Critic Reviews

The Airbender franchise has confidently revived itself; this won’t be the last we see of it.

At its heart, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a story about finding balance. The showrunners have managed to do that by crafting something new and exciting, while keeping hold of the things that made the source material so great.

This take is earnest and visually dazzling – the special effects add an extra whizz-bang thump to action, and fans who were concerned when the showrunners of the cartoon departed this production early can relax. The only downside is that it feels aimed, in the first instance, at pre-existing fans. Newcomers will have to catch up fast, but those who make the effort will be rewarded.

Avatar: The Last Airbender accomplishes a rare feat for a live-action adaptation of an animates series: It brings new people into its world while giving fans of the original more than enough to keep them watching.

More than merely pleasant, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender offers an enjoyable mix of nostalgia and new ideas, fusing the novelty of seeing elemental bending in “real life” with the excitement of an evolving, worthwhile story.

It’s easy to take small jabs at its shortcomings compared to the animated show. However, despite its imperfections, it still manages to make good on the sturdy bones of this tale, expressing the personal journeys wrapped up in this grandiose, world-threatening quest.

Criticisms – while valid – tend to melt away when the new Avatar hits its stride. The show doesn’t live up to the original in every way possible, but it's still a worthy adaptation that adds a textured richness to the lore. What’s most important is that it captures the spirit of the original while forging its own path

There is potential here. Drab visuals aside, the actual bending scenes are a vast improvement over Shyamalan’s version, and there’s a distinct thrill in watching characters lob fireballs, raise walls of solid rock, or freeze ocean waves into spiky shards of ice. The cast also elevates every conversation and fight scene, and the main kids seem just as comfortable grappling with heavy themes as they do executing a backflip.

The season opens strong and gains solid momentum before a weaker back half, but individual performances and breathtaking visuals keep things afloat. This “Avatar” might not be what people know, but the show is on its own heroic journey to realizing its full potential.

It’s solid entertainment: fast-moving, action-packed, with decent fight scenes and some appealing performances, all done on a generous Netflix budget. Don’t expect subtlety – this is aimed at children so the characters and plot are broadly drawn.