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shiro_okami ...can still bite Since: Apr, 2010
...can still bite
08/01/2010 13:22:13 •••

Not Worth It

DISCLAIMER: This review is for fans of the series, not for newcomers. SPOILERS WILL BE UNMARKED.

The Last Airbender attempts to fit the twenty-episode first season into a two-hour movie, so some leeway should be given. While it's a Pragmatic Adaptation as regards to the plot, there are some things that are sorely lacking or were changed when they should not have been. The biggest of these is the Agni Kai between Zuko and Zhao, Aang's merging with the Ocean Spirit, and, obviously, Zhao's death by the Ocean Spirit (killed by random Waterbenders in the movie); in addition to Avatar Roku not appearing. (Suki and Jet are also MIA, I'll let that slide. I'll miss Bumi though.)

While the martial arts is OK, the special effects doesn't seem to measure up. It has the grandeur of the series but it is not as fast-paced as in the series; sometimes there is a time-lag of a several seconds between complex martial arts moves and Bending, as opposed to the series where Bending occured immediately after simple motions. There is also completely new music, which is just general dramatic music rather than the cultural Asian-influenced music of the series, and even the main theme is missing. And nobody can pronounce anybody's name right. The only good change that is that the Ass Pull of Firebenders pulling fire out of.....nowhere has been partially changed; in the movie most Firebenders must carry a fire source, and only elites (like Iroh) can pull fire out of nowhere.

On a side note, the sources of the Fantasy Counterpart Cultures have been changed. In the series, Air Nomads were Tibetan, Water Tribe Inuit, Earth Kingdom Chinese, and Fire Nation Japanese (its military similar to the Imperial Japanese Navy of WWII). In the movie, the Earth Kingdom is still Chinese, while the Water Tribe appears to use mostly European actors, and the Fire Nation appears as an Indian Empire (to match the casting of Dev Patel as Zuko). And of course Aang himself is 'white'.

TomoeMichieru (Ancient one)
07/01/2010 00:00:00

I have to disagree with Firebending being an Ass Pull. Iroh states it: "No! Power in Firebending comes from the breath, not the muscles! The breath becomes energy in your body. The energy extends past your body and becomes fire."

Swordplay and writing blog. Purveyor of weeaboo fightin' magic.
shiro_okami Since: Apr, 2010
07/01/2010 00:00:00

I say it's an Ass Pull because every other Bending needs to use an already existing element in the vicinity, and if there is none, they must carry it with them. Earthbenders and Waterbenders must use already existing earth and water and cannot Bend if there is none, so Firebenders creating there own fire to Bend is unfair and unscientific, as fire needs a fuel source to consume. That explanation only covers two aspects necessary for fire, oxygen and heat, but does not mention a fuel source. This (and lightning being Firebending instead of Airbending) is what I hated the most about the series.

EddieValiant,Jr. Since: Jan, 2010
07/01/2010 00:00:00

Earth Kingdom is Korean, not Chinese.

"Religion isn't the cause of wars, it's the excuse." —Mycroft Next
SickBritKid Since: Jan, 2010
99.24.137.166 Since: Dec, 1969
07/01/2010 00:00:00

Shiro, Fire Bending does have a source: air. Fire is a chemical reaction rather than a tangible substance, such as water or earth. When Fire Benders "create" fire they're really just creating friction in the air and causing a chemical reaction that results in fire. It actually makes much more sense then using a fuel source. In any case, Fire Bending isn't really that overpowered because you'll note that the fire doesn't actually burn. All it has to burn is air, which means it dissipates rather fast.

shiro_okami Since: Apr, 2010
07/01/2010 00:00:00

It takes more than friction in the air to create fire. The chemical reaction needed to create fire needs three things: oxygen, heat, and FUEL. If just one is missing, it won't work. Fire does not burn air, it burns fuel.

CocoNatts Since: Apr, 2010
07/01/2010 00:00:00

And what if the fuel is the energy the firebenders expulse?

No, Im pretty sure the energy is the fuel. Thats why its so heavily governed by breathing. It is the control of the chi that allows the expulsion of fire AND the control of lightning. Removing that detail, creates an Adaptation Induced Plot Hole .

NotVichyssoise Since: Jan, 2010
07/01/2010 00:00:00

Eddie, all the societies in Avatar are more of a mishmash of East Asian (and Inuit for the Water Tribe) cultures instead of a specific one. For the earth kingdom, Song may be wearing Korean clothing, but much of Ba Sing Se was heavily based on Qing dynasty China. They even had a big wall. And Kyoshi Island was quite Japanese. If I remember correctly they were the only characters in the series to use katanas.

