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Avatar: The Last Airbender First Reviews: It Isn't Perfect, but It's Respectful of the Original and Fun

Netflix's highly-anticipated live-action remake is a quick-paced, action packed series that will entertain viewers, but the sometimes clunky narrative, and subpar special effects may turn away die-hard fans of the original..

TAGGED AS: First Reviews , Netflix , streaming , TV

Avatar: The Last Airbender , Netflix’s new adaptation of Nickelodeon’s groundbreaking animated series, which was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is the streamer’s latest attempt at translating a popular anime into live action. It is currently streaming on Netflix.

Starring in the series is an impressive ensemble of mostly Asian and Indigenous actors. Gordon Cormier plays Aang; Kiawentiio is Katara; Ian Ousley plays Sokka; Maria Zhang is Suki; Amber Midthunder is Princess Yue; Danny Pudi is The Mechanist; Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is Iroh; Dallas Liu is Zuko; Ken Leung plays Commander Zhao; Daniel Dae Kim is Fire Lord Ozai; Elizabeth Yu is Azula; Tamlyn Tomita is Yukari; Arden Cho is June; and Utkarsh Ambudkar is King Bumi.

Previously, Netflix has had a rocky go at bringing beloved anime to life as live-action entertainment. Death Note and Cowboy Bebop faltered, while One Piec e proved a rousing success. How will this new adaptation be received?

Here’s what critics are saying about season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender :

How does it compare to the anime?

(Photo by ©Netflix)

It’s an earnest and admirable attempt to reignite the original’s magic. — Zaki Hasan, San Francisco Chronicle

Fans can do a little airbending of their own and breathe a huge collective sigh of relief, as Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the beloved animated series is a rollicking fantastical ride that deftly reimagines what made the original show so special. — James Marsh, South China Morning Post

Netflix’s live-action remake isn’t perfect, but if you look past the controversy and open your mind to it, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a fun, addictive return to one of fantasy’s most exciting worlds. — David Opie, Digital Spy

The new show is nowhere near the failure of the film, nor as spectacular as the series — but it’s not of uniform quality, either. — Belen Edwards, Mashable

This new Last Airbender is entertaining enough to work for newcomers to this world, and respectful enough to remind the cartoon’s fans why they loved that world in the first place. — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone

How are the visual effects and action sequences?

Where the live-action series falters a bit is in its special effects, which can fluctuate depending on the episode. Some of the visuals are shaky, and don’t look as crisp as they ought to. Luckily, this is only the case in certain instances, especially at the start, and is never enough to derail the show. — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

Specifically, water and airbending don’t feel as natural on-screen. In fights between waterbenders, the scenes don’t mesh well together, with the water effects looking unrealistic. By trying to mimic the style seen in the animated show, the seams are showing between the actors and the special effects. Airbending, done primarily by Aang, lacks the magnitude it should have. — Therese Lacson, Collider

It’s solid entertainment: fast-moving, action-packed, with decent fight scenes and some appealing performances, all done on a generous Netflix budget. — Anita Singh, Daily Telegraph (UK)

It’s of special note how well the choreography captures Aang’s unique way of moving: He excitedly bounces around and casually flutters up into the sky on a whim, like you’d expect from someone who grew up with this power. He has a fun and cool combat style where he likes to spin and flip on a breeze to counter his opponent, and use his surroundings to his advantage – sort of like a pint-sized Jackie Chan who can fly. — Joshua Yehl, IGN Movies

Slapstick humor and frightening violence uneasily coexist, and though similar tonal awkwardness plagued the original, the visceral image of a man screaming as he is being burned alive on screen in live-action might not be appropriate for the youngest of viewers. — Karama Horne, TheWrap

How is the writing and directing?

(Photo by Netflix)

Its eight episodes hit the big highlights of the original show, but miss all the small detail that makes those scenes soar. While the new series starts strong, the cracks begin to show once it starts trying to braid together different storylines. — Therese Lacson, Collider

Even with each of its eight episodes clocking in at about an hour each, it would have been difficult for Netflix’s Avatar to hit all of the same beats as the lengthier cartoon. The live-action Avatar film tried to deal with this challenge by distilling its plot down, and in doing so, stripped away a lot of the narrative that helped make the original feel so expertly developed. — Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge

Although this live-action show has almost the same runtime as the animated one, the first half of this season can sometimes be briskly paced because storylines from different episodes of the original are smashed together in an attempt to make things work in this new form. — Elijah Gonzalez, Paste Magazine

However, in making the transition to live-action, much of the silliness and whimsy of the original are traded for a tone that’s more grounded, more mature, and more violent – but it’s not done just for edginess’ sake. The slightly darker vibe works in service of the story because it makes Aang’s unwavering compassion and anti-war philosophy shine all the brighter. — Joshua Yehl, IGN Movies

What about the production quality and world-building?

Given the number of different locations Avatar’ s story takes its characters, it makes sense that Netflix would try to keep costs down by digitally constructing more fantastical places. But there is so much unnatural lighting and so many scenes where things in the background move with an uncanny swiftness that the show immediately feels like yet another Netflix-branded live-action cartoon that would have been better served by more practicality. — Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge

The camera-work and lighting miss the flair of the animation, with potentially exciting set-pieces made unintelligible purely by how dark they are. Every now and then, it touches on some genuine grandeur through depictions of sheer scale in its physical sets and rendered settings. But there’s more often a disconnect between person and place, which frequently dampens the show’s impact. — Kambole Campbell, Empire Magazine

The adaptation also generally nails the look of this world. The costuming choices seamlessly adapt these characters without brushing over their iconic elements, a considerable feat considering how rarely designs from animated series make this jump gracefully. The sets don’t look cheap or inauthentic either, and these architecture and vistas help firmly place us in this space. The compositing is also generally quite good, and as far as the backdrops are concerned, there isn’t a jarring dissonance between the CGI and practical details. — Elijah Gonzalez, Paste Magazine

The exaggerated hairstyles (created using truly horrendous wigs), color-coded costumes and fantastical animals have an uncanny valley quality to them in live action. They don’t make sense to the eye. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today

Avatar’ s most fundamental issues come down to clunky writing and correspondingly awkward performances. — Angie Han, Hollywood Reporter

How is the cast?

