INTRODUCTION

This movie is based on an animated television series that ended just three years ago. The film is directed by M. Night Shyamalan, whose most well known movies are The Sixth Sense, Signs, and The Village. It is ironic that following the night of one of the biggest surprises of the summer we are left with one of the biggest disappointments of the summer.

PLOT

Your basic premise here is you have four nations: the fire nation, the air nation, the water nation, and the earth nation, each of the nations is able to control its named element. The fire nation is trying to take over the world and only one can stop them. A young boy named Aang, played by Noah Ringer. Aang is what is known as an Avatar which is someone who can control all of the elements. The fire nation intentionally destroyed the air nation for that is the nation that produces the Avatar. Unfortunately for them Aang was not present when this attacked happened because he ran away and was frozen for one hundred years. Now he has returned and is the only hope to stop the fire nation from taking over the world.

STRENGTHS

The set up of this movie is really well done and the film looks good. Also the concept is unique and you get intrigued by the whole idea of certain people being able to control specific elements. The movie does also end on a cliff-hanger and for that I will give it some points because that does at least show they have confidence that another one will get made. The performances are decent enough but this script never gives them any chance to show that they are capable performers. Other than those minor things there is really nothing else to say that is positive about this movie.

WEAKNESSES

Okay where do I begin with this one, I will first start off with the 3D. Again studios need to realize that some films just simply do not need to be filmed in 3D but at least with this film you have the option since it is playing in 2D as well. If you people have to go see this movie in the theatre do not go see it in 3D because it is an absolute mess with backgrounds being out of place and unappealing. I do not want to say that directors do not care but after watching this it really does seem like Shyamalan does not care. I mean the film is all over the place, it does not know if it wants to be a kid’s film or an action film. If it is trying to be both it falls flat on its face. Shyamalan also wrote the screenplay for this and that is also troubling, the dialogue in here is just awful. The actors and actresses in this are not bad but they are forced to say some of the most unconvincing lines I have ever heard. However, without a doubt the most disappointing aspect to this movie is the action, it is slow and it is beyond boring. It is simply impossible for you to get into the action when it does happen because of its slow pace and unsatisfying payoff. I really wanted to like this movie because the trailers looked good but this movie as of right now is one of the worst films I have seen this year and the fact that it underachieves as much as it does makes it fall right into the same category as Clash of the Titans.

CONCLUSION/FINAL RATING

I really do not like going out of way to say bad things about movies. I try my best to give films as much credit as I can but with this it is almost impossible. Flat dialogue, boring action scenes, and a director that does have their heart into it is not a good formula for a movie.