The Last Airbender is a live version of the  first season of the animation Avatar: The Last Airbender that premiered and aired on Nickelodeon .  The live action version of is a little dark but visually breathtaking however it lacks a bit with story even though I did appreciated some points of it. Most reviews I have read gave it negative reviews. Matter of fact they were down right nasty on some. Honestly it was not that bad. But it was not that great either. You have to make it through the first 1/2 hour or so then it picks up and draws you in. I remember saying to myself in the opening moments this is going to painful. Oh well at least the 3D is kind of cool. But as the film progressed so did the story plot and to some part the acting which I thought could of used a bit of help.

I think like most films this one tried to hard to capture the visual of the world much like another film with a similar name had done.  The 3D and scenery was dead on and pleasing. Problem with films of this nature is that they skimp on the plot and performance. Films relying on effects alone generally tank and never get past the first movie. I think if it was not for the climatic ending which actually caught my attention this film would of been a horrid attempt on good idea.

Here is how I break the film up for you

Acting 3 out of 5 . Not great but there has been worse

Plot 3 out of 5 .  Good plot sadly the script did not support it

Effects 5 out of 5. On the money especially if you see it in 3D

Script 2 out 5. Some people confuse this with plot but not that is not true. As this film shows you can have a good plot and butcher it up with a poor script,

Bottom line this film gets 3 out of 5 stars. The film is not for everybody. Kids and fans of the american animated series will like it and those that just like special effects and really do not care to much about anything else will also like it. Those looking for mind stimulating ( even though some of the concepts about elemental spirits may hit home to some ) will be very disappointed.

*****

Plot summery from the free and open source encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA

One hundred years ago, a twelve-year-old Airbender named Aang learns he is the new Avatar, the only person in his generation capable of controlling and manipulating all four elements to his will and the one tasked with maintaining peace between the Four Nations of the world. Fearful of the heavy responsibilities of being the Avatar, Aang flees from home on his animal guide, a flying bison called Appa. Caught by a fierce storm, they crash into the ocean, and Aang’s protective Avatar State freezes them in a state of suspended animation inside an iceberg. Right after his disappearance, Fire Lord Sozin launches a genocidal campaign against the Air Nomads in hopes of wiping out the Avatar so he can achieve his plot for the Fire Nation to rule the world.

In the present, Aang becomes unfrozen by a fourteen-year-old Waterbender girl named Katara, and her older warrior brother, Sokka from the Southern Water Tribe. This attracts the attention of Zuko, the Prince of the Fire Nation who was exiled by his father: The current Fire Lord Ozai. Arriving to Southern Water Tribe, Zuko demands the elderly under the impression that Avatar is an old person until Aang is found. Aang surrenders himself to Zuko as long as he agrees to leave the village alone. Aboard Zuko’s ship, Aang is at Zuko’s mercy, but he eventually manages to maneuver away from the guards before Katara and Sokka arrive on Appa, making their escape. Aang and friends visit the Southern Air Temple where the Avatar learns that he was in the ice for a century and the Fire Nation wiped out every on he knew there, entering the Avatar State and meeting a dragon spirit. It was there Aang meets up with the only known remaining “winged lemurbat”, naming it “Momo” as it joins Aang’s group. Meanwhile, Zuko and his uncle, the military genius Iroh, run into Commander Zhao, who belittles the exiled prince.

Arriving in a small Earth Kingdom town that is controlled by the Fire Nation, Aang’s group are arrested while helping a boy named Haru. They then incite a rebellion with an inspiring speech. Soon after, Katara finds a waterbending scroll that she uses to perfect her skills while helping Aang master waterbending as they make their way to the Northen Water Tribe and liberate more Earth Kingdom villages in the process. During a side track to the Northern Air Temple on his own, Aang is captured by a group of Fire Nation Yuu Yan archers, commanded by Admiral Zhao. However, a masked marauder, the “Blue Spirit,” rescues Aang from Zhao before being knocked unconscious during the escape. Discovering that his rescuer is Zuko, Aang takes him to safety under a cloak of fog before leaving him to continue his journey. Aware that Zuko is the “Blue Spirit,” Zhao arranges the prince’s demise. But Zuko survives the attempt on his life and, with Iroh’s help, sneaks aboard Zhao’s lead ship as his fleet departs for the Northern Water Tribe to execute the plan he and Ozai set up with the scrolls from the Library detailing the spirits there.

Upon arriving, Aang’s group is welcomed warmly by the citizens of the Northern Water Tribe as Sokka falls in love with princess Yue while Aang and Katara master their waterbending skills under Pakku. Once the Fire Nation armada arrives, Zhao begins his attack while Zuko infiltrates the tribe on his own, capturing Aang while he entered the spirit world to find the dragon spirit to give him the wisdom to defeat the Fire Nation. Coming to, Aang battles Zuko before Katara freezes him. As the battles escalates, Iroh is unable to stop Zhao’s plan to slay the moon spirit Tui, causing the waterbenders to lose their ability to waterbend. However, Yue, who was imbued with some of the energy of the Moon spirit when she was a newborn, sacrifices her life to revive the Moon spirit. As Zhao is drowned by Waterbenders after Zuko and Iroh leave him to his fate, Aang uses the ocean to drive the armada back. When news of Zhao’s death and Iroh’s betrayal reaches him, Ozai appoints his daughter Azula to pursue Aang and hinder him in any way before Sozin’s Comet makes its return in three years’ time.