Now, at long last, we finally have that with the first project from Avatar Studios, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender. I recently watched it since it’s now available with a Paramount+ subscription, and I have some thoughts.
When Avatar: The Last Airbender series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko left the production of the live-action Netflix adaptation, many fans had mixed feelings. However, when we learned that they would be forging their own path with Avatar Studios, the first thing that many fans hoped for was an adult version of Team Avatar. So, yip, yip! Let’s go.
First, Can I Just Say That It Feels Like These Characters Never Lost A Step
When I first started watching this movie, my key concern wasn’t whether the plot would be good or if the animation would be on point. It was whether Team Avatar, which consists of Aang, Katara, Zuko, Toph, and Sokka, would work as adults. As an avid reader of the Avatar comics, I know that the characters have existed outside of the original show, and the writers have done a good job with maintaining the overall vibe and chemistry of the group.
However, as an avid viewer of ATLA’s follow-up series, The Legend of Korra, I also knew that the still-living members of Team Avatar seemed a bit…different. This makes sense since they went way beyond being just adults and were in the final years of their lives. I was left wondering what these characters would be like in their mid-20s, and I’m happy to report that they don’t feel like they missed a step at all.
Sokka is a bit more mature, but still goofy. Toph is still playfully aloof. Katara still shows her leadership qualities and care, and Zuko continues to demonstrate his growth and patience as the Fire Lord. If anything, Aang seems to be the one who’s the most changed, but that’s mostly because of his understanding of his role as the Avatar. Especially when it comes to him being the “Last” Airbender, which I’ll touch upon lightly next.
I Also Love Our New Antagonist. They Have Depth
Okay, so since this movie is fairly new, I’m not going to spoil the big reveal, which is who the enemy is. I just want to say that the new antagonist that this movie has cooked up is one for the ages.
Now, I’m that weirdo who actually prefers The Legend of Korra to Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the reason I’m of this opinion is that I just love how every season has a new villain. One of the weaker aspects of ATLA (In MY opinion, of course) is that Fire Lord Ozai just wasn’t as interesting as many of the other enemies Aang meets along the way. That said, I LOVE that Korra faces a new threat every season, and that most of them are so much better than Fire Lord Ozai.
I bring all of that up since my favorite villain from the entire series is Zaheer from Season 3 of Korra, and can I just say that the antagonist we get in this movie might be just as good? I mean it! Again, I’m not going to spoil the villain here, but I got the same feelings for this antagonist that I got from Zaheer - who was an airbender just like Aang - and that’s saying something.
That Said, I REALLY Wish They Had Gotten The Original Voice Actors
I like pretty much everything about this movie except for one thing…they got all new voice actors.
You might be like, yeah, of course. In ATLA, they were kids, and now they’re adults, but so are a lot of the actors who voiced the characters from the original series as well. For example, Zachary Tyler Eisen, who voiced Aang in the original show, is now 32. So, I’d like to hear how he sounds today. Or Michaela Jill Murphy, who voiced Toph in the original series. She’s now 31.
It might sound like a little thing, but it would have gone a long way in immersing me in this movie, as the one ding I have against it is that they have very different voices.
