Escape to the Movies: The Last Airbender

[Cherry Cola]

YES... the plot is rammed down your throat BUT that was done for the benefit of those who have never heard of the cartoon i.e. THE PARENTS!!!!!!

Truly you have the best argument ever!

"So how should we do this film so that the targeted demographic will enjoy it the most?"

"Fuck the targeted demographic, let's target their parents that don't really care about this film instead!"

Seriously, THIS is your defense of the film? You are actually trying to convince people that it's a good idea to make the most important part of your movie sink several levels in quality just so that you don't have to, god forbid, use some creativity to get the people your movie isn't even targeted at to understand the plot?

And what do you think will happen next? That people will give this awful movie a pass and actually pay to see the sequel? Nope, because by now, the only people who will actually see the sequel are the fans of the original series, and that's only because they feel an obligation to do so.

If you still can't see the problem, then I'll spell it out: Nobody wants to watch the sequel now because this movie sucked. It doesn't matter how good it will be, because nobody cares anymore.

So tell me again how you can believe that it's a better idea to make a shitty film targeted for everyone than it is to make an average-to-brilliant film targeted for the people that are actually fans of the series. Because in the end for both scenarios, the only people still interested will be the fans.

 

[Tanfastic]

I'ma just say... The first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender was the least awesome, so I have higher hopes for the next two.

The first season was purely throwing in all important characters and making sure everyone knew what was going on then the last 3 episodes were where it became awesome. After that though in season 2 and 3 it introduced less characters and everyone already knew what was going on so it left room for so much more awesome.

 

[MortisLegio]

That's too bad. The trailers looked so awesome, I kind of wanted this to be good.

Though, I think Shyamalan's career tanked with Signs tbh. I mean,

Spoiler

What kind of idiotic alien race that just so happens to have a deadly allergy to water lands on a planet that not only is more than 60% water, but the shit falls from the sky!!

the same ones that come to a planet without space suits so they wouldnt die in the enviroment(war of the worlds)
and the ones that have computer systems millions of years ahead of us but seem to be compatible with windows (independance day)

OT:uhh...I might see it when its on dvd but I think I just like the cartoon to much to go see it

 

[Felis Leo]

YES... the plot is rammed down your throat BUT that was done for the benefit of those who have never heard of the cartoon i.e. THE PARENTS!!!!!!

Truly you have the best argument ever!

"So how should we do this film so that the targeted demographic will enjoy it the most?"

"Fuck the targeted demographic, let's target their parents that don't really care about this film instead!"

Seriously, THIS is your defense of the film? You are actually trying to convince people that it's a good idea to make the most important part of your movie sink several levels in quality just so that you don't have to, god forbid, use some creativity to get the people your movie isn't even targeted at to understand the plot?

And what do you think will happen next? That people will give this awful movie a pass and actually pay to see the sequel? Nope, because by now, the only people who will actually see the sequel are the fans of the original series, and that's only because they feel an obligation to do so.

If you still can't see the problem, then I'll spell it out: Nobody wants to watch the sequel now because this movie sucked. It doesn't matter how good it will be, because nobody cares anymore.

So tell me again how you can believe that it's a better idea to make a shitty film targeted for everyone than it is to make an average-to-brilliant film targeted for the people that are actually fans of the series. Because in the end for both scenarios, the only people still interested will be the fans.

Further, mr.prickley makes the strange assumption that adults/parents wouldn't enjoy the film or be entertained by it if it had followed the original series' storyline. I was 24 when I first saw the series all the way through, and I thought it was a magnificent series.

If a show that was ostensibly made for kids could entertain me (and I'm not particularly easy to entertain), then I think other adults could find themselves engrossed in the series, as well as a movie that had done a better job of following said series.

 

[OceanRunner]

I've seen most of the first two seasons of the cartoon, and I can easily vouch for the quality of its story. The characters backstories, motivations and personalities are all deep, involving and well played out.
A good series-to-movie adaption follows the continuity of the series, while telling its own story. Trying to squash a series story into a 90-120 minute film means that something is going to give.

 

[Cliffie]

I quite liked the animated series so I've been quite eager to see this one. I'm sad to hear it's not all I hoped it would be (...which was quite a lot). I'll go see this regardless and hopefully we'll get a second one. Like Bob said, the costumes, effects and over all setting has translated very well from animated to live-action. Now they just need to get the plot to work as well and we'll be all set.

 

[Cherry Cola]

That's too bad. The trailers looked so awesome, I kind of wanted this to be good.

Though, I think Shyamalan's career tanked with Signs tbh. I mean,

Spoiler

What kind of idiotic alien race that just so happens to have a deadly allergy to water lands on a planet that not only is more than 60% water, but the shit falls from the sky!!

the same ones that come to a planet without space suits so they wouldnt die in the enviroment(war of the worlds)
and the ones that have computer systems millions of years ahead of us but seem to be compatible with windows (independance day)

And the same ones that thought it would be a great idea to take up lightsaber fighting. (Nautolans from Star Wars)

Spoiler: I mean, is it really that good of an idea to take up lightsaber fighting when your head looks like this?