As for the Fire Nation, there were many influences from Imperial Japan. Much of the armor, clothing, and weapons were also reminiscent of Tang Dynasty China.

fullbuster Since: Jan, 2001
07/01/2010 00:00:00

Yeah, what Not Vichyssoise said, basically. Air nomads were heavily Tibetan, but the monks were more based around Buddhist philosophy (which exists all over China) rather than a specific place. China also had a pretty long imperialistic history that contributed to the development of the Fire Nation. Hanbok are Korean, but they're also very similar to clothing worn during another dynasty in China. It's a mishmash, but a really well-researched one.

And I like the idea of using energy as fuel.

... and also, the martial arts in the series itself was based around a whole bunch of very real kung fu styles. The martial arts in TLA threw that out the window doesn't even come close to qualifying.

121.120.113.129 Since: Dec, 1969
07/02/2010 00:00:00

Ah finally, a great discussion... Tropers seem to have higher intelligence than the average/random forumer. In fact the silly ones probably don't "write" as often as they troll. Chi (or Qi) CAN create heat. I remember watching a Tai Chi master increasing his temperature rapidly in a few minutes... IMHO, the movie has been cursed with bad feng shui. Especially when it came to the funeral styled robes.

shiro_okami Since: Apr, 2010
07/02/2010 00:00:00

@Coco Natts & fullbuster: HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT, ENGERGY/AIR IS NOT FUEL! Fuel has to be tangible, flammable matter like wood, coal, gas, oil, or living beings. They could have even used body fat to explain it, but instead they just left out one necessary ingredient to create fire. Chi/energy creates heat energy, which is NOT fuel. Air is NOT fuel. GET IT RIGHT, PEOPLE!

NotVichyssoise Since: Jan, 2010
07/02/2010 00:00:00

Well, chalk it up to Acceptable Breaks From Reality. We all know that Water, Earth, Fire, and Air aren't really elements, and unlike the other three, Fire isn't really a substance at all, it's a reaction.

Perhaps think of the Firebenders as energy manipulators instead. Or plasmabenders, which would just be superheated matter. Wouldn't need a fuel to exist but would dissipate back to gas rapidly if there was nothing keeping it heated.

SalFishFin Since: Jan, 2001
07/02/2010 00:00:00

Firebenders can create their own fire because they learned by watching Dragons breathe fire. Also, their attacks are fueled by emotion. Not something tangible, but yeah.

TaupeHat Since: Jun, 2012
07/02/2010 00:00:00

Also in the series one of the points made about Fire bending is that unlike Air, Water, or Earth Bending its primarily aggressive in style so being able to create their own flames makes sense to a degree.

And complaining about the technical aspects of Firebending being unrealistic is rather odd in a setting where spirits and the ability to move rocks with one's mind are common.

If you need a better explanation one could just say the the fuel is actually the air and Firebenders are altering the chemical structure of it when they bend. There certainly are chemical elements in the air that if mixed into the right compounds would be flammable.

715 Since: Dec, 1969
07/02/2010 00:00:00

Fire bending comes form air, there body heat and there own stamina mixing together

the reason why they didn't have to the use a near by souce like the other is because really of the other elements are all over the place fire isn't and you really can't carry around it this isn't 40k

so yeah M Night made fire bending kinda useless

Ayries Since: Jan, 2001
07/03/2010 00:00:00

Is it really an asspull if it's established from the very start? Yeah, it's arbitrary, but the entirety of bending is made up of fantasy rules, everything is.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense (stop pretending it does, people) but that's because it doesn't really exist...

JustCallMeNed Since: Oct, 2009
07/03/2010 00:00:00

Sal Fish Fin - Something intangible fueling something intangible. I say it works!

Chronix Since: May, 2010
07/03/2010 00:00:00

And how would Airbending be considered Lightning anyway?

Closet DCLAU fan.
222.67.150.144 Since: Dec, 1969
07/03/2010 00:00:00

Considering that this is a fictional universe in which we can accept Waterbending, why do the laws of creating fire have to be a big deal?

As for Lightning, that struck me as something that requires multiple elements (Air and Water, particularly) but they gave it to Firebenders to give them a greater sense of danger and because, hey, lightning is really hot.

shiro_okami Since: Apr, 2010
07/03/2010 00:00:00

The reason it's a big deal to me is that it doesn't make sense to have Elemental Baggage for some elements and not for others. It violates Magic A Is Magic A, and I really hate it when that trope is ignored. No matter how magical or spiritual powers are, the rules governing them should ALWAYS make sense. If Earth and Waterbenders were capable of sprouting earth and water out of their bodies, then Firebenders creating fire wouldn't be a big deal.

@Chronix: Lightning would work better as Airbending because.....it's created in the air.

