We only had trailers for a while to see how Netflix was adapting the Avatar: The Last Airbender series. Now that the series is out, we can see how much detail was brought to all the characters, and locations we visit. I can thankfully say they succeeded in being accurate to the source material. I am not speaking on how the story is handled. The visuals and attention to the details of sets and costumes, and all that is the focus here. The horrific live-action film attempt on this series back in 2010 changed too much to be enjoyed. Thankfully, this new adaptation is leagues better.
Aang, Katara, & Sokka comparisons from Animation to Live-Action
The biggest challenge, when it really shouldn’t be, is to get the characters looking like, well, the characters. Getting the trio right is the main goal outside of a few select others. Thankfully, Aang, Katara, & Sokka match their animated counterparts. The actors brought the core elements of their characters to life. Now they may not be exactly as we know them from the original series, as this is an adaptation. Their costumes feel authentic, and Katara & Sokka’s home is what I expected it to be like in live-action. Seeing Aang’s home in the opening scenes was wonderful. It felt alive and vibrant.
Omashu played a big role in the original series, and thankfully it does here too. I love that we explored a decent portion of the massive mountain city. Another round of applause goes to the design of the creatures. Appa is one character who was just not right in the film. The best flying bison looks and feels like the Appa we know and love. Momo also looks amazing, even though he isn’t on screen much. On the side of villains, they are pretty accurate too. The firebender ships and their armor are what I expect them to be. I was worried about Azula, as she is just perfect in the animated series. When she was introduced, my worries went away. She was Azula through and through. The beauty of Avatar: The Last Airbender is the creative designs, and characters brought to life throughout its three seasons. The creatives behind the Netflix series did make changes to the story, but most of the other things work.
Aang From The Live-Action Series
At times, it may have felt we could be seeing more of the locations from season one. I understand this is due to budget. However, they make that up in the CGI for the fight scenes. Earth bending is the one exception, as their bending felt a little slow. It didn’t break the fight scenes, but it could’ve been faster-paced at times. The other bending elements were nearly flawless. Some of the fight scenes felt as intense as the original series. It’s one of the biggest highlights of the series personally.
Avatar: The Last Airbender from Netflix isn’t perfect, but it has a variety of redeeming things to enjoy. The CGI, locations, costumes, cast, and a slew of other things brought me joy. I am hopeful a second season will happen.
Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s first season is available to watch now on Netflix!