(Photo by Robert Falconer/Netflix)

Comier is everything Aang should be — kind, trusting, and always willing to see the best in others. Kiawentiio as Katara is genuinely lovely, especially as she gains more confidence in her waterbending abilities in the second half of the show. Ousley’s Sokka is good for a laugh, though not everything lands, while showcasing his insecurities. — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

The major challenge for Ousley as Sokka is translating animation humor into live-action. Exaggerated jokes from the original show can’t be transferred over without adjustments (and sometimes, the Netflix adaptation gets it very wrong), but Ousley plays Sokka’s comedic scenes with a bit of dry humor and sarcasm that take the edge off. — Therese Lacson, Collider

Daniel Dae Kim is, ironically, cold as Fire Lord Ozai, while Ken Leung is fun as the conniving and cowardly Commander Zhao. — Kambole Campbell, Empire Magazine

Dallas Liu plays Zuko with just enough entitlement and rage to mask the pain underneath, while Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is absolutely sublime as the wise, humorous, yet no less scarred Iroh. — Joshua Yehl, IGN Movies

Any final thoughts?

In short, although Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender can’t fully capture the magic of its predecessor and falls into some of the pitfalls alluded to by the previously mentioned promotional soundbites, it still captures enough of the impact and gravitas of what came before to make this retelling land. — Elijah Gonzalez, Paste Magazine

Even when the series feels scattershot, it remains a tremendous flex of an adaptation. — Lyvie Scott, Inverse

The amount of unconvincing special effects, clunky moments of exposition, and its rush to cover so much story in just eight episodes is not insignificant, but even their powers combined don’t outweigh everything this Last Airbender gets right. Above all else, it has its heart in the right place – and for Team Avatar, that’s what matters most. — Joshua Yehl, IGN Movies

Overall, Season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender is a firm step in the right direction, with a solid foundation and also room to grow. — Therese Lacson, Collider

I would consider this a hit. My rather low expectations have been exceeded, and I’m genuinely interested to see how they handle the next two books of the original. — Paul Tassi, Forbes

it delivers an Avatar that, grittier though it may be, feels far less mature than the kids’ cartoon ever did. — Angie Han, Hollywood Reporter

This live-action remake feels less like shallow exoticism and fully embraces the diverse East Asian, Inuit, Indigenous, and Southeast Asian heritages that enrich the show’s production and cast. — Karama Horne, TheWrap

The Airbender franchise has confidently revived itself; this won’t be the last we see of it. — Jack Seale, Guardian

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Avatar: The Last Airbender Review

Things are lookin' appa.

Don’t think of Netflix’s latest animation-to-live-action series as a straight adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender , but rather as a dramatic reimagining of the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon. This show works not by rehashing every shot, but thanks to an intimate focus on showcasing its cast of compelling characters. Already powerful emotional moments gain new depth thanks to a willingness to depict what’s only alluded to in the original series. Granted, this interpretation has its fair share of flaws, but it’s a far cry from M. Night Shyamalan’s disastrous 2010 spin on young hero Aang’s mission to master air, fire, water, and earth and defeat the villainous Fire Lord. The amount of unconvincing special effects, clunky moments of exposition, and its rush to cover so much story in just eight episodes is not insignificant, but even their powers combined don’t outweigh everything this Last Airbender gets right. Above all else, it has its heart in the right place – and for Team Avatar, that’s what matters most.

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Who's The Best Character?

Pick a winner.

The story centers on Aang, who after accidentally being frozen in time for a century, awakens to find his people have been wiped out and the Fire Nation is waging war on the world. How Aang became the last Airbender, and the way that trauma shapes his future, is always in focus in the new series, no matter how wild and magical the story gets. It’s a captivating premise that puts the weight of the world on Aang’s shoulders, and forces him to challenge the very idea of what being the Avatar means, wisely putting less emphasis on how he's the one person in the world who can control all four elements and focusing squarely on his role as a peacemaker, a savior, and a miracle worker who keeps the world’s four nations existing in harmony. That’s a lot to demand from an adolescent, but Aang leads with kindness and does his best.

It’s one thing to hear about the genocidal Fire Nation wiping a whole society off the map. But to see it dramatized, Order 66-style, not only shows how the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender fell into such a hopeless state but helps us understand exactly what, and who, Aang has lost. It’s all part of a world that is lovingly brought to life, from its grand cities down to its quirky hybrid animals. However, in making the transition to live-action, much of the silliness and whimsy of the original are traded for a tone that’s more grounded, more mature, and more violent – but it’s not done just for edginess’ sake. The slightly darker vibe works in service of the story because it makes Aang’s unwavering compassion and anti-war philosophy shine all the brighter.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Live Action Trailer Images

Aang, Katara, and Sokka (played respectively by Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, and Ian Ousley) make for a solid group of young actors who faithfully capture the spirit of Avatar’s core trio. Cormier looks and acts like the Blue Fairy turned a 2D sketch of Aang into a real boy; it’s impressive for a 12-year-old actor to be the lead of such a major story, and he does it well by evoking the joy and playfulness of his character while also thoughtfully dealing with an immense amount of responsibility no one of any age should have to bear. Sokka is by far the funniest character, which goes a long way to lighten the mood and voicing the thoughts of the audience when weird stuff happens, as it often does in this world where martial artists manipulate fire, water, earth, or air. His sister, Katara, is more hit-and-miss, at times delivering moving words as the beating heart of the team and at others falling a bit flat. Still, watching these three characters form bonds of friendship and learn to work together as a team makes for some of the show’s most enjoyable moments.

As the Avatar, Aang learns to command the elements with tremendous force, but it’s his kind heart that gives him his strength, and it’s to Cormier’s credit that he makes Aang impossible not to root for. It’s of special note how well the choreography captures Aang’s unique way of moving: He excitedly bounces around and casually flutters up into the sky on a whim, like you’d expect from someone who grew up with this power. He has a fun and cool combat style where he likes to spin and flip on a breeze to counter his opponent, and use his surroundings to his advantage – sort of like a pint-sized Jackie Chan who can fly. It’s worth noting, though, that while all of the environments and settings look stunning, it’s not always convincing when the characters move around in them.

What's your favorite bending element?

The characters who gain the most from this adaptation’s changes are the Fire Nation’s Prince Zuko and his uncle, General Iroh, who are on a mission to hunt down the Avatar. Dallas Liu plays Zuko with just enough entitlement and rage to mask the pain underneath, while Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is absolutely sublime as the wise, humorous, yet no less scarred Iroh. Their bond as pseudo-father/son outcasts runs deep, and a series of flashbacks show the fiery tragedies that forged it. Anyone familiar with the source material knows Zuko and Iroh have a great storyline ahead of them, so it’s impressive that this retelling manages to add new layers that make it even more nuanced and poignant.

