Well, Netflix seems really into the idea of making live-action remakes. Turning an animated show into a live-action while capturing its essence is tough. And Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s attempt at this didn’t go as expected.
First coming out in 2005, the Nickelodeon series, Avatar: The Last Airbender is highly regarded as one of the best TV shows ever and currently ranks #7 on IMDb’s Top 250 TV Shows list.
In 2010, respected director M. Night Shyamalan made a live-action movie based on the series, which wasn’t well-received. Recently, Netflix also attempted to make a live-action version.
Now, some are comparing the live-action with the Indian-American filmmaker’s 2010 flick. But fans of the Netflix adaptation are defending the show against criticism.
Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Fans Stand Firm Against the Criticism it is Getting
In the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, there are four elements: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. Each nation is based on one of these elements, and their soldiers are skilled at bending that element.
The magic system in the original series was simple but gave the creators (Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino) endless creativity for fight scenes. They also worked with Sifu Kisu to get real martial arts inspiration, which added realism to the fights.
Then, there comes the M. Night Shyamalan The Last Airbender, which is known for making unnecessary changes to the original show.
This is the reason fans were worried about Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, fearing it might fail. Fans got even more worried after DiMartino and Konietzko revealed in 2020 that they were leaving the reboot because of creative disagreements.
Two days ago, the show was released on the streaming platform, and fans’ fears came true. Netflix’s version of Avatar: The Last Airbender is below par. It mostly just reminds viewers of how great the original Nickelodeon cartoon was.
At its worst, some say that it makes Shyamalan’s 2010 film The Last Airbender seem merciful because at least that movie was only 2 hours long. Despite all, some fans are still supportive of the Netflix show.
When an X user posted a short clip from 2010 movie, writing, “People with hate boners watching #AvatarNetflix “I can’t believe the movie is better then the Netflix show!” To this, people came forward to support the recently released show. Here are some fan reactions:
Watched the first episode last night. Was incredibly impressed with the show as a whole.
Hearing gran gran recite the OG opening was awesome
— Noah 🏴☠️ (@NBekins) February 23, 2024
The netflix adaptation was great! The changes make it enjoyable to watch and its refreshing instead of a shot for shot remake. People are simply hating on it to get attention and to get a quick dopamine hit from the interaction with other haters! I'm speaking as a fan since 2006!
— Mo (@Mo_Kalimuddin) February 23, 2024
I didn’t like some of the adjustments they did in the serie but let’s be real, it’s WAY BETTER than the movie like there’s no comparison
— 𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐥🪽 (@emmanusilveira) February 23, 2024
And unfortunately those who are hating on it before watching the show won't admit afterwards that the adaptation was great, cause that requires maturity to admit they were wrong so they will continue with their hateful narrative
— Mo (@Mo_Kalimuddin) February 23, 2024
The costumes and elements graphics and cgi animals were better here. More mature. The Netflix show just has better story line. Ihavent really evaluated the actors though. But the acting here was more professional as well if I remember correctly
— 1 D E E P (@still1deepin) February 23, 2024
Viewers generally believe that Netflix’s series is better than the 2010 movie but not as good as the original animated one. Despite initial doubts, fans of the original series (which they consider one of their favorites) find Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender to be surprisingly better than expected.
Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender is Much Better Than You Think
Avatar: The Last Airbender isn’t as good as the original series, but they’ve tried to make it good in their own way. And their one big win is the casting. Lots of people noticed how much the cast resembled the animated characters — and they really do a great job embodying them.
Throughout the show, from Gordon Cormier‘s Aang to Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko and Ian Ousley‘s Sokka, everyone nailed their roles. There are also moments where the VFX are really well done. Even the pacing of the show is also good.
In the past, they tried to fit a whole season into one film. But now, there are a total of eight episodes—each around 50-60 minutes long. This longer format lets the show take its time.
It’s true that not everyone will like the show, but it’s tough to recreate such a beloved series. Still, the factors stated above make the live-action appealing to many viewers.
Watch the 2010 film Avatar: The Last Airbender and the 2024 series Avatar: The Last Airbender both on Netflix.
