretty much every key part of the first season, so it was a good adaptation in that it didn't leave out key components of the series. The second book will be MUCH easier to adapt into a movie, since they only have 3 major plot points; Toph, the Library, and Ba Sing Se.

My only real complaints are Iro isn't fat, Sokka isn't funny, and they mispronounced Aang and Sokka's names. Aang(Pronounced "ong" like "on" but with a G at the end) makes some sense, given that's how it really would probably would be pronounced anyways, but that's not how it was in the show and that annoyed the crap out of me. Sokka not being a goofball was fine too, the sections they focused on were mainly serious, his silliness usually showed up in non-key episodes; but it wouldn't have killed them to give him some wise cracks.

They're changing Sozin's comet a bit, but it's going to let all firebenders bend without a source of fire, which is fine. It makes more sense than just they're stronger. Also, it's taking 3 years to get there instead of the 1 year that the whole series spand, but that shouldn't have all that big of an impact on the actual story.

Overall, I'd rate it about a 65.
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This is probably exactly how I would word it as well. As was stated earlier, they tried to cram the entire Water book into a 1.6 hour movie, and for all the griping people have done, it fulfilled that goal. All the major noteworthy points were hit, you got enough background on the main characters, the princess of the northern water nation is still hot and the bending scenes were well done. My favorite being the Water Bender that was fucking up Fire Nation troops left and right.

The script (not the plot) was....eh. Its hard to put into words but it felt....awkward. As if they simply took lines right from the book instead of stretching it out to form a proper conversation.

At any rate, it's definitely worth seeing. Just don't expect it to be the epic show > movie translation that it was hyped up to be.
 
I rarely post on this forum, but this demanded my attention. I will tell you now, do not see this movie. If you decide not to heed my warning, please for the love of god do not pay for the 3D. It was done after-the-fact for increased ticket prices, which means you're basically paying to wear uncomfortable glasses on your face and barely anything pops out at you. Which is a shame, as how there are some almost cool affects in this movie. Anyone who saw Clash of Titans in 3D will know what I'm talking about.

Moving on.

The dialogue was clunky, as well as the story. There was no sort of greeting or seg-way through conversations at all. It was unnatural at best and painful at worst.

The first 45 minutes or so, was more like a narrated story with any lack of feeling or guidance. Something would happen then they would cut to a new event with new narration and little reasoning as to why they didn't finish with the event they were originally dealing with.

The "action" was slow. Horribly slow. And, the soundtrack did not help matters at all. What you saw in the trailer, the intense "Two Steps from Hell"-type music you get from most action movie trailers these days was absent through the entire film. What you are left with is a melodramatic calming sort of melody during what are supposed to be "intense" action scenes.

Any fan of the original show will definitely disagree with the way the elements were controlled. While this may be a smaller contention, it is not to be ignored. Actors were performing entire choreographed dances for a single rock or column of water to be thrown at someone. Often, the "element" was behind or delayed by the motions and didn't move with the actor at all.

Finally, the ending was pretty awful as well. I don't want to spoil things so I won't go into that much detail but I will say that I haven't been this disappointed with an ending since Resident Evil 3, and I think we can all agree that that shit was a-w-f-u-l.

To it's credit, this is one of the more "true to original" sort of book/tv-to-movies I've seen in a long time.(At least, as far as scene sequencing goes.) But, it truly needed an extra hour or so to just fill in the gaps between scenes and show us character motivations. It seemed like M. Knight Shamablah was trying to give us a quick moving action movie(ie, disreguarding things like plot and character motivation) and instead just delivered slow boring action scenes that a monkey could have directed better. Kids movie aside, which I'm not quite sure it was supposed to be entirely anyway, you're better off spending money to go see the Karate Kid if you want action. No joke.
 
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Ecks said:
I watched this Thursday night in 3D. To me it was about what one could possibly expect when you cram an entire season into an hour and fourty minute movie. I enjoyed it, but I was also disappointed at a few things.

My major disappointment was that seeing it in 3D was a freaking waste of money. I really hardly noticed any 3D effects and its not like there really was any kind of high definition that was brought out clearer due to being in 3D. If anything, the most clear thing I saw aside from the water bending was Apa's fur, when they showed him in close ups.

A few other things that bugged me: Why can't they pronounce names and words correctly? Why do fire benders require a source to use their bending? (that was dumb, they could bend fire from the air in the show)

I still enjoyed the movie, but the cartoon is still far superior. Granted, I will still go see the following Book 2, 3, and 4 movies that will inevitably be coming out in the future. Seems he's going to make a movie for each season.