Spending more time with the Fire Nation characters means we see a surprising amount of the Big Bad Evil Guy, Fire Lord Ozai. It’s a risky decision: Seeing so little of Ozai until the end of the original series is part of what makes the character work so well – kind of like if Jaws could shoot fireballs out of his mouth. But it all works to excellent effect here, and not just because original series veteran Daniel Dae Kim delivers a steely, intimidating performance and at one point takes his shirt off. Ozai is just as ruthless in his war to conquer the world as he is in toughening up his son Zuko and daughter Azula, even if it means playing them against each other to cause an unfathomable amount of pain and daddy issues. Elizabeth Yu crushes it as Azula, with an introduction so cruel and sadistic it’s actually kind of impressive – and she only grows more unhinged from there. All that made me glad her introduction wasn’t saved for the second season.

It’s clear from the get-go that this show will have bending – lots and lots of bending. For the most part, it looks incredible. Forget how it took six Earthbenders to throw a single, slow-moving rock in Shyamalan’s movie; accented by distinct martial arts styles, Netflix’s Earthbenders raise up pillars from the ground and strike with thunderous impact. Firebending is explosive and dazzling, like watching Liu Kang pop off. Airbending channels tornadoes and gales that blast enemies away. Unfortunately, Waterbending isn’t quite as well done, given the liquid often looks plasticky and feels more like a playful splash than a torrential strike when it hits an opponent. Aside from that wet blanket, the bending is on point, making every fight scene exciting and consistent in packing a wondrous surprise.

Aang’s quest to master all four elements and face Ozai is a long one, spanning three seasons in the original series. But while the first of those seasons told its story over 20 23-minute episodes, the live-action show does it in eight. Significant cuts are made in favor of focusing squarely on Team Avatar’s main quest to reach and defend the Northern Water Tribe from invading Fire Nation forces, and the results are mixed. About half the episodes feel like they’re hustling to get through more plot than they have time for. On one hand, there’s some admirable condensing in the writing, stitching together thematically complementary elements from multiple episodes of the cartoon while also squeezing in some delightful fan service.

But it comes at the expense of breathing room for all those characters and events. The result is erratic pacing, conversations that take sharp turns out of nowhere, and a general sense of unwieldiness. On the flip side, when the show takes its time, we’re treated to some truly amazing stuff. Avatar features a cast of brilliantly crafted characters, each with their own personal mission and philosophy on life, and the show is at its best when it slows down enough to explore them.

There’s plenty to enjoy with this adaptation. The first time we see Zuko’s black metal warship, it’s given the same type of immense scale and daunting musical cue as Star Wars gives a Star Destroyer. Everything from the costuming and makeup to props and weapons are made with excellent attention to detail. And all the little surprises make it fun to watch whether you know the material or not, such as an intense moment between Iroh and a nameless Earthbender soldier that shows what it’s like being on two sides of a pointless war.

But there are also many quibbles to be had, like how we’re often reminded that the Avatar needs to keep a low profile, and yet when the heroes travel to a big city, they immediately take off their disguises and walk around in bright, primary-colored clothing that practically screams their true identities. As a fan of the original show, I couldn’t help but notice that Aang’s ability to commune with past Avatars gets a new wrinkle that changes how the supercharged Avatar State works. This allows for a truly awesome display of power early on that emphasizes what makes this power unique, but the change seems only designed for that singular moment and for the rest of the show the characters have to keep coming up with excuses for why that awesome thing can’t be done whenever trouble arises. Animal pals Appa and Momo are present, and Momo in particular looks adorably lifelike, but they don’t appear enough to feel like they’re actual characters rather than loyal pets – which means, unfortunately, Appa serves as just a fuzzy, flying taxi.

And, if there’s one aspect of this world that feels undercooked, it’s the spiritual side. A bit of time is devoted to how the Spirit World works and the Avatar’s connection to it, but it’s not enough to prepare us for how important it becomes later on, so there’s a haze of confusion when all the glowy things start happening.

It goes without saying that Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the greatest animated series ever made, so a second attempt at a live-action adaptation was never going to come without high expectations and lots of nitpicking at the finer details. But over the course of its eight episodes, those kinds of criticisms – while valid – tend to melt away when the new Avatar hits its stride. The show doesn’t live up to the original in every way possible, but it's still a worthy adaptation that adds a textured richness to the lore. What’s most important is that it captures the spirit of the original while forging its own path; for as different as the two series may be, this one keeps the flawed, complicated, lovable characters at the forefront, showcasing what makes them great and adding new layers of depth along the way. 

More Reviews by Joshua Yehl

Ign recommends.

Screen Rant

Why netflix's avatar: the last airbender remake's rotten tomatoes score is so bad (& how it compares to past versions).

The Rotten Tomatoes score of the 2024 Netflix live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender doesn't paint the series in the best light.

• Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender has a mixed reception.
• Negative reviews criticize dialogue, acting, and pacing.
• The Netflix series is better than the 2010 film but falls short of the original animated show.

Netflix's series Avatar: The Last Airbender is receiving mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, and its rather disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score reflects where it stacks up compared to past versions of this universe. Prior to its release, a lot of hype surrounded the 2024 live-action adaptation of the Nickelodeon animated television series of the same name because of its predecessor's outstanding reputation. Many were excited to see a faithful live-action interpretation of Avatar: The Last Airbender following the failure that was the 2010 live-action film. However, once the Netflix show premiered, the reaction from audiences was less than exciting.

Netflix released all eight episodes of the adventure fantasy television series on February 22, 2024, and the reviews of Avatar: The Last Airbender were a mixed bag. However, despite the divisive response to the show, numerous subscribers seem to be watching it. The series shot to the top of the Netflix charts shortly following its premiere, proving that the hype surrounding Avatar: The Last Airbender was enough to get people watching and talking about it. Nevertheless, reviews are highly significant when assessing a show's quality, especially when judging the live-action series version alongside the animated show and movie.

What Critics Dislike About Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Remake

Avatar: the last airbender (live-action).

Based on the acclaimed animated Nickelodeon television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender is an action-adventure fantasy series developed by Albert Kim. The series follows Aang, a young man training to harness the four elements to live up to the title of Avatar - the one who will restore balance to the world.

The negative reviews of Avatar: The Last Airbender claim that the show has "too-elemental dialogue," "stiff acting," and "slow pacing."

