Last Airbender: Motion Picture

Shyamalan, M. [Director]. (DVD Released: November 16, 2010). The Last Airbender [Motion Picture]. USA: Paramount. ASIN: B002VPE1BQ

Plot Summary

  The cartoon phenomenal series Avatar: The Last Airbender comes to the big screen. In a fantasy world different mythical tribes of air, earth, fire, and water control the world. Only one person can manipulate all four, the Avatar. The Avatar is a bridge between the terrestrial and the spirit world who can reincarnate throughout the centuries. For one hundred years the Avatar has been missing and the world is being destroyed. The Avatar is discovered by Katara and her brother Sokka and he must learn the other elements in order to conquer and destroy the Fire Nation who has been decimating those who stand in his way. 

Critical Evaluation

  As a fan of the series, this movie was a huge disappointment. This movie lacked the enthusiasm and magic that the series held and I was so sad. Major loved characters and back stories were missing and screwed up the whole story. I understand that it is hard for any director to stuff an entire series into one movie, but there should have been a true fan cutting and pasting. It was obvious that this movie was simply trying to make a buck. Names were mispronounced, there were no Asians at all, the humor of the series was missing and all in all, the movie was boring. The only thing that would earn this one star would be the special effects but even this was missing something. 

Viewers Annotation

  It is up to one to save all. 

Information about the Director

  M. Night Shyamalan was born August 6, 1970 in Pudachemy, India. Both of his parents were in the medical field. He spent the first six weeks of his life in India, and than later moved with his parents to Penn Valley, Pennsylvania. Shyamalan attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and graduated in 1992. He adopted his second name Night during this time. 

  He knew that he wanted to make movies after receiving a Super 8 camera when he was a kid. His mother encouraged his passion. He made his first film, Praying with Anger, while still at NYU and it debuted at the Toronto Film Festival. He write and directed his second movie, Wide Awake, in 1995 and his parents were the films associate directors. He earned a 1999 Young Artist Award nomination for best new director. 

  He was awarded the Padma Shri by the government in India. He married psychologist Bhavna Vaswahi and has two daughters and they live in Pennsylvania. 

Genre

  Motion Picture

Curriculum Ties

  n/a

Booktalking Ideas

  n/a

Interest Level

  Children, Young Adults, and Adults

Challenge Issues

  Violence, magic
   I would offer my library's Collection Development Policy which highlights how challenges and reconsideration's are handled. I would ask the challenger and the professional reviewing it to familiarize themselves with the book.

Reason for Selection

  My family is s huge fan of the cartoon series.