Critique of The Last Airbender - Essay Example

Art Education 160 Film Critical Essay on The Last Airbender Introduction Film, which is an art of making motion pictures,encompasses different criteria or qualities by which its aesthetic quality can be evaluated depending on the person viewing it. Its critical analysis and classification as an exemplary and astounding film depends on the subjective nature of the person who viewed it. However, when majority of the critique supports a consensus on the various aspects of a movie, then, viewers would have to decide for themselves if indeed, the generalizations are validated or to be contested. In this regard, the essay is written to proffer a critical evaluation of the film, The Last Airbender, using descriptive, interpretative and judgmental skills. The analysis would be written in the light of discussing theoretical concepts of literary elements, including dramatic, cinematic and language aspects. Likewise, one would determine what the movie is really about and a "moral to the story," a theme to be explored, or comment to think about. Finally, one would present what the point of the movie is and the personal meaning of the film in ones perception. Descriptive Aspects 1. Synposis of the Movie The Last Airbender is a movie written, produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan who was nominated for 2 Oscars in the categories of Best Director and Best Writing for the movie, The Sixth Sense in 1999 (Internet Movie Database, 2010). The movie was an adaptation of Nickelodeon’s TV animated series entitled Avatar: the Last Airbender. The movie was presented as a narration by one of the principal characters, Katara (Nicola Peltz) on the theme of the story which evolves on their world being divided into four elements: Air, Water, Earth and Fire. Peace used to prevail in their world with an Avatar balancing all forces of nature. When the Avatar disappeared, the Fire Nation, led by Lord Ozai launched war on all the nations claiming superiority over all elements. The film is a depiction of Book 1: Water, where the plot evolves on the Avatar’s honing his water bending skills. 2. Characters The major characters are all youngsters composed of the following: the airbender, who is also the Avatar, is played by Aang (Noah Ringer). The water bender is a young teenaged girl, Katara (Nicola Peltz) was the narrator in the film. Her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone) accompanies Katara and Ang to journey to the Northern Water Tribe to seek for a master who would teach him water bending skills. Finally, Prince Zuko (Dev Patel) is the son of Lord Ozai leader of the Fire Nation, who aims to capture the Avatar and bring him to his father, Lord Ozai, so that the Fire Nation would eventually rule the world. 3. Cinematic Aspects The special effects in the movie showed water-earth-air and fire bending skills as exemplified through the portrayal of the characters. The viewers expected the special effects to conform to those shown in the animated series. However, the limitations on visual adaptation produced restricted effects contributing to viewers’ failed expectations. In one scene, the air effects of Aang while aimed at the Fire soldiers failed to correctly match the delivery to the intended reaction. The soldiers immediately fell even when the wind has not reached them yet. In addition, when Katara first displayed the water bending skills by forming a globe of water and eventually splashing it to her brother Sokka, he did not even get wet. Overall, the characters failed to effectively match their actions to the cinematic aspects required in their roles. Interpretative Analysis The movie failed to elicit the expected response from the viewers due to an interplay of dysfunctional aspects. The decision to adapt an anime film into a live genre contributed to the predicament of: (1) capturing the nature of the animation with colorful and bright visual effects in a parallel form into live action; (2) trying to lump the story into a film of 103 minutes necessitated narrating and cutting most of the relevant events known to the viewers who previously patronized the anime series; (3) the original characters were known to be of Asian descent and viewers were disappointed to see them changed into Whites with portrayals of rules fashioned into a box lacking in expressive and innovative interpretations of the actions they are supposed to manifest; and (4) the cinematic and special effects failed to enhance the overall quality of the film due to mismatch of actions and lack of grandeur expected from the elements. Judgmental Analysis The film, The Last Airbender, failed to be part of the category of an aesthetically beautiful film in terms of failing all its literary elements. It was not just the plot, the characters, the audiovisual quality, or the moral of the story. It is in fact the interplay of all these factors and elements failed to make The Last Airbender believable, credible and noteworthy from among the rest. Random House Dictionary (2009) defines beauty as “the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).” Aesthetics, on the other hand, solicit diverse meanings, to wit: “the study of art and beauty” (Steinbauer 2006); “....""Aesthetics"" or esthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the definition of beauty” (Singh 2008). The concept of beauty is subjective in nature as it had been popularly coined by the phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” (Martin 2009). The most critical factors that qualify a film or movie as good in my own conviction are as follows: (1) a good plot (or the content of the story), (2) the quality and choice of casts, (3) genre, (4) excellent audio visual quality, (5) cinematography (or the form which is the actual beauty of fine art) and (6) moral or message of the story. Contemporary films do not necessarily comply with the standards of aesthetic quality despite the developments and utilization of technology to apply special effects. In fact, according to Osider (2009), “lately, the blockbuster has fallen into the habit of replacing beautiful form with thrills. These films contain mainly shallow themes and impressive special effects. The audience might like the film, but again that does not make it a good one.” An aesthetically crafted film should show a good quality that not only entertains but inspires. The content and form combine beautifully to create film art. Osider (2009) appropriately avers that “for while Hollywood is aesthetically strong, its content is morally weak. Some of the most beautiful films can have very little real morality in them. This of course supports the fact that to make a good piece of art, the creator needs a balance of form and content.” I conform to my original standards that for a film to be considered beautiful and of aesthetic quality, aside from the traits enumerated, the message or moral of the story should leave a lasting mark in the minds and hearts of the viewing audience. In all counts, The Last Airbender has failed to elicit the expectations of viewers in all the literary elements for it to qualify as an aesthetically beautiful film. Conclusion One of the factors considered as relevant to classify a film as good is the message. The Last Airbender failed to relay the expected message of overcoming evil with good through the supposedly uniquely crafted experiences of the characters. The opportunity accorded through a glimpse of Aang’s world paved the way for revelations in capabilities balancing the forces of nature which could have captured the hearts of the viewers. When the story unfolds, the innocent and lonely narrow world inhabited by Aang should shift the viewers’ emotions to him. However, the intent to abstract the whole story of the Avatar failed to elicit the true message of the story. The supposed ultimate goal of the movie to awaken the viewers’ senses and enliven the expectations of hope for the salvation of the world by the Avatar was not attained in this medium. No wonder movie critics conclude that: “I close with the hope that the title proves prophetic” (Roger Ebert) and “the acting is bad at worst and decent at best, leaving this as a movie that like likely to leave most fans and non-fans of the source material alike hoping that--in terms of movies at least--this really IS the last Airbender” (Jeremy Thomas). One need not say more. Works Cited Ebert, Roger. The Last Airbender. 30 June 2010. Web. 12 August 2010. Internet Movie Database. M. Night Shyamalan. 2010. Web. 12 August 2010. < http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0796117/> Martin, G. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 2009. Web. 12 August 2010. Osider, J. The Beauty of Art and Christian Filmmaking - The Qualities and Flaws of Hollywood (chapter 3). 2009. Web. 12 August 2010. Randon House Dictionary. Definition of Beauty. 2009. Web. 12 August 2010. < http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/beauty> Singh, S. What is Aesthetician? 2008. Web. 11 August 2010. Steinbauer, A. Aesthetics and Philosophy: A Match Made in Heaven? 2006. Web. 11 August 2010. Thomas, Jeremy. The Last Airbender Review. 07 July 2010. Web. 12 August 2010. < http://www.411mania.com/movies/film_reviews/144342/The-Last-Airbender-Review.htm> Read More