As of the writing of this article, Netflix's live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender has a 60 percent score (with 53 reviews) on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes . At the same time, its Audience Score sits at 76% based on more than 500 verified ratings. While this means that the television show isn't considered "rotten," it is on the brink of being "rotten" and could very easily venture into that territory as more reviews flood in. Ultimately, the current score perfectly sums up how mixed its reviews are (even though they tend to be more negative than positive).

A show has to have a 59 percent or less score on Rotten Tomatoes to be considered "rotten."

Some of the negative reviews of Avatar: The Last Airbender claim that the show has "too-elemental dialogue," "stiff acting," and "slow pacing." Although each bad review of the 2024 Netflix adventure fantasy series varies in how the critics expressed their opinions, they all ultimately convey the same message — they believe Avatar: The Last Airbender contains awful scripts (which leads to bad performances), horrible pacing of its overall story, an overabundance of exposition, convoluted adventures, and a failure to capture the magic of the animated show. However, the live-action series also received some positive reviews.

What Critics Do Like About Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Remake

As mentioned above, the reviews of Netflix's live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender are mostly mixed, so a handful of comments on Rotten Tomatoes are positive. The critics who enjoyed watching all the episodes, including Avatar: The Last Airbender 's ending , explained that the show was "charming," "entertaining," "action-packed," and "admirable." However, it is important to note that many of the positive reviews from the top critics on the website acknowledge that the series is not without its faults.

Even a lot of the positive reviews point out that Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender is flawed.

Many of the not "rotten" takes on Rotten Tomatoes convey that Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) is not the perfect adaptation of the beloved animated series from the 2000s and fails to reach the heights of the original show. The critics claim that the Netflix live-action adaptation is entertaining enough to work on its own but fails to live up to its predecessor's greatness. So, overall, even a lot of the positive reviews point out that Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender is flawed.

How Aang's Avatar State Is Different In Netflix's The Last Airbender

How netflix's atla remake compares to the original show & shyamalan's movie on rotten tomatoes.

Based on Rotten Tomatoes , Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender is significantly worse than Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender . However, the good news is that it is a massive step up from M. Night Shyamalan's 2010 live-action movie adaptation, which was largely panned by critics and performed poorly at the box office. Ultimately, the critics' consensus on the website captures how the Netflix live-action adaptation compares to the original animated series (and the film, as a result). It reads:

" Avatar: The Last Airbender serves as a solid live-action entry point into the beloved franchise, although it only sporadically recaptures the magic of its source material."

It's evident that many are upset and believe that the 2024 live-action series is not on the same level as the 2005 animated show. While it is an improvement on Shyamalan's The Last Airbender , it's still disappointing that it couldn't live up to the original story. But only time will tell if Netflix is inclined to greenlight Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 or if the mixed reviews are enough to tank the series.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender is an Animated Fantasy and Adventure series that appeared on Nickelodeon and was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series featured voices from Zach Tyler Eisen, Jack DeSena, Dante Basco, and Mae Whitman. The premise follows a young boy named Aang, an Air Bender who is set to be the next Avatar, master of all elements, in a bit to unite the nations together and bring peace.

Netflix Should Never Have Taken ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Off Ice

The beloved Nickelodeon cartoon doesn’t deserve a crappy live-action adaptation—let alone two of them.

Coleman Spilde

Entertainment Critic

In 2010, M. Night Shyamalan aimed his chest toward the masses and encouraged them to fire their missiles with his live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender , Nickelodeon’s beloved animated series . Shyamalan’s version—simply titled The Last Airbender —was so shoddily made that it earned the director the worst reviews of his entire career . Despite its $150 million budget, a decent box office gross, and its writer-director’s characteristic ambition, The Last Airbender flopped so hard among audiences and critics that it was enough to scrap a planned live-action movie trilogy altogether.

Given all of this history, you’d think that anyone with half a clue would want to stay far away from another live-action take on the series, which ended in 2008. But put a risky venture in front of Netflix execs and ask for a palm full of money, and their answer will more often than not be, it seems, “Why the hell not?”

The streamer’s adaptation, Avatar: The Last Airbender (premiering Feb. 22), restores the series’ whole name but certainly not its full glory. While it’s far less condensed than Shyamalan’s film and with decently ambitious worldbuilding, Netflix’s version of Avatar rarely strives to differentiate itself from its predecessor. For those simply looking for a faithful spin on their favorite childhood show, this may be enough to delight the senses; the bar is, after all, pitifully low. But to an outsider, Avatar: The Last Airbender screams “adaptation,” with its rigid character archetypes and careful side-stepping of any notable or unique alterations. The show is lost in its fan service, a calculated (and occasionally impressive) effort to right Shyamalan’s 14-year-old wrong. But all that care becomes the series’ collapse, leaving it crushed under the weight of expectations, forever searching for any point to its existence.

For the uninitiated, Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the adventures of a young girl, Katara (Kiawentiio), and her dopey older brother, Sokka (Ian Ousley), after they stumble upon a boy named Aang (Gordon Cormier) who has been frozen into an ice shaft for the last century. Katara and Sokka are members of the Water Tribe, one of this fictional version of Earth’s four nations, composed of Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. In each tribe, gifted “benders” are born with the ability to telekinetically manipulate their nation’s natural elements. This, of course, resulted in unrest among the four nations. Only the Avatar—a godlike, once-in-a-generation chosen human, capable of mastering the bending of all four elements—can sow peace in this broken world. Too bad he’s been frozen solid for 100 years. That is, until Katara and Sokka free Aang from his icy purgatory.

Robert Falconer/Netflix

If this is all a little difficult to keep up with, no problem. Avatar: The Last Airbender will explain the premise to you no less than four times an episode to make sure that you’re following. The series has no qualms about laying out its concepts plainly, which would be welcome if its scripts were slightly more subtle. In every other scene, a character is tasked with reminding the viewer exactly what is at stake (world peace), who the Avatar is (Aang), or what happened to Katara and Sokka’s parents (died). The original animated series did this almost as often—knowing that viewers might drop in at any second should they flip on Nickelodeon mid-episode—but with much more tact. In this live-action variant, exposition arrives clumsily at best.

This scene-setting is, however, necessary, given the massive scope and dozens of important characters. The show hops between nations and tribes with abandon, keeping it paced briskly enough to entertain viewers throughout its first season. The Fire Nation’s army fills all of these worlds, ruling over the human race and decimating land at will to exact full control, something their armies were able to do without the presence of the Avatar. But now that Aang has been thawed out and regained consciousness, that supremacy is at risk, setting Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) and his son Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) hot on Aang, Katara, and Sokka’s trail.

