The Last Airbender (Paramount Pictures)
An Entertainment Endurance Test
In 1999 M. Night Shyamalan burst on to the scene with his film The Sixth Sense. This established his credentials as a director and also a crafter of movies that had something special going on. Or at least it seemed that way, but soon his follow-up films showed that The Sixth Sense might have been his only valid shot at glory. The quality and the impact of his movies grew less and less which each successive film he created.
His latest movie The Last Airbender shows Shyamalan at his least creative. It is a poorly plotted, poorly acted film that creates an endurance test for audiences who stumble into the theaters where it is playing. The film supposedly lasts one hour and forty three minutes but watching it, it seems a lot longer.
Based on an anime cartoon series that played on the Nickelodeon Channel, the film concerns a world where four tribes exist. They are the tribes of earth, air, water and fire. The fire tribe is intent on taking over the rest of the world. The only thing that can possibly stop them is an avatar who can control all four elements.
The avatar named Aang (Noah Ringer) appears when he is set free from the ice that encrusted him by two teenagers of the water tribe. They are Katara (Nicola Peltz) and Sokka (Jackson Rathbone). Once Aang is freed the trio heads to the earth world where the fire people are trying to take over the country.
Also involved in trying to capture Aang is Prince Zuko (Dev Patel). He has been cast out of his kingdom by his father so he is now trying to work his way back into his fathers good graces. Capturing Aang will be a step in the right direction.
There are numerous battles in the film involving Aang and his enemies but none of them is very thrilling. You never get a real feeling for any of the characters so imminent danger to them only stirs curiosity, not suspense. Plus the ending of the movie sets up a sequel of sorts which hopefully is never going to happen.
Patel, who was so good in Slumdog Millionaire, overacts terribly in this film. He is like someone out of a bad B movie in the thirties or forties. Ringer appears amateurish in every way. He was obviously hired for his martial arts skills and not his acting ability.
The film is rated PG for mild violence.
Characters pop in and out of the film with no explanation as to who or what they are. This impedes the understanding of the basic plot and adds to the overall confusion of the entire presentation.
Watching the film is difficult because it is all so bland and boring. Whatever magic Shyamalan possessed when he created/directed The Sixth Sense is now gone. The Last Airbender should put the final nail in his moviemaking coffin.
I scored The Last Airbender a breathless 3 out of 10.
