Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender marks the first project to emerge from Avatar Studios and the first animated return to the franchise in 12 years. And as a grand comeback, it mostly succeeds. It’s a visually stunning return to Aang’s story, and it impressively captures the heart and ideology of the original Avatar: The Last Airbender. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of the main series, but it’s a fun chance to catch up with Team Avatar as adults. It’ll leave viewers wanting more from them, which is both a point in its favor and proof that it would benefit from a slightly longer runtime. Fans of the franchise will devour what’s there, though, proving this is a worthy jumping-off point for Avatar Studios as a whole.
As promised by its synopsis, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender follows Aang as he attempts to bring the Air Nomads back from extinction. He discovers a power that opens the door for new airbenders to emerge, prompting the Gaang to embark on a mission to find it. Dave Bautista’s villain, Tagah, complicates matters, forcing Aang to grapple with what happened to his people. He has to decide if bringing his culture back is worth risking the harmony that he and the others have worked toward since the Hundred Year War. It’s a difficult choice that raises deeper conversations — and gives way to a timely story with plenty of depth beneath its gorgeous visuals and charm.
The absolute highlight of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender is the gorgeous animation, which makes the film a spectacle throughout. It doesn’t matter if the characters are just sitting around and bantering or fighting to save a city. The result is the same: the movie delivers stunning imagery that fully immerses fans in its fantasy world. It elevates both the minor moments and bigger action pieces. And the latter are on par with some of Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s best showdowns visually, if not emotionally. Those who miss fight sequences centered on bending will get plenty of them, and it’s made better by the characters being more experienced and confident when using their powers.
It’s clear this movie was made to be seen in theaters, which makes it all the more disappointing that Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender will only play in a select few. This would undoubtedly be more beautiful on the big screen, but it’s still a feat regardless. It also manages to evoke the nostalgia and emotions you’d expect from a long-awaited sequel. It’s a natural continuation of the Gaang’s story, bringing the emotional blows, charming character moments, and humorous one-liners Avatar: The Last Airbender is known for.
Although the animation is the strongest element of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, the story itself is compelling. It bridges the gap between The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, showing Aang’s efforts to bring back the Air Nation. It unpacks his feelings about being the last airbender, as well as his grief and guilt over what happened to his people. His trauma is something that Avatar: The Last Airbender could have explored more deeply, so it’s nice to see it fully acknowledged here. Aang’s pain is palpable, and it mirrors that of Bautista’s villain nicely. It raises interesting conversations about the cycle of violence and what causes it, giving the film a strong emotional core.
Like the original series, the sequel does a good job of balancing these heavier themes of loss, trauma, and revenge with the brighter spots in Aang’s journey. The bonds between the members of Team Avatar are stronger than ever, and it really is a joy to see them all working together again. The new voice talent falls into their roles well, nailing the characters’ distinct personalities. Sokka is as sarcastic as ever, Katara continues to be the empathetic moral center, and Aang remains goofy and optimistic even with age. Their interactions with one another make it feel like no time has passed, and they’ll leave fans of the original series grinning at their TV.
It’s not just the character dynamics that feel like a homecoming, either. Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender contains plenty of allusions to the original series, giving diehard fans Easter eggs and references to grasp onto. It makes it so easy to fall into this new adventure, though it’s not without its flaws.
Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender nails the philosophy and tone of the original show, but it would benefit from a longer runtime or tighter pacing. There are a lot of moving parts to squeeze into a feature film, and as a result, certain characters and storylines feel sidelined and rushed. Aang’s journey — the most important part of the story — is seamless at least. Bautista’s villain gets an equally well-crafted arc. (The actor also kills it in his role and might be the best part of the entire film.)
However, the sequel’s secondary antagonists make the breakneck pacing feel more noticeable. Despite adding some interesting lore to the timeline between ATLA and Legend of Korra, their characterization leaves a lot to be desired. It feels as though their role should have been expanded or cut altogether. Team Avatar also doesn’t get a ton of screen time on the individual level, which is understandable but a tad disappointing. There are a couple of plot conveniences that get breezed over a little too quickly, too, which may leave viewers scratching their heads.
These are small complaints in the grand scheme of things, and they hardly impact the experience Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender offers. Even with its shortcomings, it marks a worthy return to the franchise and offers hope that future projects out of Avatar Studios will be just as strong. It’s certainly worth experiencing once…and it’s probably a film that will be added to the end of every Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra rewatch from here on out.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender debuts on Paramount+ on July 25.
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