For a series that is so hellbent on exploring the differences between good and evil, Avatar: The Last Airbender lacks much sting. The violence and drama are limited, and when they do appear, they’re hokey and absurdly performed. Characters immolate at the Fire Lord’s will, but their deaths sound as if they accidentally got into a hot bath too fast, rather than had their bodies burnt to a crisp in screaming terror. This is technically a show for children, sure, but the animated series it spawned from didn’t shy away from terror and brutality; it just found clever ways of illustrating them without scaring kids. But this adaptation’s writers are far more preoccupied with pandering to existing fans than they are with crafting distinctive and memorable ways for the show to communicate its do-or-die stakes.

That problem isn’t helped by the show’s actors, who all do little more than recite their dialogue with striking amateurism. There’s an appropriate degree of pluckiness to this type of delivery at the show’s start, but it grates as episodes go on. It eventually becomes painfully clear that the younger actors’ novice line readings aren’t reflective of their spunky characters so much as they are evidence of their inexperience onscreen. Cormier has all of Aang’s excitable impulsiveness, but little ability to communicate more than one shade of emotion at a time, much less do so convincingly. But this is as much a fault of script as it is skill. Even seasoned actors like Kim and Ken Leung, who plays the nefarious Fire Nation commander Zhao, sound as if they’re struggling to layer their dialogue and understand their motivations in real-time.

The quality of the show’s acting is all over the map, but this can, at times, make for an amusing experience. It’s fun to watch these characters utter their wooden dialogue and look around as if they are indeed witnessing the magnificent sights of the series’ sprawling worlds, and not a room of green screens. From time to time, their efforts are even convincing. But the show always squanders this magic trick before its illusion is fully realized. Every cut corner is a reminder that this version of Avatar: The Last Airbender exists solely to sell streaming service subscriptions, not to communicate intrigue and fantasy to young viewers.

Some animation just can’t be adapted into live-action. The animated form allows a necessary level of confidence to remain present but forever invisible inside of fantastical worlds like the one in Avatar: The Last Airbender . Without that unseen, mutual trust, this series just feels goofy. In a cartoon, it’s easy to believe that all members of the Air Nomads are born bald. Here, all you see is a bunch of bald caps, forever battling against the furrowed brows of the actors that they were slapped onto.

The entire Netflix series shares that same feeling. The show is fighting to prove its worth, but is consistently hampered by lofty ambitions that could never match the original show’s scope, only surpass the previous live-action iteration. Anyone can make hopping over a bar set so low look easy. But matching—and especially exceeding—a series that is cherished and challenging takes real conviction. That’s one power that Avatar: The Last Airbender just does not have.

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Review: Netflix's 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' is a failure in every way

The year was 2010. Barack Obama was president. The only “Tik Tok” to speak of was the song by Kesha . And a beloved animated Nickelodeon series had come to life as a live-action movie.

I’m talking, of course, about the critically panned 2010 film “The Last Airbender,” directed by M. Night Shyamalan. An adaptation of the beloved 2005-08 series “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” Shyamalan’s film has become infamous for its failures. But there was no way yet another adaptation of that richly mythological series could crash and burn so spectacularly, right?

Look, I wanted Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (now streaming, ★ out of four), a new live-action series, to be good. I watched the original series first as a kid and then again (and again) as an adult, and consider it one of the best TV shows ever made (just ask my ballot in this poll ).

There was so much potential in this story − about a world in which some people have the superpower to control water, fire, earth and air through what is called “bending” − to create something gorgeous and striking in a live-action medium. Not as a shot-for-shot recreation, but as its own epic that embraced the themes and tone of its source material. But out of fear of angering die-hard fans, lack of time and/or budget or a fundamental misunderstanding of what “adaptation” really means, the new “Avatar” is a regretful mess in its first season. Both too slavish to the original and too far removed from it, the new “Avatar” fails in every way. And it’s infuriating. 

In both the new and original series, the world of “Avatar” is divided into four nations: the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, the Water Tribes and the Fire Nation, each with benders who can control their respective elements. Things were fine until the Fire Nation started a centurylong war bent on world domination. Just as this war was starting, the mythical Avatar, the only bender who can control all four elements, disappeared.

Turns out the 12-year-old Avatar Aang (Gordon Cormier) is the only airbender to survive a Fire Nation-led genocide (hence the title), and wound up frozen in an iceberg for 100 years before he’s woken by teen waterbender Katara (Kiawentiio) and her brother Sokka (Ian Ousley). The trio sets off on a mission for Aang to learn all four elements and help save the world. They are closely hunted by the Fire Nation’s Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu), who has a maniacal desire to capture Aang after his father (Daniel Dae Kim) banished him until he can do so. 

More: 'Avatar: The Last Airbender': Release date, cast, where to watch live-action series

Creator Albert Kim (“Sleepy Hollow”) has clearly tried to maintain fidelity to the animated series. In many ways, it looks like a carbon copy of the cartoon brought to life − some scenes and aesthetics are recreated with excruciating detail. The original pilot (one of the weakest episodes of the cartoon) is basically refilmed. But it was a lot of effort for naught.

The exaggerated hairstyles (created using truly horrendous wigs), color-coded costumes and fantastical animals have an uncanny valley quality to them in live action. They don’t make sense to the eye. After all, entire countries do not all wear the same shade of blue every day in the real world. Even superhero costumes get a tasteful makeover between comic-book pages and a Marvel movie.

So the new “Avatar” looks sort of like a corrupted facsimile of the original, and at the same time the heart of the first “Avatar” is gone. The new series is emotionally hollow, tonally dissonant and yells its themes at the audience like an unhinged political podcast. The story is condensed from 20 half-hour episodic chapters to eight ill-formed episodes. The writing is creaky, clunky and bogged down by entirely unnecessary exposition and Easter eggs for fans that might as well have neon signs above them reading, “Hey, we watched the animated series, we promise!” (A particularly cringe-worthy moment in the pilot episode has one character reciting the voiceover introduction from the cartoon as if it were a normal thing to say in conversation. It is not.) 

One thing the series has going for it is that the actors are of Asian and Indigenous descent, just as they were depicted in the cartoon. The film received sharp criticism for casting white actors in all roles except for the villain. But alas, the child actors, while trying their hardest, can’t rise to the occasion (with the notable exception of Liu). The adult actors appear to have lowered themselves to what they think is the level of the material, reading lines like it’s the first time they’ve encountered language. 

