Movie Review: "The Last Airbender"

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After much anticipation on the part of myself and thousands of other fans, "The Last Airbender" film premiered a couple of weeks ago. My queen and I decided to check it out in 3D at a local theater. It turns out we chose a perfect time to go because the theater wasn't even half full. As a result, even though we had assigned seats, we were free to sit virtually wherever we wanted. Since both of us are well versed relative to the plot and it's multiple nuances, (I own the full box dvd set :o) we expected there to be certain detectable differences between the film and the animated series. It was clear to both of us that the task of translating the story to the big screen, with enough of the key themes in tact to effectively convey it without undermining it's integrity, would be a challenge. Even, still we had high hopes. The first thing that jumped out at me was the imagery. I think the director did a wonderful job of selecting locations. The sets were well built and very authentic looking. I would give more of a critical review to the casting aspect of the film as there were definitely some dim spots.

The kid who played Aang was a perfect fit. As far as the actor who portrayed Sokka, I was rather indifferent toward him. Katara should have been played by a more polished martial artist in my judgment and I would definitely have cast someone different to play Master Pakku. Not only did he not look the part, but in terms of capturing the lasting image of his fluid and effortless bending and unforgettable appearance like that of an old-school asian kung fu master, the actor in question missed the mark. Overall, I would offer up a grade of C in this area. I also found there to be some elements of the plot which, had they not been excluded, would've given the film more depth. I would have preferred to see the fight between Katara & Master Pakku as well as it's corresponding lead up included because it would have spoken to the uniqueness of the Water Tribe culture while also yielding an awesome live action sequence. Another shock was the fact that Roku wasn't introduced into the story during this film. Although I'd be surprised if we don't meet him in Book 2, he should have been brought in sooner.

Since this was the first installment in what will shape a trilogy I don't want to be overly judgmental. I also don't want to give the impression that I didn't enjoy the film because I did. Even still, I'm expecting some definite improvements on the next go around.

Peace.
Preme.

Book One:Knowledge Build Chapter/"The Water Bending Master"

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Our heroes are steadily making their way toward the North Pole in search of a master to teach Aang water-bending. They're all tired and cranky from days of travel. Just when they think they've taken the wrong course, they're discovered by the Northern Water Tribe and welcomed into the kingdom. It's breathtaking. Meanwhile, Zhou is unwavering in his determined idea to capture the young Avatar. He is still diligently tracking him and planning an attack on the Water Tribe. The Northern Tribe is most peace, and greets the kids with open arms since they are advocating the resident common cause of defeating the Fire Nation. The king holds a feast to welcome them and to celebrate the born day of his daughter Princess Yue, who is now of marrying allah god equality. At the feast, Aang meets the Great God Master Pakku, who will enlighten him relative to the finer points of water bending. The master immediately makes knowledge born that regardless of his status as Avatar, he will still have to show and prove himself worthy of the teachings of this culture.

Again, Zhou resurfaces, this time on Prince Zhuko's ship. He has decided to take the crew and enlist their help on his mission to the North Pole. Needless to say, this leaves Zhuko in a cold current and Iroh has to prevent him from making rain, hail, snow, and earthquakes through violence. The older God is invited to join Zhou's mission and is initially hesitant. His wisdom will prove to be critical, as usual, in helping Zhuko to success in his pursuit of Aang. The Prince doesn't know that Zhou is putting together a plan to take his love I father equal. He cuts a deal with a group of pirates to blow up his ship while he's in triple darkness at rest. Needless to say, his ways and actions are like a snake of the grafted type. The next divine allah why when the young God and Katara go to meet Master Pakku for training, a problem arises. Although Aang told Pakku that he had a friend who would also like to learn from him, he failed to make knowledge born that she was a wisdom. The Master builds with them and states that in their tribe it is an emphatic now cipher to teach women the fighting science of water-bending. They are instead taught to channel said ability toward the science of healing. Despite protest from them both, the older God remains firm on his square and they yield to his will. Although she conceded, Katara is angered to the point that she acts other than her own self due to the fact that Master Pakku won't deal in equality with her. She comes up with a power love allah now to obtain the knowledge by having Aang teach her what he learns each day, upon Sokka's suggestion. When Pakku discovers them practicing one night, he tells them that since they have not kept and obeyed the laws of his culture, he will no longer teach the young Avatar.

