Poor Last Airbender Movie :(

[kriadydragon]

I was looking at reviews for The Last Airbender. It was very depressing to do so, because the reviews aren't just negative, they are down right vicious. Which sucks because if this movie doesn't do well enough, that means no sequel, which will suck for those of us who actually liked the movie.

Now, Mind you, I haven't seen the cartoon, I only know of it. I imagine that if I were a hardcore fan I would be pretty ticked at this movie, too. But who knows as I'm pretty easy to please and am content if the movie at least attempts to stick with as much of the source material as possible. Because, let's face it, that isn't really possible. Look at the Harry Potter movies. They tried, they really tried, to make the movies exactly like the books and people were still nay-saying like crazy (and what happens? They get a new director and the movies are even less like the book, but still good). For that reason, I tend to cut adaptations a lot of slack.

There was a lot of complaints about the acting, how bad it was, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, there were moments when I was a little "meh" on the acting but I have seen so much worse - so much worse - especially where kid actors are involved that when comparing TLA to those movies. TLA is practically Oscar worthy. They say the emotion of the movie was flat - there were parts that almost made me cry. They said people booed in the theater - people applauded when I went to see it (unless they were being sarcastic? I doubt it).

I also like adaptations. I'm a visual person, so when I see some favorite show, video game or book make it to the big screen, I'm beyond ecstatic. I loved all the LOTRs to bits, Harry Potter, Prince of Persia, The A Team and Alice in Wonderland (the new one) to name a few. And I really, really enjoyed The Last Airbender.

I can't speak for hardcore fans. Chances are good you won't like it (because it seems there has yet to be a hardcore fan who does like it). For those who don't know the cartoon, you may very well enjoy it as it's a fun action/adventure and better than most kid movies, I thought.

ETA: Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion and entitled to like this movie or hate it, and I totally get why the fans of the cartoon are frustrated. I just felt like giving the movie a more in-depth positive review since it's been getting mostly negative reviews, since I did enjoy it (and tend to stick up for the things I like ;)).

ETA2: Positive reviews have been found!:D They're mostly toward the back of the reviews and mostly scattered, but they do exist, and some of them are by hardcore fans. I like what they had to say about going in with an open mind and no real expectations, and to enjoy the movie for what it is and not what it could be. It's not perfect, but it's far from being the worst movie ever made.

Comments

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it and you shouldn't allow other people's opinions to influence you. For example, kind of like avoiding the Supernatural fandom since for people who call themselves 'fans' they tend to be incredibly negative about everything!

Personally, I won't see it because of the casting white actors for lead Asian roles. I'm not being overly PC, but I'm sick of Hollywood whitewashing other cultures. Just my two cents.

But if it made you happy, and you were entertained, then that is all that matters.

EDIT- Opening weekend was 40 million which is HUGE, not including international markets. I think a chance for a sequel is pretty high unless it tanks the next few weeks. Most profits nowadays is in DVDS sales. You don't even have to break even in theaters anymore.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I'm mostly worried that we won't get a sequel :(

Sometimes I wonder if people know how to enjoy, well, anything anymore. There are times it feels like I see more negative reactions toward shows and movies these days than positive. Using your example, I remember when people were first getting into Supernatural how excited and happy they were. It kind of irritated me because I was already "been there, done that." Plus they kept gushing about it on the Gateworld Shep whump thread, even comparing it to SGA and saying SPN had better whump. It got on my nerves so bad I almost ended up disliking the show.

Now I'm seeing nothing but the flip side, of people who once loved this show tearing into it. Which isn't to say they didn't have their reasons - I got rather bored of the show myself - but I found the complete one-eighty rather interesting after all the gushing, and kind of sad for the same reason.

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

I think those who are 'passionate' view things with too much a critical eye, dissecting things to the point they suck all the enjoyment out of anything. It's one of the reasons why I stopped doing too many reviews of shows on my LJ because I realized this trap a few years ago.

It's okay to watch something despite any flaws and allow whatever you're entertained by--to entertain you! Between SGA and SPN 'fans' tearing apart the shows, I stepped away--except in rare occasions. I do react to other LJ reviews, but for the most part—just sit back and have fun.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

"I think those who are 'passionate' view things with too much a critical eye, dissecting things to the point they suck all the enjoyment out of anything."

Yeah. That's the feeling I got reading the negative reviews for TLA, that what they were expecting was the cartoon word for word, plot for plot. I went back to search for more positive reviews, found them, and I liked how they talked about going into the movie with an open mind, understanding that the movie wasn't going to be the cartoon. And for that reason, they were able to enjoy the movie (and some even liked the changes that were made).