It’s clear after two failed attempts to tell this story in live action that the greatness of “Avatar” was because of its animation, not in spite of it. Photorealism robs stories of their magic (not just this one, just see any Disney remake ). It's almost like animation is more than just a cheaper way to make kids' TV. It's a beautiful art form all its own.

In animation, the whooshing and whipping water that Katara bent was gorgeously, and unrealistically, a deep blue. Aang bent air that was white, far easier to see than our transparent reality. Every bending battle, the highlight of any episode of the original “Avatar,” is sluggish, the actors' moves out of sync with the poor-quality effects.

It didn't have to be this way. Perhaps there wasn't a more successful way to adapt this story, but maybe it need not have been adapted. The original "Avatar" wasn't lacking; there was no need, other than Hollywood's insatiable greed, to remake it.

As it happens, that near-perfect animated original is also available to stream on Netflix. I highly recommend it.

Ranking Avatar: The Last Airbender's Strongest Firebenders

Avatar: The Last Airbender 's combat system is based on the manipulation of fire, water, earth, and air, and some elemental benders are truly gifted. Each element has its own superstars, with Toph Beifong being the best earthbender and Pakku ranking among the most proficient waterbenders. As for firebending, Avatar 's cartoon depicts plenty of skilled benders, many of whom have years of training and natural talent to push them to the next level.

Firebending is all about aggression and direct attacks, which made it the optimal element to launch the Hundred-Year War . Skilled firebenders have come and gone, with Roku and Sozin being the top firebenders of their time. During the main events of Avatar: The Last Airbender , several other firebenders rose to the top as the story's strongest fighters of all. Some of them even created memorable variations of firebending in their fighting style or used firebending in ways no one else could have imagined.

Avatar: 5 Harsh Realities Of Being A Firebender (& 5 Perks)

Admiral zhao has power but no control.

In Book One: Water, Captain turned Commander turned Admiral Zhao was a rising star within the Fire Nation navy. He commanded an entire invasion fleet to the Northern Water Tribe and even captured Aang, but despite his accomplishments and genuine power, Admiral Zhao was actually a poor firebender. He definitely ranks last among the series' ten strongest firebenders.

Zhao had power, but no discipline or control to manage it, leading to sloppy results. Zhao never even finished his training with his mentor Jeong Jeong, and he foolishly burned down his own flotilla when he tried to capture Aang. He even lost in an Agni Kai to Prince Zuko, who was only half his age at most.

Avatar Aang Only Trained With Firebending For a Short Time

All of avatar state aang's abilities & powers, ranked.

In terms of overall power, Avatar Aang is vastly stronger than most firebenders found in Avatar: The Last Airbender . He learned all four elements in order , but he didn't spend much time on firebending. He did train with Zuko in the weeks leading up to Sozin's Comet and even learned the dancing dragon routine, but that still didn't make him a top-rate firebender.

At most, Aang was a passable firebender who simply needed but didn't get more time for proper training. Still, no one can blame Aang, seeing how few friendly firebenders there were. On the plus side, Aang benefitted from the overwhelming power of Sozin's Comet like all other firebenders, giving him the destructive power needed to take down Ozai's personal zeppelin.

Prince Zuko Has Passion, But Tends to Fumble in His Fights

Prince Zuko had access to the best firebender tutors growing up, but even so, he remained the weakest known firebender in his royal family tree . It didn't help that Zuko always felt insecure and conflicted as a bender and as a person, which held back his true potential. That contrasted him with his sister, who was laser-focused on power and dominance.

Zuko was still competent enough to chase after the Avatar, at least, and he posed a real threat to Team Avatar all throughout Book One: Water while competing with Admiral Zhao. However, he never learned to bend lightning, so instead, he learned to redirect another firebender's lightning, a vital lesson that Iroh taught him.

Combustion Man Can Bend Fire With His Mind Alone

The unnamed assassin known only as Combustion Man was a secondary antagonist in Book Three: Fire. Little is known of his background or how he became such an unusual firebender, but there is no denying Combustion Man's battlefield talents. Combustion Man can use his forehead tattoo and willpower to create powerful explosions from a distance, an attack that's difficult to dodge or block.

Combustion Man posed a serious threat to Aang's team a few times in Book Three: Fire and it was all the Gaang could do just to flee his wrath, let alone fight back. Eventually, though, a small drone struck Combustion Man's forehead, making his firebending go haywire, and that sealed his doom.

Jeong Jeong Knows How Dangerous His Own Bending Can Be

10 times avatar proved firebending was the worst bending style.

Jeong Jeong only appeared twice in Avatar: The Last Airbender , but it was evident that he wielded great power as a firebender. He was strong and savvy enough to defect from the Fire Nation military and live, which was a remarkable feat, and he was trusted to train the talented yet brash Zhao. Unlike most firebenders, though, Jeong Jeong fears that f irebenders don't have enough control over their element .

Jeong Jeong briefly trained Aang, only to see the young Avatar lose control of his fire. Then, fans saw Jeong Jeong hold off Zhao with his immense firebending talents, and finally, fans saw Jeong Jeong use the power of Sozin's Comet to devastate his enemies as a White Lotus member.

Fire Lord Sozin Challenged the Avatar With His Firebending

Over a century ago, a young Sozin began his training as a firebender and as the future Fire Lord. During his relatively innocent youth, Sozin was quite the firebender, and as a middle-aged man, he could even stand up to the Avatar, albeit briefly. That makes Sozin rank in the middle among the series' most capable firebenders.

Sozin may have been a mighty firebender, but he is best remembered for the dreadful Hundred-Year War that he launched. Once the comet arrived, Sozin led the assault on the Air Nomads, wiping out all of them aside from Aang. Sozin continued to fight and colonize the rest of the world until his death, after which his son Azulon took over. Also, the comet was named after him to become Sozin's Comet, which would return in another century.

Avatar Roku Wielded All Elements But Was a Firebender First

Avatar Roku trained with all four elements to become a full-fledged Avatar when he was a grown man, but he could never forget his Fire Nation heritage. For many years, he and Sozin were good friends, but after Sozin insisted on colonizing the world, Roku and Sozin came to blows, and Roku defeated his Fire Lord friend.

Roku's last act was to hold off a volcanic eruption long enough to help his wife and other villagers flee, and he even gave his life to help Sozin escape as well. After his death, Avatar Roku guided Aang from beyond the grave and warned Aang that time was running out to end the war that his old friend Sozin had started.