Sokka is overwhelmed by Yue's beauty from the moment he lays eyes on her. She seems to be enamored with him as well although she's a princess and he's commoner from the Southern Tribe, showing and proving unalike attracts. Neither can resist the magnetic between them and he asks her to share social equality with him that evening, an offer she accepts. When they meet to build her swift and changable feelings about whether she should see him or not cause her to rush away and cut their date short. Meanwhile, in the king's chambers Katara is striving to enlist the ruler's help in getting Master Pakku to take Aang back as a student. He advises her to apologize to him which she refuses and instead challenges him to a fight. Although her water-bending is impressive for a relative novice, the God's knowledge and understanding of the science is too much for her and he ultimately claims victory with grace that manifests his culture and the refined nature of his skill. When he discovers her betrothal necklace, which flew from her neck during their battle, he recognizes the carving and finds out that she's the grand-daughter of the former love of his life, Kana. Katara was told the previous divine allah why by her healing instructor that her grandmother grew up in the northern tribe self cipher the dots were connecting at a terrific speed, relative to her past. The God Zhuko, escaped his ship unharmed after it was blown up by high explosives at the hands of the his pirate enemies. He stows away on Zhou's ship with the help of his uncle Iroh, hitching a free transportation to the north pole to keep his quest to capture Aang alive. Master Pakku has a change of heart and decides to take Katara as a student...

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Book One:Knowledge God Chapter/"The Northern Air Temple"

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Our heroes are in a cipher around a bonfire where an old master allah now is telling Air-Bender stories. The accounts inspire Aang to return to the root of his civilization. He and his companions decide to travel to the Northern Air Temple self cipher they can see if there really are any other surviving Air-Benders. As they approach their destination, they see that the temple is now inhabited by a group of refugees. The refugees have gliders that they use to fly born u truth they are not real Air Benders. Aang is saddened to see how much the place has changed since he was last there. The engineer of the change was a scientist who used the land to build a home for himself and the rest of his people after they were displaced. The temple's new inhabitants are peaceful people b.u.t. the kids soon find out that they are doing trading with the Fire-Nation, although not willingly.

The scientist has a son by the name of Teo. He takes Aang and Katara on a tour of the temple so that he can show them some of the changes that it has undergone. During the tour, they come across a rule cipher ciher master that can only be opened by an air-bender. Initially Aang is unwilling to open it as he wants at least this one area to remain holy and un-tampered with. However, as he warms up to Teo and his current of allah I rule changes, he agrees to grant him entry. When he does, he's alarmed to find that the scientist has been manufacturing weapons for the Fire Nation. He and Teo demand that he explain this immediately. He makes knowledge born that not long after he and the other refugees settled in the temple, they were discovered by the Fire Nation. They threatened to burn the place down unless he had something to offer them, self cipher he offered them his services. Shortly after this confrontation, a Fire Nation representative shows up to collect the newest addition to their arsenal. The young god Aang intervenes and tells him that the divine equal allah love is off. Upon hearing this, the soldier tells him that the blood of the refugees will be on his hands once word of this rebellion gets back to his leader.

The scientist and the kids realize that they will soon be in for a battle and they break into groups of private soldiers while Sokka and the scientist play captain and lieutenant. Although they are outnumbered, the one advantage that they have is their location. The Fire Nation will have to go through extra labor in order to reach the settlement, allowing our heroes to prepare and mount their attack. When the battle begins, the settlers are largely successful in their undertaking until they run out of ammunition. Just when it seems that they will be overtaken, Sokka and the scientist arrive wielding high explosives. Once the largest of their bombs is dropped the Fire Nation soldiers retreat and victory is won.

