Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender Deserved Better Than This

Nothing about what has happened to Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender has been fair. The animated sequel to Nickelodeon’s beloved anime-inspired martial arts series has been dragged out of theaters, relegated to a Paramount+ premiere, and then leaked all over the internet months before it was officially unveiled. As of right now, the movie is only being shown in two theaters across the country, seemingly to qualify for awards that typically only recognize films that are shown on the big screen; apparently no one making the decisions at Paramount and Nickelodeon thought the movie was worth putting on the big screen for a regular rollout. Instead, it’s once again been dragged down the path of least resistance by Aang’s (thankfully loose-fitting) robes. And that’s a shame, because the movie itself is a beautifully crafted feast for the eyes, and though it feels a bit restricted by its place in an already established story, the artistry on display in every frame is enough to make up for its shortcomings. It’s a goddamn shame that only a select few people will be able to watch it in theaters the way it deserves to be seen. Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender takes place several years after the original Last Airbender series. The gang’s all grown up. Well, physically, at least. Aang is still haunted by the traumas of his childhood, having seen the near extinction of his Air Nomad community, being the lone survivor and constantly feeling a loss of his people and culture. That is, until he meets another surviving Airbender named Tagah (voiced by Dave Bautista), who knows of a way to bring back Airbending to the modern day, and perhaps its culture along with it. The film’s placement between the original series and The Legend of Korra in the timeline takes the dramatic wind out of its sails, as anyone who has kept up with the series in any meaningful way can probably predict what’s going to happen, and some of Aang’s internal struggle mirrors themes the series has already covered. But as a character study, Avatar Aang does a pretty great job of building adult problems out of characters we previously knew as children. Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko all return to help Aang on his quest, but they end up feeling a bit sidelined. The title is pretty direct in establishing that this is Aang’s story, and the movie’s brisk 99 minutes don’t have a lot of time to spare for everyone to get dramatic arcs. That’s not to say that the rest of the crew doesn’t shine in what time they do get. Avatar Studios is full of talented animators who make the most of every single shot, every bit of elegant martial arts movement, and every otherworldly effect. To say Avatar Aang pops is an understatement. Every fight scene is incredible to watch unfold as the elements of earth, wind, water, and fire light up the screen, conducted by the benders who are all giving glow-up as they flex, punch, kick, and throw their magical powers at their foes. I harp on the visual side of this movie because it’s not only the best aspect of this film; it’s also the most emblematic of this project’s greater ambitions being squandered by corporate sabotage and then internet fuckery. Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender stands tall against the foolish belief that 2D animation looks outdated compared to the 3D styles of Disney and Pixar, and much like the feature-length anime films that only get brief showings here in the States, Avatar Studios’ debut film is being relegated to digital platforms so you can watch it on your iPad, laptop, or TV, when its stunning visual aspirations would pour out of a theater screen in awe-striking splendor. Paramount may have weighed the costs and benefits of a wider release and done some background math to come to its decision, but whatever the reason is, the result is the same: a gorgeous piece of human-made art isn’t getting its due. Though watching it on a smaller screen won’t do it justice, it is worth seeing it so that you, too, can be angry you couldn’t watch this on the big screen at least once.