Iroh Can Bend Fire and Redirect Lightning in Battle

Avatar: the last airbender's uncle iroh would've been a terrible fire lord.

Growing up, Iroh had it all as the Fire Nation prince and a gifted bender. He trained to become an incredible firebender, like his brother, including lightningbending. Iroh almost became Fire Lord and nearly captured Ba Sing Se, but after his son's death, Iroh changed the trajectory of his life.

Iroh remained a top-tier bender, but he started using his bending more defensively rather than for conquest and personal gain. He was also the one who learned how to redirect lightning, a skill he taught to his nephew Zuko, and he is also known for his many wise quotes .

Princess Azula Was Born an Exceptional Firebender

Zuko's younger sister Azula was born lucky, as Oza once put it, thanks to her outstanding firebending talent and her sharp mind. Azula shared her father's hunger for power and dominance which, combined with her unshakable confidence, made her a devastating firebender. By age 14, she became one of the world's most powerful firebenders of all.

Azula was so gifted, that she could use blue flames, setting her apart from all other benders, including her family. Many times, she nearly captured or killed Aang in battle, including the time she zapped him in the back with her deadly lightning. However, the intense pressure to succeed eventually broke Azula, meaning all her power and talent was for nothing in the end.

Fire Lord Ozai is at the Apex of His Element

Aang knew early on that Fire Lord Ozai was his ultimate enemy, the world's most powerful firebender and the current prosecutor of the Hundred-Year War. Ozai's well-earned reputation frightened Aang so much, that the Avatar had nightmares about it right before the eclipse invasion. Then, when Sozin's Comet arrived, Ozai became more powerful than any nightmare.

Even without the benefit of Sozin's Comet, Ozai still stands as Avatar 's most formidable firebender of all. He combined his fearsome natural talent with extensive training and unshakable confidence, making him a quintessential war-era Fire Lord, just like his father and grandfather before him. He may not have had blue flames like his daughter, but he did have more experience than Azula during the main events of Avatar and just as much power, so he was definitely the stronger of the two.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

In a war-torn world of elemental magic, a young boy reawakens to undertake a dangerous mystic quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world.

Release Date February 21, 2005

Cast Jack De Sena, Dante Basco, Mae Whitman, Dee Bradley Baker

Main Genre Animation

Genres Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Rating TV-Y7-FV

Studio Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Franchise Avatar: The Last Airbender

Creator Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko

Number of Episodes 61

Network Nickelodeon

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Netflix’s ‘avatar: the last airbender’ changes showrunners again.

Albert Kim, who replaced creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is handing over the series to colleagues Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani.

By Lesley Goldberg

Lesley Goldberg

Television Editor, West Coast

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Avatar: The Last Airbender is heading into its second season with its third showrunner at the helm.

Showrunner Albert Kim , who replaced creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is also exiting the Netflix live-action series. Co-executive producer Christine Boylan and exec producer Jabbar Raisani — both of whom were hired by Kim — will take over as the drama’s third showrunners for the previously announced second and third seasons.

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Kim, whose résumé include Sleepy Hollow and Leverage, will remain credited as an exec producer on Avatar: The Last Airbender as he is expected to sign a development deal with Disney’s 20th Television. Kim, who will develop new projects Disney after his Netflix pact expired, will join the Disney+ series Percy Jackson as an exec producer alongside Jon Steinberg, Dan Shotz and Craig Silverstein, the latter of whom he worked with on The CW’s Nikita . (Reps for Disney declined to comment.)  

For her part, Boylan’s credits include Leverage, Castle, Once Upon a Time, The Punisher and, more recently, Poker Face and Citadel. The producer and playwright is nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award as part of the team behind Peacock’s Poker Face . She’s a graduate of the WGA’s Showrunner Training Program, the AFI Directing Workshop for Women and has written comics for Marvel, DC and more.

Raisani exec produced season one and also served as a director on episodes three and four, as well as a VFX supervisor. The show stars Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu and Ken Leung, with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Daniel Dae Kim. Exec producers include Kim, Raisani, Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore on behalf of Rideback and Michael Goi.

Netflix renewed the show almost immediately after its debut for two additional seasons that will bring A:TLA to a close with its third and final season as it follows the trajectory of the original animated series.

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New deck-building game has players battle through the story of Avatar: The Last Airbender

Up to 4 players can team up and take on Avatar: The Last Airbender – Aang’s Destiny

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Share All sharing options for: New deck-building game has players battle through the story of Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender – Aang’s Destiny , the latest title from The Op Games, isn’t just a collaborative deck-building game. The way designer Pat Marino tells it, it’s a concerted effort to adapt Aang’s full adventures, from iceberg to Fire Lord, for the table.

Two to four players will “take on the heroic role of Aang and his allies and play cooperatively,” says The Op Games’ official description, “to defeat adversaries, complete objectives, and make their way through the Four Nations to restore balance to the world and fulfill Aang’s destiny as the Avatar.”

Polygon got an early look at a few cards from the game, featuring new custom art in the Avatar style, and got to pepper Marino with questions about what players can expect from Aang’s Destiny , whether they’re new to deck-building board games or not.

As in most games in the genre, Aang’s Destiny players will each begin with a small deck of cards and limited abilities but, over the course of play, will get various chances to add new cards to those decks, widening and customizing their options for each turn and ensuring that each game session plays out slightly differently.

“What sets this game apart from other deck building games,” says Marino, “is that it has seven boxes of unlockable content. The first box starts the story and introduces players to the core mechanisms of the game. Each time the players win the game they can unlock the next box, adding new rules, as well as additional content. This allows the story to unfold while also gradually leveling players up from a introductory deck building game to a fairly complex strategy game by the time they reach box seven.”

As a cooperative deck builder, Aang’s Destiny has players work together toward a single goal — that of the heroes of Avatar: The Last Airbender . And according to Marino, figuring out how to bake the familiar evolution of Aang, Katara, Sokka, and the rest into a progressive deck-building game was high on his list of design priorities.

“I don’t want to spoil too much, but I believe fans will appreciate the way allies and heroes change throughout the boxes.”

The art in those boxes is designed by The Op Games’ Patrick Spaziante, whom Marino calls “a master of the Avatar: The Last Airbender style. [...] For [all the bending ability cards in the game] we drew inspiration from the Water Bending Scroll that Katara steals from the Pirates in season 1. We worked closely with the Avatar team to adapt this scroll style to create bending form illustrations for all of the unique moves in the game.”