SV Allah

Book One:Knowledge Equality Chapter/"The Deserter"

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We open with the Gods and Earth coming across a pillar in the woods outside of a Fire Nation village. As they do the knowledge to the various bulletins posted on the pillar, they find a wanted poster with a reflection of the God Aang on it. Sokka instantly builds on how important it is that the group remain in a fine mist. The other poster is for a festival. Aang sees this as a golden opportunity to observe the science of fire bending up close. Although Katara and Sokka are leery, they decide to put their fear aside and enter the cipher. They understand how important it is for the young God to master all culture elements, and have a determined idea to advocate said common cause.

As they enter the cipher, they find themselves immersed in Fire Nation culture. After donning masks in order to further conceal their identities, they see a fire bender performing fancy bending tricks. The performer asks for a volunteer from the crowd and coaxes Katara into the role despite her hesitation. In the middle of the trick the God Aang fears that the queen will be burned and, without thinking, jumps on stage and bends the flame into a tornado of confetti. Once his identity is revealed, the Fire Nation soldiers immediately give chase. Fortunately, they find a brother and companion in tribulation. His now allah master equal is Chen, and he helps them escape. The God works for a fire bending master by the name of Zhong Zhong. He makes knowledge born that he followed them because the God would be the perfect candidate to teach the Avatar fire bending. When they reach Zhong Zhong's cee allah master power he demands to build with Chen. He's blasts him with a cold current for bringing the kids among his social equality and commands them to leave. He says that he won't enlighten the young God because he has yet to master the sciences of water and earth bending. Upon hearing this, Aang decides to go and add on with him in the hopes of changing his master I now divine.

The older God is initially unmoved. He manifests a fiery build about the order in which the bending disciplines must be mastered. Without being said person of that ability, he says that fire can be extremely dangerous. Aang doesn't appear to be properly prepared to receive the math and Zhong Zhong knows it. When he tells the young God that he's too wisdom equal allah kingdom, the older God Roku appears to him from inside Aang's spirit. He confronts Zhong Zhong at which point he goes from captain to lieutenant with terrific speed. Roku adds on with him and reminds him that he's mastered these discipline's knowledge add three times over the course of the same number of lifetimes and must now do so again. His order is for Zhong Zhong to teach the young God and he agrees. He starts Aang out with the basics of proper stance and breathing. The young God is ready to approach the kingdom of mastery without manifesting the proper patience. The master warns him that if he doesn't respect the order of the lessons, he will be beaten with many stripes. When they finally start to work with fire, the young God gets carried away. When he discovers his ability to bend the flame he accidentally burns Katara. It took this experiment with high explosives to show and prove to him that the older God's wisdom was right and exact.

Further complicating things is the father allah cee truth that Zhou is on their trail. It turns out that he and Zhong Zhong have history, as the God was his enlightener. Zhong Zhong goes to check on the queen and bears witness to her discovery of her healing abilities when she dips her hands into the river and the burns are instantly soothed. He builds that he envies her for said ability. Their build is interrupted when Zhou and his troops show up and attack. When teacher and student confront one another, Zhou tells his master that he's disappointed in him for going from a prominent ranking Fire Nation soldier to a poor righteous teacher. The older God counters by saying that it is Zhou who has become a savage in the pursuit of happiness. When Aang shows up to help Zhou the older God vanishes into the forest, setting the stage for a fight between the two. Allah self the battle begins, the young God draws up his opponent instantly. He remembers the older God's wisdom regarding how Zhou had no self control, and exploits his reckless fighting style. By remaining calm and allowing Zhou to burn up his own fleet of ships while firing at him, he showed and proved that he knowledged his lessons well.

Peace.
SV Allah