First images from M.Night's Avatar: The Last Airbender film

http://avatardestinyportal.com/


I don't think they look so bad.
I think Noah Ringer looks dead on as Ang.

 

How is this guy allowed to make big films? Hasn't pretty much every film since 6th Sense been panned?

 

Nope, Unbreakable & Signs were fairly good success.

 

They've toned down Zuko's scar as well as making Aang's tattoos more subtle. Not surprising, really, and not a bad idea; in live action and on the big screen, you want to go subtler.

Signs was a better box-office success, I believe, but Unbreakable was a much better movie.

 

Agreed.

See, miracles do happen.
However, seeing how your were one of the most vocal about having non-Asian actors in the roles, has your opinion changed now that you've seen these photos?

 

I could live with Ringer as Aang if they'd cast more appropriate-looking actors as Katara and Sokka. I can't help noticing that they've avoided releasing any publicity images of those two in character.

And I still think that most of the decisions behind this movie -- starting with the choice of Shyamalan as its director -- have been monumentally, bewilderingly wrong. I still say that The Forbidden Kingdom is what an Avatar movie should've been: filmed in China with an almost entirely Asian cast, taking advantage of glorious, authentic Chinese locations and studio sets rather than making do with Pennsylvania, employing the best wuxia martial-arts talent in the world, directed by someone who knows how to make fun, smart, bright, energetic movies. The best I can hope for from this film is that it won't be as big a disaster as it initially seemed.

 

Just a note, but there's already a thread about this here: http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=93913&page=2

 

Damn, I can never be original around here.

 

While I understand where you're coming from, I think the studio thinking is M. Night is a man who's films contain a positive message and I think they feel the message in Avatar is more important that where you film it or the heritage of those in the cast. Besides, wasn't Forbidden Kingdom about two Asians going out of their way to look after the White kid? So despite the Asian cast, the focus was still the White guy.

 

I've had a problem with the movie since they decided to go live-action. I had this pipe dream that Konietzko, DiMartino, and their team could put together a 2D animated movie that would rock. For God's sake, the season finale looked incredible on a TV budget, imagine what they could do with a little more cash. I think Nickelodeon and Paramount are trying to make it into the next Pirates or Lord of the Rings trilogy and I'm not sure if they can succeed, especially with M. Night as the director. His directorial style seems to be the complete opposite of what Avatar should have. What's worse is that he is writing the script. I don't want The Last Airbender to be like the Golden Compass.

All that being said, I hope the movie is successful, respectful to the series and it's creators, and holds itself to the same high standards that the show had. Personally, I think Avatar was one of the best shows on the air and I don't want this movie to kill a franchise that could have years of storytelling left in it.

 

Signs was seen as a terrible movie, though, particularly the ending. I don't know about Unbreakable.

 

People opinions are after the fact the film made good money openning weekend.

 

I have found all of his movies, even the less successful ones, to at least be interesting. And let's face it, a property like this, for Hollywood, is probably as preeminent and distinguished as Street Fighter/Dragon Ball so I doubt they'd get any better.

Besides as much as The Forbidden Kingdom may have had the trappings it was not a very good movie.

 

True, true.

 

I thought it was excellent.

 

I don't think he's gotten any better since Unbreakable.

As for Avatar, I've never been a huge fan of the series, so I'm pretty ambivalent about the film. I may have to go see it though, since a friend of mine got to be an extra.

 

I think he's gotten progressively worse since then. I think he had two good movies in him and then his style became tiresome.

 

I disagree.
While the stories haven't all been top notch, outside of "The Happening" his cinematography, lighting and acting (William Hurt & Paul Giomantti) have been top notch.

 

Possibly.

I honestly though Lady in The Water was at least interesting, if not very poorly executed.

I still stand by Paul Giamatti's performance in that though.

 

What a twist!