This is the first production under the new Avatar Studios, a company that has nothing to do with the James Cameron franchise. Over twenty years ago, the cable channel Nickelodeon released the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005). It became one of the highest rated programs on that network. It was so successful that it spawned comic books, novels, video games, a spin-off animated series, and a 2010, live-action film adaptation by Paramount Pictures, which didn't do well or was received well. In 2024, Netflix produced a live-action series that renewed interest in the franchise and addressed casting issues that plagued the 2010 film. The resurgence on Netflix prompted Nickelodeon to create Avatar Studios in order to regulate future projects in this franchise. This film was meant to get a wide release in theaters, but production delays and an online leak caused the film to be given simply a limited release in New York and Los Angeles only in screenings that have been selling out.
The original, Nickelodeon show and even the Netflix installment focused on a young boy named Aang who is the chosen one. He's the reincarnation of a magical being called the "avatar." He lives in a world where certain people possess powers that control particular elements. There are four, major elements: water, earth, fire, and air. If you're a person who can control water through telekinetic means, you're called a water-bender. If you can control or manipulate earth, you're called an earth-bender. If it's fire, you're a fire-bender. Aang can control the air, so he's an air-bender. According to the history of this franchise, there was a war that lasted for 100 years, which started when the fire-benders attacked the other benders, resulting in a genocide that killed all other air-benders, except Aang who was saved by being frozen in ice.
Eric Nam is a k-pop star. He voices Aang who was frozen in ice at the age of 12. When he was released, he was helped by members of young people from each of the other tribes to stop the war started by the fire-benders. That was basically the events of the original, Nickelodeon series. This film takes place 13 years after those events, which means Aang is now 25. This film is essentially a sequel to the 2005 series.
Jessica Matten (Dark Winds and Frontier) voices Katara, the water-bender who helped to free Aang from the ice. She went on to help him end the 100-year war. She did so by teaching Aang how to be a water-bender. What's special about Aang is that instead of being one kind of bender, Aang can be all four. He trained with Katara in every episode, learning from her and training with her. They grew close, seemingly as friends but their relationship grew into a romance. Her experience is different. She grew up surrounded by a tribe and people like her. Aang didn't. He's the last of his people and that affects him in a certain way.
Dave Bautista (Dune and Guardians of the Galaxy) voices Tagah, a large, muscular man whom Aang finds encased in ice. When Aang frees him, he learns that Tagah is also an air-bender. As such, Aang gets excited because he finally has what Katara had. He has someone like him, someone from his original tribe. That kind of connection and that kind of commonality are very attractive. It goes to his identity and his fundamental culture. There's also another question that Tagah's presence raises.
If one recalls The Incredibles (2004), the idea was people with powers versus people without powers. Aang and Katara are people who were born with powers. They're benders, but the people without powers are non-benders. For the most part, non-benders accept those with powers. This film introduces the concept of non-benders not accepting them. I'm not sure the film does a great job of developing these characters that call themselves "the Denied." Thematically, they compare to Tagah because it's revealed that Tagah wasn't born a bender. He was made one. The Denied want the same. Yet, that's all we get about them. We barely get their names or much more characterization.
This film perhaps should have saved the Denied characters for the next entry in the franchise. There isn't much time here to develop them. The focus should have been on Aang and Tagah's relationship and conflict. Otherwise, the animation is glorious. Reportedly, the production delays were so that more work could be done with the animation. If that's the case, it was worth the wait. I'm certainly primed for more adventures with this Aang and his team.
Rated PG for violence and action.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 38 mins.
Available on Paramount Plus.
