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Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024)
A Decent Adaptation
As a die hard fan, there is no escaping comparisons to the original. This is a fairly faithful adaptation in many aspects but deviates from the source material in places where it really matters.
To give credit where it's due, the environment, costumes, makeup and effects are stunning. The world has been brought to life and it is incredibly immersive - but also faithful. It's clear a lot of work went into making things look and feel modern without ruining the aura of the original. Every location is instantly recognizable to fans but it's illustrative theming works wonders for even a first time watcher. No complaints here. The fighting choreography isn't bad when it gets going but there are budget limitations without a doubt which do cause fights to end early and they often throw in more hand to hand combat than necessary to save on animation and digital effects that a long form bending fight would require.
On the other hand, both the actors and acting are a mixed bag. The older and clearly more experienced actors do a great job. Iroh and Ozai for example mimic their animated counterparts extremely well in both likeness and demeanor. I'm not expecting a 1:1 copy; obviously these are human beings and not drawn characters so some compromises have to be made, yet many of the characters do land.
With that being said, some really don't. And generally speaking it's the child actors which also happened to be the most important characters. Aang and Katara especially just do not align with how they are represented in the original. Whether it be a lack of experience, lack of direction or the changes to the script, it just doesn't work. Aang is probably the biggest miss which hurts the most.
Part of this has to be that there are actors this time, not just voice actors. You can't exactly have a 20 year old playing a 12 year old on screen, but this is completely possible in animated works. There isn't a great way to solve this issue, but it still ruins many lines nonetheless. Zuko doesn't have the anger and pain in his deep voice while Aang lacks the fun loving and determined aura he always has. It is especially bad when multiple young characters are on screen together. I mean Azula, Mai and Ty Lee look and sound nothing like how they are supposed to and I honestly ended up laughing the first time they were on screen together.
Lastly, the story. It got shaken up quite a bit but the key elements are mostly there. If you are a fan you will be scratching your head in many moments thinking "that's not how this happened" and it can be off putting. Stripping out "filler" content is inevitable when condensing the show to 8 episodes and you do lose a lot of character building in the moments taken out but it's not the end of the world. They did however make some pretty drastic changes to many of the reasons, beliefs and emotions that play huge roles in the original. This is the most unforgivable sin and it feels like the writers completely misunderstood the creators intentions. There are times when the motivation for an event is just completely at odds with how the original conveyed it and it ends up landing horribly. This is true even for someone who hasn't seen the anime because of how they failed to capture the emotional weight the scene by changing it up.
Overall, it's not bad. If you aren't already a fan but like fantasy you will probably enjoy it. The script has its weaknesses and the child actors are a let down at times but the world building and authenticity does immerse you in a good time. If you are a fan, forget about the events matching up and the characters having the same emotional weight behind their decisions. It's no where near as good as the masterpiece which is the original.. but it's a fun watch anyway.
Project Ithaca (2019)
Close the door.
Another instance of a B-movie sci-fi with a low budget and interesting concept. Unfortunately, unlike other sleeper hits that break the mold and rise above, Project Ithaca does not expand on its ideas and leaves the viewer bored. Frequent flashbacks and exposition dumping yet you never really understand what is going on, or why, past the obvious. The acting was pretty good and the script set up the premise well in the beginning but everything else just weighed it down especially in the latter half. The ending comes out of nowhere and completely ruins any semblance of plot or conclusion and for some reason attempts to setup a cliffhanger for a sequel it will never get. Overall, not awful but not worth watching either when its ideas have been done better by countless other movies, both indie and blockbuster.
Out of Time (2021)
There was an attempt
Not bad enough to be funny like other movies but no where near good enough to actually be enjoyable. I appreciate the low budget and an attempt was made hence the 3 stars but everything about the movie is just bad or passable. Acting is OK for the most part. Effects non existent. Pacing is slow. Story is mediocre seen it all before. Script is just plain bad at times. Nothing special about cinematography. If it was a movie students final project I'd give a decent score but as an amazon film just no.
Dota: Dragon's Blood (2021)
Fantastic first showing
Preface: DOTA fan with extensive playtime.
While I've never been a lore nerd about DOTA or DOTA2, I do love the characters and recently they have been adding more lore-based items and dialogue to flesh out the world so I went into this with open arms.
Wow, what a great job. The focus on a few (6 or 7 I think I counted?) of the characters instead of ramming in references to a roster of 100+ was a good choice and it really feels like it could be a standalone show on its own.
The characters are realised and well done. Story well paced and interesting. Animation style is great (who would've guessed, they worked on Avatar, The legend of Korra). Just good all-around really. It isnt as over-the-top "anime" but I think this was going for a more casual western audience anyway so it works out well.
On the DOTA side of things, man I was impressed. The characters act and feel how they should, their fighting and weapons resemble their game counterparts, with several abilities being used almost shot for shot how they do in-game its really cool to see.
Quite a short first showing at only 8 episodes but so far so good, hope to see more relatively soon!
The Legend of Korra (2012)
Reflection
Just as the original challenged us to reflect, live, learn and experience through the lense of the characters, so too does the newest iteration of tales from the Avatar. Akin to it's predeccessor, this show marks a 10, the highest possible rating I could give. This does not represent perfection, simply the acknowledgement of the love and joy it has brought to me.
Modernisation is elegantly highlighted as a central theme in the show as well as outside. It mirrors reality in the same vein as the original, showing how not only the fictional world, but our world has changed and evolved - and as the world evolves, so too do the problems and ideas presented to us, both within the story but also in our own world.
In many ways both shows are the same, yet total opposites. The themes presented hold the same meaning, the same weight and the same messages but are delivered from an alternative point of view which can completely change their identity.
The new Avatar is not just passed down for the story but a reflection on how we all face our own challenges, pick our own battles as well as fight battles picked for us. We all learn in different ways through new and ever evolving means however the basic phillosophy is the same.
Avatar is not perfect because we are all imperfect and yet that very beautiful fact of nature is why this show will always be perfect - as it is a reflection of us.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005)
Reflection
Nothing in this world is perfect, this is but one picture the show will paint for you. My score of 10 does not represent perfection, it simply represents my feelings toward it as there is nothing I have loved and joyed more so than the experience this story has told, nothing I would change for better or worse. So in that light, perhaps it is perfection.
This show will mean many different things to many different people and everyone will react differently to the messages, themes and subjects portrayed throughout but while it is divine to induldge in the settings, art, animation, music and story, the most magical part is how despite being seemingly abstract and fantasty, the characters are the most earthly, grounded representations of us imaginable.
Every emotion, encounter, struggle, loss, hope, happniess, friendship and bond shared between the characters is shared by the viewer in kind. I have learnt more about myself through the wisdom and growth displayed therein and I constantly strive to challenge my own perception and ability to be the best I can be.
Life is not perfect; we all make mistakes, learn from them, live, breathe and move on and that is the very reason why this show is perfect - It is the fullest representation of us.