72.53.194.237 Since: Dec, 1969
07/03/2010 00:00:00

but fire and lightning are considered the 4th state of matter: plasma. it doesn't occur at all without a chemical reaction and lightning is made due to a disruption in electrical charges. Firebenders have the power to cause both reactions because the art was learned by watching dragons breathe fire.

65.33.208.213 Since: Dec, 1969
07/03/2010 00:00:00

I liked that fire benders could 'pull fire from nowhere'.

Villains are initially supposed to be stronger than the heroes and established as a threat. This way, heroes are motivated to improve themselves with a journey. How could the water, earth, or air nations possibly be threatened or invaded by a nation that relies on fire sources which are very easy to blow out with their own respective bending?

Fire benders were a credible villains BECAUSE they can bend with more ease, an advantage over other nations. Yeah, not anymore.

shiro_okami Since: Apr, 2010
07/03/2010 00:00:00

^Firebenders aren't SUPPOSED to be a threat. No one element is supposed to be stronger than the other. What you're saying means that the Avatarverse was created to intentionally give Firebenders the advantage. The reason you liked that Firebenders could 'pull fire from nowhere' is the exact same reason I hated that they could 'pull fire from nowhere'.

SalFishFin Since: Jan, 2001
07/03/2010 00:00:00

I thought about it, and I've come up with it for a solution. Other benders cannot create the element that they bend because of the state of mind you have to be in to perform that specific style of bending. Waterbending is about defending against an attack, and turning that defense into an offense. Earthbending is about total, head-on defense. Airbending is about avoiding attacks while strategically attacking back. Firebending is the only style that is naturally aggressive. Water, earth, and airbenders react to attack, so likewise, their banding only affects what is already there. Firebenders are all about attacking, which is why they can create it. State of mind=state of matter.

JinxedBlackcat Since: May, 2010
07/04/2010 00:00:00

I always figured balance is involved. Water benders and Earth benders need tangible sources to bend. Air doesn't since air is pretty inescapable. So, to I guess even things out the Fire benders can summon fire. Also, doesn't fire burn oxygen? Isn't that a kind of fuel?

But the firebending baggage is still annoying since.. How the hell do they win a war against the nations having to cart lamps about? Put out all the fire and bam they're done for. This is especially so with water since I doubt it'd be hard to toss a wall of water at the fire sources and soak them leaving them useless.

Real Life rwby rose
NotVichyssoise Since: Jan, 2010
07/04/2010 00:00:00

Err... no. Oxygen reacts with fuel, and you get combustion.

But for this show, it's Competitive Balance and Acceptable Breaks From Reality. And if you Hand Wave it but thinking of them as plasmabenders or heatbenders, then it becomes a lot easier.

Byemus Since: Dec, 1969
07/05/2010 00:00:00

@shiro_okami: Firebenders are ABSOLUTELY a threat. The elements balance each other out well, but fire is still more inherently dangerous than the others.

Also, we could also say that Chi (Qi) is magic, so it magically qualifies as both heat AND fuel.

60.224.0.242 Since: Dec, 1969
07/19/2010 00:00:00

re: the Indian empire comment in the review; they had initially cast Jesse Me Cartney as Zuko (going for a total whitewash?), but he pulled out citing clashes with his tour dates and filming/training. So they were rushing to replace him and ended up with Dev Patel, which led to them trying to get everyone in the fire nation to look genetically related, leading to unfortunate implications. So, contrary to what is said in the review, it was in fact Patel's casting which led the fire nation to look like some Indian empire, not the other way around.

And M. Night Shyamalan DID explain his reason for changing the pronunciation of the names. You don't have to agree with it, but you can't really accuse him of complete ignorance.

65.185.140.232 Since: Dec, 1969
07/19/2010 00:00:00

Regarding the disclaimer of this review (making this comment entirely misplaced anyway)...It's been bugging me, so I'll just say it—I was a fan of the original series. While the movie was nowhere nearly as good as the original, I still enjoyed it.

shiro_okami Since: Apr, 2010
07/19/2010 00:00:00

^^^Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I fixed it now.

Marzo22 Since: Mar, 2010
07/30/2010 00:00:00

Good review, but...of course Aang was white! Wasn't he white in the series too? I think that was the only good choice they made with casting.

NANG NANG NANG NANG! -The Kilpaloon
68.43.234.184 Since: Dec, 1969
07/30/2010 00:00:00

No... Aang was obviously chinese ( tibetian actually...). He was Asian in the tv series just like the rest of the characters.

Caswin Since: Jan, 2001
07/31/2010 00:00:00

If nothing else, I have to contest "obviously". He looks white, and it's not unreasonable to conclude that he is. (This isn't to say he is, but saying he was "obviously" Chinese sounds like an insult.)

MatthewTheRaven Since: Jun, 2009
08/01/2010 00:00:00

Please, let's not get into the White Default argument again.


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