Avatar: The Last Airbender Reviews Admit the Show Is... Actually Good

TV Guide​

"In the right context, we'll happily ignore (even embrace!) any amount of low-budget visual malarkey. But that clearly isn't happening with Netflix's Last Airbender, for two obvious reasons: We have something better to compare it to, and this show simply doesn't have anything else to offer. Its thin writing and lack of emotional resonance provide a poor distraction from its technical flaws, reiterating that there's no good reason for this remake to exist in the first place." – TV Guide

Digital Spy​

"That brings us back around to the most important question of all: Why bother with a live-action remake if it's not going to be perfect? Did we really need another version of Aang's story on screen, especially when the original creators are now continuing the saga themselves with new animated sequels?

That won't really matter to a lot of people watching. In fact, most of these criticisms won't matter to viewers coming into Avatar's world for the first time. For those who are open to taking the remake at face value, there's a lot of fun to be had, and that's also true for longtime fans who approach the series with an open mind – even if some bits might feel off." – Digital Spy

The Hollywood Reporter

"It is sage counsel that Avatar itself clearly wants to take to heart. The live-action drama is positioned not just as a remake of the Nickelodeon animated saga but as a corrective to the disastrous 2010 movie adaptation, and it gamely tries to incorporate the lessons of both while forging its own darker path forward. If the effort is admirable, however, the execution is decidedly not. Rather than breathe fresh life into a familiar world, this Avatar serves only to remind that some beloved properties might be better left on ice." – The Hollywood Reporter

Paste Magazine​

"So, which is it: does this latest adaptation recapture lightening in a bottle, or were the warning signs an indication that this retread would be another miss? In short, although Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender can't fully capture the magic of its predecessor and falls into some of the pitfalls alluded to by the previously mentioned promotional soundbites, it still captures enough of the impact and gravitas of what came before to make this retelling land. After initially struggling to reconcile the original's "detours" with a more serialized plot, it eventually sets up a string of episodes that capture the cathartic moments, weighty subject matter, and joyful undercurrents that made this tale so affecting. The animated version is still undeniably the definitive one, but there are enough interesting additions here, especially in the final stretch, to make things worthwhile for those who already know how this adventure goes." – Paste Magazine

Empire

"Unfortunately, the action doesn't do much to compensate for this. The number one difficulty in any adaptation of fantasy from drawings to flesh-and-blood people is that a lot of things can feel less natural if not executed well – an existential concern for a show about manipulating the elements. The Last Airbender's action design is hit or miss: one fight in a marketplace, using various stall items, almost finds a sense of fun, while a later brawl between a waterbender and a firebender has some engaging momentum. But the rest feels limp, and often incoherent." – Empire

Collider​

"What weakens the show can be improved on. Longer seasons could help in the future, but what might help Avatar: The Last Airbender more is if the producers are not so precious with the source material. The desire to call back to scenes like the secret tunnel or the cabbage merchant may garner chuckles from animated show devotees but aren't integral to the story. Embracing the adaptation as just that – an adaptation – will go far in improving the series as a whole. Being unafraid to cut extraneous plotlines or even expand on familiar characters in new ways can help the series stand on its own. Overall, Season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender is a firm step in the right direction, with a solid foundation and also room to grow." – Collider

The Guardian​

"The landscapes sparkle, there is a giant six-legged flying bison that carries everyone spectacularly from place to place through the clouds and the young cast are up to the task. Ousley and Kiawentiio strike up a nicely spiky sibling relationship as Sokka and Katara, while Cormier gives Aang the right mix of boyish cheek and inherent authority, as the three of them uphold the impression that a child and two teenagers can defeat genocidal authoritarians with wholesome pluck, gentle sarcasm and the ability to summon a hurricane. The Airbender franchise has confidently revived itself; this won't be the last we see of it." – The Guardian

The Wrap​

"Behind-the-scenes shakeups aside, new showrunner Albert Kim and his team have stepped up and proven worthy custodians of the rich "Avatar" universe. While not a beat-for-beat adaptation, this beautifully crafted revival captures the original's spirit while updating aspects that needed to be addressed better." – The Wrap

IGN

"Don't think of Netflix's latest animation-to-live-action series as a straight adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but rather as a dramatic reimagining of the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon. This show works not by rehashing every shot, but thanks to an intimate focus on showcasing its cast of compelling characters. Already powerful emotional moments gain new depth thanks to a willingness to depict what's only alluded to in the original series. Granted, this interpretation has its fair share of flaws, but it's a far cry from M. Night Shyamalan's disastrous 2010 spin on young hero Aang's mission to master air, fire, water, and earth and defeat the villainous Fire Lord. The amount of unconvincing special effects, clunky moments of exposition, and its rush to cover so much story in just eight episodes is not insignificant, but even their powers combined don't outweigh everything this Last Airbender gets right. Above all else, it has its heart in the right place – and for Team Avatar, that's what matters most." – IGN

The Rolling Stones

"Does the Netflix show need to exist, when the streaming giant is also hosting all three seasons of the cartoon, plus all four seasons of Legend of Korra? No, but that kind of logic hasn't stopped Disney from generating a lot of money with beat-for-beat live-action remakes of its own animated classics like Beauty and the Beast, or Netflix from leaning hard in this direction with recent new takes on Cowboy Bebop (which the audience rejected) and One Piece (which at least earned a second season). As these things go, this new Last Airbender is entertaining enough to work for newcomers to this world, and respectful enough to remind the cartoon's fans why they loved that world in the first place." – The Rolling Stones