Aang’s Destiny isn’t the first time Marino has worked on an Avatar game — in 2022, The Op Games published Avatar: The Last Airbender – Fire Nation Rising , a dice and card strategy game about putting together groups of heroes to defeat the Fire Nation during the Day of Black Sun, one of the major turning points of Avatar: The Last Airbender ’s final season. And he says his team is doing their best to take everything they learned from fan reactions to Fire Nation Rising and pour it into Aang’s Destiny .

“ Aang’s Destiny is a larger and more narrative experience [than Fire Nation Rising ] that follows the entire story arc of the series so it allowed us to get a bit deeper into the characters and setting and to place an increased emphasis on bending.”

As a fan of the show himself, Marino says that one of the joys of putting Aang’s Destiny together was revisiting the series over and over.

“The game includes hundreds of cards, most of which are unique, so there was lots of opportunity to include fan favorite moments and characters. Whether you enjoy the big battles, tipping Cabbage carts or exploring the Secret Tunnel with Chong and his fellow Minstrels,” Marino said, “there is something for every fan in the box.”

Avatar: The Last Airbender – Aang’s Destiny is set to be released in fall of this year, and you can check out the striking box art below:

Avatar: The Last Airbender – Fire Nation Rising

Prices taken at time of publishing.

The Op Games’ previous title focuses on the Fire Nation in this dice- and card-based game.

• 1-5 players, age 10+

• Playtime: 60 minutes

• $50 at The OP Games
• $36 at Amazon

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Avatar: The Last Airbender

A young boy known as the Avatar must master the four elemental powers to save the world, and fight against an enemy bent on stopping him. A young boy known as the Avatar must master the four elemental powers to save the world, and fight against an enemy bent on stopping him. A young boy known as the Avatar must master the four elemental powers to save the world, and fight against an enemy bent on stopping him.

• Gordon Cormier
• 1.2K User reviews
• 41 Critic reviews

Episodes 10

• Prince Zuko

• Fire Lord Ozai

• Commander Zhao

• Lieutenant Jee

• Princess Yue

• Lieutenant Dang …

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The Essential Elements of "Avatar: The Last Airbender"

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• Trivia James Sie, the original voice of the cabbage merchant in the animated series, also plays the cabbage merchant in two episodes of the live action adaptation.
• Connections Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: Avatar: The Live-Action Bender (2018)

User reviews 1.2K

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• Apr 1, 2024

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• February 22, 2024 (United States)
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‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Series Early Reviews Are Mixed

All seem to agree the series is better than the original movie with some glowing reviews but there are concerns among some...

Avatar: The Last Airbender – Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2024

The biggest Netflix premiere of 2024 is just a week away with Avatar: The Last Airbender , which is perhaps the most anticipated show launch since One Piece . Based on the legendary and beloved Nickelodeon series, the series brings the cartoon to live-action. 

Yesterday at 9 PM PT, the social embargo lifted for the first couple of episodes, with the full series review embargo not lifting until the release day on February 22nd.

We’ll go across the spectrum of early reactions, beginning with the absolute best first reviews and then dive into some of the lesser-kind reviews.

We’ll start with the fan account The Avatarist, who, perhaps unsurprisingly, was the most praised, saying :

“Netflix’s avatar is peak cinema. 10/10 first episode. I will say this. It’s not a 1:1 adaptation (which is good) the show is completely faithful in spirit of the original. It looks like avatar, it feels like avatar. It. Is. Avatar.

Moving over to journalists and critics, we’ll begin with Mike Thomas, who serves as resource editor at Collider. He was more on the positive side than most when he said :

“The first episode of Netflix’s #AvatarTheLastAirbender is fantastic! From the opening scene, you realize that this is far better than the 2010 film. The fights are great, but the standouts are the actors. These kids FEEL like Team Avatar. A fun new take on a timeless classic.”

Caleb Williams (also known for his website Knight Edge Media , who broke several exclusive stories about the development of Avatar) had an expletive-laden early review saying :

“Netflix’s #AvatarTheLastAirbender is EVERYTHING you hope…the show literally shits all over the movie in the very first 30 seconds! While I do have some minor issues with the writing/constant exposition…Ian Ousley is just a fucking S.T.A.R.”

CBR’s Ryden has a mostly positive take on the first two episodes saying :

“As a huge #AvatarTheLastAirbender fan, I was satisfied with the first two episodes of the #AvatarNetflix series. I’m cool with the changes and thought the bending was well done! Some of the acting was a little stiff and I wish it was more cinematic, but it’s a solid start!””

Avatar: The Last Airbender. Gordon Cormier as Aang in season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023

David Opie, a freelance journalist with bylines in DigitalSpy, among other places, suggests there are issues with the series, but ultimately, the series is decent, saying :

“#AvatarTheLastAirbender eps 1 + 2 are pretty decent so far and I say that as an obsessive fan. There are definitely issues, but it’s better than the controversies would have you think. If you’re open to it, you’ll have fun, but if you’ve already made up your mind, you’ll hate it.”

Dexerto’s Jasmine Valentine also pointed out some flaws in the first two episodes, saying :

“I’m really sorry but I didn’t enjoy AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER much at all. Looks beautiful but isn’t a patch on the original cartoon, even if it is just “inspired by.” Slightly nervous to share my full review next week now hahaha”

Christopher Angelo Gallardo for CoveredGeekly criticized the look of the series and stated that it’s “off to a bad start,” saying :

“I’ve watched the first episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and it’s off to a bad start. The life and colour that was once there is now non-existent in this live-action adaptation. Mischaracterisation is present and VFX looks unfinished when not focused on the bending.”

Rafael Motamayor, who writes at IGN, was perhaps the most negative with regard to the series when specifically talking about the first episode. He wrote in a Tweet :

“I am finally allowed to say that the first episode of #AvatarTheLastAirbender is a huge letdown. Sure, the bending looks great and generally the visuals are solid, but this is a mixed bag of an adaptation. Too much exposition, poor writing & horrible pacing. Dallas Liu rules, tho”

All episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender land on Netflix globally next Thursday (February 22nd, 2024) at 12:00 am PT.

Founder of What's on Netflix, Kasey has been tracking the comings and goings of the Netflix library for over a decade. Covering everything from new movies, series and games from around the world, Kasey is in charge of covering breaking news, covering all the new additions now available on Netflix and what's coming next.

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