One thing I feel he did do well, even if some of the characters looked nothing like their cartoon counterparts, was capture the character of each character. Katara was probably the only character that I felt didn't really flesh out. She wasn't nearly as strong as she is in the show. Though the rest of the characters, Sakka, Aang, Zuko and particularly Zuko's uncle Iroh were spot on roles, even if not necessarily in appearance. Zuko's actor felt a little forced at times, but he did well for someone I've never heard of.
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Bajaratt said:
Just got back. It's not the best movie ever made, but it's a decent enough adaptation. The movie was fairly disjointed with them jumping between areas so often, but they pretty much had to with the time constraints. They still hit pretty much every key part of the first season, so it was a good adaptation in that it didn't leave out key components of the series. The second book will be MUCH easier to adapt into a movie, since they only have 3 major plot points; Toph, the Library, and Ba Sing Se.

My only real complaints are Iro isn't fat, Sokka isn't funny, and they mispronounced Aang and Sokka's names. Aang(Pronounced "ong" like "on" but with a G at the end) makes some sense, given that's how it really would probably would be pronounced anyways, but that's not how it was in the show and that annoyed the crap out of me. Sokka not being a goofball was fine too, the sections they focused on were mainly serious, his silliness usually showed up in non-key episodes; but it wouldn't have killed them to give him some wise cracks.

They're changing Sozin's comet a bit, but it's going to let all firebenders bend without a source of fire, which is fine. It makes more sense than just they're stronger. Also, it's taking 3 years to get there instead of the 1 year that the whole series spand, but that shouldn't have all that big of an impact on the actual story.

Overall, I'd rate it about a 65.
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these are the types of reviews i like to see and will listen to. i was planning to go see this film anyway because my GF is a fan of the director and the trailer looked decent.even reading these reviews i still don't feel anything has been spoiled for me so i than you folks for that.
 
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melfie said:
I rarely post on this forum, but this demanded my attention. I will tell you now, do not see this movie. If you decide not to heed my warning, please for the love of god do not pay for the 3D. It was done after-the-fact for increased ticket prices, which means you're basically paying to wear uncomfortable glasses on your face and barely anything pops out at you. Which is a shame, as how there are some almost cool affects in this movie. Anyone who saw Clash of Titans in 3D will know what I'm talking about.

Moving on.

The dialogue was clunky, as well as the story. There was no sort of greeting or seg-way through conversations at all. It was unnatural at best and painful at worst.

The first 45 minutes or so, was more like a narrated story with any lack of feeling or guidance. Something would happen then they would cut to a new event with new narration and little reasoning as to why they didn't finish with the event they were originally dealing with.

The "action" was slow. Horribly slow. And, the soundtrack did not help matters at all. What you saw in the trailer, the intense "Two Steps from Hell"-type music you get from most action movie trailers these days was absent through the entire film. What you are left with is a melodramatic calming sort of melody during what are supposed to be "intense" action scenes.

Any fan of the original show will definitely disagree with the way the elements were controlled. While this may be a smaller contention, it is not to be ignored. Actors were performing entire choreographed dances for a single rock or column of water to be thrown at someone. Often, the "element" was behind or delayed by the motions and didn't move with the actor at all.

Finally, the ending was pretty awful as well. I don't want to spoil things so I won't go into that much detail but I will say that I haven't been this disappointed with an ending since Resident Evil 3, and I think we can all agree that that shit was a-w-f-u-l.

To it's credit, this is one of the more "true to original" sort of book/tv-to-movies I've seen in a long time.(At least, as far as scene sequencing goes.) But, it truly needed an extra hour or so to just fill in the gaps between scenes and show us character motivations. It seemed like M. Knight Shamablah was trying to give us a quick moving action movie(ie, disreguarding things like plot and character motivation) and instead just delivered slow boring action scenes that a monkey could have directed better. Kids movie aside, which I'm not quite sure it was supposed to be entirely anyway, you're better off spending money to go see the Karate Kid if you want action. No joke.
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So, it was true to the original, but the ending was awful. You either didn't see the cartoon or didn't like it, because the ending was exactly the same as in the cartoon.

The action was fine, they only had a few scenes with elaborate movements before a bend, and most of those were really big bending moments. There were plently of kick/hand swipes with bending once the action was on.
 
Aye, the only bending that I had any issue with was Air, and only because it isn't as pronounced as the other three elements. The air was a little delayed with Aangs movements, and the fire moved a bit slower than the Fire Benders movements, but it wasn't such a big thing that would distract from the movie. Water movements were fairly fluid (pun totally intended) and Earth was (to my joy) very well done. All in all, the manipulation of the elements stayed true to the show, and a few added movements weren't enough to make it bad for me.
 
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