Seriously, if the stormtroopers hadn't gotten to him first, he would've been one bald Jedi eventually.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

"hell of a lot better than eclipse"

I think thats taken as obvious, considering that having rabid chipmunks in you bed while you sleep is better than eclipse.

 

[cocoadog]

I'm sorry but the only reason I would see this is for that giant flying buffalo, I wish I could think of that.

 

[Badassassin]

I seriously LOVED that show. Whatever man, it rocked. But it was supposed to be funny, I mean, while the story and action was far above any other kiddie show on the air, it wasn't meant to be serious all the time. That's why when I heard shyamalan was directing it I got really kinda pissed. I mean, why? First of all: the audience would be older fans of the movie and kids alike, so how does shyamalan fit that? Gotta know your audience man. Second: He doesn't do these kind of movies, he's supposed to be the creative one, not the remake one. That's Tim Burton. Know your material, know your audience, missed both.

 

[KatanaRose]

I would have to say that this movie is one you will count the minutes until its over, then the last 10 minutes come up you start enjoying it and then its over. Terrible really. Shamala is not a action writer, nor has he ever taken on a TV to movie epic like this. In my opinion this movie tanks because Shamala is one out of his genre, and two his last 3 movies have been less than decent. Bob though seems to like Shamala enough to give this movie pass... Personally this movie needed alot less though provoking explanation and a lot more Micheal Bay movie epics that call for an explosion every 10 minutes and fun characters you actual care about.
If you want a fun action movie go see A-Team.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

Bob, care to respond on the recent controversy on how the film has a mostly white cast and the only Asian actor is playing the villain?

As I've stated before, this is the Starship Troopers clause: when a movie is based off a story with a mostly ethnic cast of characters, the director opts to have white actors play their roles. Just like how in Heinlein's novel Johnny was Filipino but Verhoeven opted to have him cast as a white character with vaguely Aryan features (blond, blue-eyed: I have a habit of using that with people with those features, sorry.)

As a Mexican-American, I sympathize with how the protesters are making a very valid point in how we minorities are misrepresented in the many mediums we know and love: film, video games, comics, etc. On the other hand, as a realist: I realize that this is nothing but a shallow cash grab by producers and not so much the director in getting a wide audience to watch said film (IE: white people). So in this case, it's not so much Shyamalan's fault as much as it is Paramount's fault.

Just my $0.02

Really? We're playing the race-card?

It would appear so. I mean thats the norm now days. If you don't agree with the way someone does something or their stance on an issue, you are deemed a biget. Doesn't matter that your stance is a valid one.
....Snip...

It seems more so the norm to accuse someone who presents a thoughtfully argued and well versed dissemination of playing a card or baiting, without backing your argument up. Playing "cards" is a privilege that you have, that not everyone else in the world is fortunate enough to ignore.

More on this later.

 

[Zero=Interrupt]

I just saw it, and the casting, writing, directing, editing, and cinematography make this movie the absolute worst shit I ever made the mistake of paying $8 to see.

You may remember that James Cameron made a movie called Avatar. It features no children, has Smurfs built like a coed olympic beach volleyball team, and has some stupid eco-bullshit plot about trees.

THAT is a better adaptation of the cartoon than this movie.

It makes Transformers 2 look like Ben Hurr. Hell, it makes Manos: the Hands of Fate look like Ben Hurr.

Miss it at all costs. Don't rent it. Don't watch it on cable. Don't download the torrent.

I wish Yahtzee would review it, just so I could spend 5 more minutes hating it.

 

[starwarsgeek]

I'm sorry but the only reason I would see this is for that giant flying buffalo, I wish I could think of that.

Appa's barely in the movie :/

 

[Booze Zombie]

Maybe since they got all of the shit out of the way in the first movie, they can get to making a meaningful second and third movie?

It could happen...

 

[Khomatose]

Bummer...

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

Wow Bob that is a lot of greats for a movie that got an 8% on rottentomatoes...I know the meter isn't always correct...but c'mon an 8?!

I won't see it just because I don't want a great series to be ruined for me.

Also, many others critics said the special effects were terrible...so...i dont know.

But I am not risking ruining the series by giving this movie "a shot".

I would go so far as to say that it is the best American cartoon series since Batman: The Animated Series.

No offense to Batman, but IMO that should read the best American cartoon series since Samurai Jack.

I would also like to add Spongebob to this list. I know that Spongebob is popular and may have been ruined in the later episodes, but honestly it still makes me laugh and is extremely creative.

 

[Cosplay Horatio]

"The Narrative is pretty much a complete disaster" - Awww, man!

"Once the damn thing gets done reading its own instruction manual and just gets rolling its dam near perfect. Unfortunately it's also damn near the last ten minutes of the movie" - DAMMIT!

Well I planned on giving it a shot and now I'm completely convinced in doing so. I just need to make sure I make that fake poster about twitard where it says only four big words that Movie Bob quoted long ago..."Mormon _____ Abstinence Porn"...and tape it over a twitard poster then get a pic of it for y'all. If I don't find out what that absent second word is I'm gonna replace it with emo or retard.