Avatar The Last Airbender Live Action Season 1 Review

Sokka and Katara find Aang.

Source: Netflix

Overall: 7.4/10

Story 7.3/10

Aang is a gifted, young prodigy. But he has a tremendous weight thrust upon his shoulders. The world needs him. But he has other plans. Those plans lead him to awaken 100 years later and far away from home. 

He still isn’t ready to become the Avatar. But with his friends' help, he can right some of the wrongs that happen in the world while he is asleep, as he prepares to take on the tremendous challenge. Along the way, hopefully, he'll learn from those he encounters.

General Iroh and Zuko devise a plan to capture Aang.

Source: Netflix

Character 7.5/10

Aang (Gordon Cormier) feels guilty that when the world needed him the most, he wasn’t there. He wants to become the Avatar. But taking on the world's problems is so daunting at times. He tries to meet them head-on to make amends. But it leads him to clash with his friends because they want him to rely on them.

Katara (Kiawentiio) wants to become stronger, so she can protect the ones she loves. She hasn’t always been strong enough to do that. And it haunts her. 

Sokka (Ian Ousley) just wants to make his dad proud. He believes he must protect his village—the task his father gave him before he left to fight. The way Sokka sees it is that he has to save the world to keep his village safe. 

General Iroh, (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) the Dragon of the West, is a warrior and a philosopher. He loves his nephew and wishes for his success. He sees the compassion in the boy and believes it is a strength. He wants Zuko to understand that truth.

Zuko (Dallas Liu) is compassionate. But his father has taught him that it is a weakness. He wars with himself to purge his compassion, so his father will be proud of him.

Azula (Elizabet Yu) is ruthless. She loves nothing but power and her father’s praise.

Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) believes that peace can only be achieved through the dominion of the Fire Nation. 

Commander Zhao (Ken Leung) is Littlefingeresque. He will do any and everything to rise up in the ranks, even if it means destroying the world to do it. 

Aang taps into the Avatar power.

Source: Netflix

Final Thoughts

The live-action adaptation of Avatar The Last Airbender makes for compelling storytelling. Perhaps the key is that it doesn't shy too far from the source material. At any rate, this viewer can’t wait for the seasons to come.