Reviewed By: Emanuel Caros

In March 2002 a film version of  H.G. Wells' classic book The Time Machine was released to widespread negative reviews.  Despite my excitement to see the adaptation, I trusted the critics and waited till it was released on DVD to see the movie.  That was the day I realized that some 50-something year old critic for my local newspaper has far different sensibilities and interests than me, and that I would no longer allow their opinions to direct my viewing practices.  Fast forward 8 years to the release of another adaptation, this time of a popular Nickelodeon TV series: The Last Airbender.  M. Night Shyalaman directed the film that follows a  gifted young boy's quest to save the world with his special abilities to bend the elements.  In the few days since its release, it also has received dis-favorable opinions from reviewers.  Once again, they're wrong.

Following a string of duds, Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, The Happening) signed on to direct his first film based on somebody else's story.  Know for mysteries that ended with a surprising twist, the director was bound by the material at hand, and any deviation would alienate the masses of fans of the series.  With such constraints, M. Night Shyamalan has proven that he can indeed direct a good movie, and his penchant for aesthetics are well warranted.  While the script is at times cheesy, and acting over the top, the visuals and epic fight scenes make up for all the film lacks.  The movie evoked memories of the mega-hit Lord of the Rings films, adding pretty faces and magical powers, and eliminating the excessive travel scenes.  Fight scenes were Matrix-esque whenever the "benders," people with the ability to control the elements, yanked globes of water out of the ocean, sprayed fire, or shot out gusts of wind.  The final battle, almost identical to final Lord of the Rings battle at Minas Tirith, is epic and full of action.

Despite its similarities, the movie is not Lord of the Rings, and that is due primarily to choppy editing.  The movie clocks in at 103 minutes, and it is obvious Shyamalan intended for, and needed, about two and a half hours.  What got left was necessary scenes, and what was removed was substantial portions of every characters backstory, and the entirety of many subplots.  For example, Jackson Rathbone's (Twilight, S. Darko) character, Sakka, has what seems to be a love story with the Yue, the princess of the northern water benders.  But the only way the audience knows is because they kiss at one point, but nothing beforehand alludes to any romance.  This occurs often and is made obvious with rapid cuts that end with awkward lines without context.  

Still, the bad reviews are unwarranted.  M. Night Suffers the opposite of the "Pixar Syndrome," in which anything Pixar puts out will be heralded, regardless of its actual quality.  Shyamalan has made some bad movies recently, and has become an easy target for negative critics.  While over-acting and choppy plot do not make for an incredible film, the story is in no way bad, and the film looks fantastic.  There is no way The Last Airbender warrants the title of worst reviewed film of 2010, or anything close.  It has more heart than Twilight, more action than Toy Story 3, and isn't Marmaduke.  The Last Airbender is a legitimate summer blockbuster and theater-goers shouldn't be detracted by Shyamalan-haters.


7/10