I went into this movie with really low expectations, and still managed to be profoundly disgusted. By about fifteen minutes in, I was unsure if anyone that had worked on this project had actually bothered to watch the show.
We'll start with the honestly important plot points of the first season that were left out and/or changed needlessly. 1. Suki. Completely MIA. Suki, who has a role in the second season and becomes a pretty central character in the third. How are we supposed to introduce her now? 2. Zuko's ENTIRE MOTIVATION. In case you hadn't noticed, it's never actually explained why Zuko wants the Avatar so much. The story of his banishment is told, but not the terms of it. 3. The Comet comes in three years. Every scrap of urgency that space-rock endowed on the plot has been stripped. I mean, wasn't that really the driving force, the race against time that was in the background? It didn't show up often, but you definitely got the sense that they couldn't waste time.
Now, the issues with characters.
1. Aang. Where is the lovable, happy-go-lucky kid from the series? It's pointed out multiple times in canon that, while he's the Avatar and he has this huge responsibility, he tries to act twelve as much as possible. Yeah, a few times he falls into a Heroic BSOD related to what he has to do, but those episodes are usually plot-important ones. He doesn't just angst and look upset for no reason.
2. Katara. Katara, what have they done to you? This is even more of a cardboard cutout than actor!Katara from The Ember Island Players, and I am shocked that they managed that. Katara in the series is awesome, a true role model for a strong female character. Not only is she caring and kind, but she kicks metric fucktons of ass. She singlehandedly gets an entire culture to rethink its prejudices, for God's sake! Oh yeah, that little scene? Where she, a waterbender with no formal training, takes on an Old Master and actually puts up a serious fight? One of her Crowning Moments for the first season? Not there. Along with her healing abilities, and her various other character development points over the course of the season.
Well...this is thoroughly disappointing.
I went into this movie with really low expectations, and still managed to be profoundly disgusted. By about fifteen minutes in, I was unsure if anyone that had worked on this project had actually bothered to watch the show.
We'll start with the honestly important plot points of the first season that were left out and/or changed needlessly. 1. Suki. Completely MIA. Suki, who has a role in the second season and becomes a pretty central character in the third. How are we supposed to introduce her now? 2. Zuko's ENTIRE MOTIVATION. In case you hadn't noticed, it's never actually explained why Zuko wants the Avatar so much. The story of his banishment is told, but not the terms of it. 3. The Comet comes in three years. Every scrap of urgency that space-rock endowed on the plot has been stripped. I mean, wasn't that really the driving force, the race against time that was in the background? It didn't show up often, but you definitely got the sense that they couldn't waste time.
Now, the issues with characters.
1. Aang. Where is the lovable, happy-go-lucky kid from the series? It's pointed out multiple times in canon that, while he's the Avatar and he has this huge responsibility, he tries to act twelve as much as possible. Yeah, a few times he falls into a Heroic BSOD related to what he has to do, but those episodes are usually plot-important ones. He doesn't just angst and look upset for no reason.
2. Katara. Katara, what have they done to you? This is even more of a cardboard cutout than actor!Katara from The Ember Island Players, and I am shocked that they managed that. Katara in the series is awesome, a true role model for a strong female character. Not only is she caring and kind, but she kicks metric fucktons of ass. She singlehandedly gets an entire culture to rethink its prejudices, for God's sake! Oh yeah, that little scene? Where she, a waterbender with no formal training, takes on an Old Master and actually puts up a serious fight? One of her Crowning Moments for the first season? Not there. Along with her healing abilities, and her various other character development points over the course of the season.
Cont'd in part two.