Worst adaptation ever. Really.

I didn’t even have high expectations. In fact, I had dismal expectations. But somehow, unfathomably, M. Knight Shyamalan did worse than even that.

What I’m talking about, geeks, is the recent film The Last Airbender, the film adaptation of the hit Nickeledoen anime-inspired show Avatar: The Last Airbender (which is also my most recent obsession).

I’m a little late on my review, but I can sum it up in three words: Worst. Adaptation. Ever.

Yeah.

For those not familiar with the premise, the film (and show) follows the story of Aang, the Avatar, in a world divided by four nations: the Water tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. Citizens within each nation are “benders”, meaning they can bend the element of their respective homeland. The Avatar, who can control all of the elements, is the one who keeps the peace, but after he disappears for 100 years, the Fire Nation tries to take over the world. Book 1 of the show and the film follow Aang as he wakes up from 100 years in an iceberg to help save the world as the finally found Avatar, and also the last of the airbenders.

Deep for a cartoon, right? It’s also really good, too. But don’t worry, Shyamalan had to do what he did to his career and and reduce it to garbage. Seriously. For any fans of the show out there, he slaughtered it. The writing was abysmal. The acting was mediocre at best, though I don’t really blame those poor kids–the writing ruined any chance they had, and that doesn’t include Dev Patel (of Slumdog Millionaire and Skins fame) as the complicated antagonist Prince Zuko (who is also my personal favorite).

On top of those core ingredients, the special effects sucked. The bending sequences were way too slow and the last-minute conversion to 3D was a joke not worth my twelve dollars.

And for goodness sake, the main character’s name is pronounced Aaaaang, not Ohhhhng, Shyamalan! (And Sokka, not Sooohka!) I get it, you’re trying to use the proper pronunciation. Doesn’t really work with this kind of a following–we’re sticklers for important detail. Not to mention your demographic is kids age 9-14. It just looks like you’re trying to cover up your racially dodgy casting by using the correct Asian pronunciation.

Geeks, skip the movie. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse was better (and you know how I feel about the Twilight films). I wanted it to make money so that when they hopefully fire Shyamalan and try to adapt Book 2, the funding can be there. It’s made enough.

Don’t waste your time at the multiplex–just Netflix the show.

Till next time when I cleanse myself of this atrocity.

May the geek be with you,

Lindsay