The Glade 4.0

What're we thinking on this movie, The Last Airbender? I've never really been a big fan of M. Night, but this looks like it could be a "fun" MA movie.

_________________
“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

I've seen the commercial once. It looks entertaining even though it seems to be aimed at a younger audience. I'd watch it, but I'm not sure if I'd need to see it in the theater.

What I'm thinking on this movie is that it's a shame such interesting looking special effects (and the whole elemental theme) are wasted on an anime franchise, almost ensuring that the plot will hold zero appeal to me.

_________________
"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

I have no desire to see this movie for two reasons:

One- I know the source material and it sucks. Really hard. Why they decided to make a movie based on something so horrible is beyond me.

Two- M. Night Shyamalan has never made a good movie ever.

_________________
Los Angeles Kings 2014 Stanley Cup Champions

"I love this **** team right here."
-Jonathan Quick

I didn't know it was based on other source material.

Anybody care to elaborate?

_________________
“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

I'm no fan of anime either. However, I'm giving the filmakers the benefit of the doubt that they would realize the need to retool the material to produce an appealing and coherant live-action movie. Either way, my expectations are "mid-to-low".

Yes, but you don't like anything.

_________________

Holy shitsnacks!

1) It's based on a Nickelodeon cartoon called Avatar: The Last Airbender. Despite the aesthetic, it's not anime. It was created, written and produced by Americans. It draws on Eastern cultures to populate its world, but the storytelling is Western.

2) It's a very good show. Aside from very occasional slips into typical Nickelodeon humor (the hero's luck drago...er, flying bison has a tendency to sneeze and send mucus flying, for instance), but on the whole it's a very mature, well-written and well-planned show. See #1 for most likely reason (lack of Japanese storytelling).

3) Basic idea is that the regions of this world are populated by four distinct groups, each of which have members who can "bend" the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. There is one avatar born each generation, who can master all four elements. The previous avatar died 100 years ago, and the subsequent avatar was never found. So the firebenders took the opportunity to wage war and kill all of the airbenders (the next group in the cycle to birth an avatar), then lay seige to the other nations for control. Aang, the last airbender (ladies and gentlemen, we have a title!), is found and set out to master his avatar powers to bring the world back to balance.

4) The M. Night live-action film has received some of the worst reviews I've ever read. It's currently holding a 9% approval rating on RottenTomatoes, which is up from the 5% of the earliest reviews.

The original series was fantastic. It is very much anime despite it's developers heritage but it actually provides closure for an ending which breaks from the genre pretty significantly.

_________________

From the "is it racist" article:


This person had some good points, but this closing just makes me think they're PISSED.

Regardless, with rotten tomatoes putting it at 9% (after NINETY EIGHT REVIEWS) I don't think this movie is going to affect anyone. For comparison, Weekend at Bernie's 2 is at 11%.

I liked Sixth Sense. However, I despise the quote "I see [insert word here] people" now.

The source material is one of the cartoons that has been on the air in this country.

Unfortunately, the movie is garbage.

Unbreakable was great IMHO.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, and despite any other quibbles one might have the goofier elements of the plot, Signs is exceptionally well-crafted. Hell, aside from the incredible hubris of casting himself as a writer whose works were so good that they change the world, I even enjoyed Lady in the Water. Conversely, I thought The Village was absolutely terrible, and the only way I could possibly be coerced to watch The Happening is by way of Rifftrax (though it hasn't yet occurred).

I'm probably one of the few that pretty much likes all his movies in one shape or another. Either I dig the story or the acting is really well done. Lady in the Water and The Village seem to take a lot of crap for their stories but Paul Giamatti was awesome and I thought J. Phoenix and BDH were great.

_________________
"It is true that democracy undermines freedom when voters believe they can live off of others' productivity, when they modify the commandment: 'Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.' The politics of plunder is no doubt destructive of both morality and the division of labor."

Can't say I'm really a fan of Shyamalan, but I did really enjoy the cartoon this is based off of. I'm a little worried about the film, though.

_________________

I hate a lot of things. But all with reason(people don't have to agree with the reason, but I have reasons). I don't hate something just to hate it. Shyamalan movies are just painfully predictable(despite how a lot of people go on and on about how unexpected his plot twists are).

And I like all kinds of things. Dogs, for example. They rock. I love dogs. And I also love 80s action flicks. Totally awesome.

_________________
Los Angeles Kings 2014 Stanley Cup Champions

"I love this **** team right here."
-Jonathan Quick

I am looking forward to this movie. I disgree with much of what they said in the "Racist" article regarding the movie.

Just shut up, stop thinking so much and watch the damned movie.

_________________
Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

Do NOT see this movie. Phe and I suffered so that you don't have to follow in our footsteps.

Ugh. So, so bad. Absolutely incompetent on every single level.

LOL, it's at 9% on rottentomatoes and you still went to see it? Risk taker!

A movie reviewer I've come to trust is Howard Tayler, author of Schlock mercenary. He does Twitter reviews occasionally. Here is his for Airbender:

If you love the Airbender anime, the movie is abominable. If you don’t care, the movie is merely “very bad.”

_________________
The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

That is a succinct and accurate review, on both counts. Although I would substitute "very bad" with "utterly terrible."

I have heard further reports that M Night should be beaten for this atrocity... I still plan to see it, but now I will wait for it to hit HBO or Starz

_________________
Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

Didn't decide to listen to lovable Lenas?