"It's okay to watch something despite any flaws and allow whatever you're entertained by--to entertain you!"

Yes, exactly! :D Shows and movies are brain candy. They exist to entertain. Granted, the writers, directors,and actors should do their best, but in the end no show is going to be absolute perfection, and that's okay. There are things about SGA I'm unhappy about, but they're very minor complaints and overall have no influence on my enjoyment of the show. TLA had its issues, but it was so much fun to watch I didn't care.

[bbuttercup.livejournal.com]

I'm a sucker for special effects, which look spectacular in the trailers.

I get what you mean about changing things up a bit. In LotR I sat in the theater thinking, 'wait, that's not what happened in the book' but I was still enthralled by the movies. When I went to see The Davinci Code, though, I was surprised that I was kind of bored simply because they followed the book so closely that there were no surprises ;o)

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I cut adaptations a ton of slack as long as they at least try to stay close to the source material and the movie is enjoyable to watch. If everything is skewed and twisted according to the director's/writer's "personal views" then I have issues.

[(Anonymous)]

I think the movie is catching a lot of bad press in large part because of the casting horribleness (i.e., casting white actors as Asian and Inuit characters). Ordinarily it's a movie that'd appeal to me (and I'm not a fan of the cartoon either), but after following all the awfulness of Paramount and Shyamalan -- and the egregious ways they've treated the protests from the Asian-American community -- for the past months, it's gotten to the point where I see an ad for the movie and I physically feel sick. I'm not ordinarily a vicious person but I ended up wanting the movie to fail so, so badly because of the way the studio's casting and their public reaction had hurt me and people I knew on such a very personal level.

From what you're saying, I'm wondering if maybe the movie itself isn't all that bad, but that some reviewers were already so pissed off at Paramount for what they had said and done (some critics came out before the movie premiered and publicly criticized them for the race issues) that they were harder on it than they otherwise would have been. I know I would have been, if I were a movie critic. And I don't mean that in a sour "I'll get back at you" way, but in a really really sad "I was personally so hurt by this movie that I wouldn't have been able to help it" way.

If you're not familiar with the casting controversy, check out racebending.com. The worst thing about it, for me, is how much media affects children. Some of the quotes from supporters of the movement will break your heart. Here are a couple: "Anyone who thinks this isn’t a big deal should think about the lack of minority heroes in children’s shows and be mailed a photo of my little cousin’s face when she saw a blue-eyed, fair-skinned, light-haired actress cast as Katara," and "I have an adorable seven-year-old cousin, adopted from China at age two, who’s already starting to think to be a hero or a princess you have to be white." (racebending.com)

Okay, I hope this didn't turn into too much of a rant, not my journal and all that (don't have one). But that's one reason why you might not be seeing so many happy reviews -- because people have been genuinely hurt and angered by all this so I think it's likely that they're not cutting the movie any slack at all. And honestly, I can't blame them.

Pia

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Yeah I don't really get involved in race issues. It's not that I don't care, or that I think the people making the complaints don't have a point. But it's a topic that tends to frustrate me as there are times when I can totally see the race issues involved, and times when I don't (and so wonder why people are getting so upset).

With this movie, I do see it and get the frustration so I'm not surprised by the reaction. On the other hand, my personal opinion was that this movie was still far more racially diverse and respectful about it than other movies. I'm of the opinion that Hollywood isn't being intentionally racist. Stereotypical, maybe, but not racist. I don't think M. Night was of the mindset of "white kids only," but that he did cast according to who he thought would do the best acting-wise (because, sorry, kids who can really act are one in a million, and the kids in this movie were probably the best he could find).

Just my opinion. Not a popular one, I know, but I lean toward being neutral as there are so many sides to an issue.

[ranlynn.livejournal.com]

Well, I didn't think it was unforgivably awful.

The thing I found most confusing was M Knight's seeming need to *explain* everything (aka Katara's voice overs). It was like he didn't trust his own ability to 'tell' the story without them.

And I wish he'd left more of the 'fun' bits in. The kid playing Aang had a nice smile.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Well, he made it so that those who haven't seen the cartoon could understand what was going on. And I think a lot of film makers tend to do this when they do adaptations - though some do it better than others. I do agree with what others have said, that the movie should have been longer and less rushed. But I can understand why it isn't as I could see people - most especially people who don't know the cartoon - potentially snubbing it just because it was two hours or more long.

I really hope he does a second movie. I can see the second movie doing well if he learns from his mistakes with the first movie. Plus he wouldn't have to explain as much, leaving room for more character-focused moments. But, at this point, I'm not holding my breath.