The cast delivers commendable performances, but I want to highlight Dallas Liu as Zuko and Gordon Cormier as Aang; despite the shortcomings of the script, they bring a well-deserved appreciation for their portrayals. I would be amiss to not include that Paul Sun-Hyung Lee’s portrayal of Iroh adds a good touch to the series. Visually, the martial art forms of bending are captivatingly depicted, often performed by the actors themselves.
The martial art forms of bending are captivatingly depicted, often performed by the actors themselves.
The pacing of the story is disrupted by certain exposition choices, which can be observed from the first episode. Initially, the audience watches an action sequence depicting the Fire Nation’s decimation of the Air Nomads. Further into the episode, and an in-universe time skip of one hundred years, we observe Aang being told that this has occurred through Sokka and Katara’s Gran Gran, in a way that I cannot imagine is approved among child welfare social workers. The main characters then visit the site of destruction, and it is then we see Aang’s reaction. It is convoluted and slows the pace of the showdown. In contrast, the 2005 original series effectively presented this event through only the final event, leaving me puzzled by the rationale behind this altered approach. Despite earlier praise for its visual effects, such choices seem to come at the expense of the protagonist’s character development and the dynamics of their relationships.
While I believe it’s unproductive to continuously compare this series to its predecessor, it’s hard to ignore instances where it falls short of capturing the same quality. Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) consistently ranks among IMDb’s top ten shows of all time for valid reasons, reasons which have not been replicated. Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) isn’t a poor show by any means, but it struggles to live up to the standard set by the source material.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024) isn’t a poor show by any means, but it struggles to live up to the standard set by the source material.
I have reservations about the premature introduction of key antagonists, a move that may have compromised pacing and character development. However, I remain optimistic that the series will evolve into an engaging watch. Besides, it’s hard to fault the inclusion of characters like Fire Lord Ozai and Azula, especially with actors like Daniel Dae Kim. If I were in their shoes, I’d probably find a way to feature him in every episode too.
