Avatar Aang review: an epic return to the world of The Last Airbender

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender has been made with a clear love. As a follow-on from the original Avatar animated series, a favourite of Nickelodeon-watching millennials all around the world, it could have been fan service without substance. On the Avatar name alone, it certainly has an in-built audience.

But rather than resting on laurels or leaning into the past, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender is a film sequel that engages with the legacy of its predecessor, stays true to its loveable cast of characters, and pushes ahead into a brighter future.

Sure, there are moments of fan service. But this film also exists as a well-rounded, standalone feature, with a core message that’s artfully delivered along with a sweeping, cinematic art style. Fans of the series can’t ask for much more.

A simple, dynamic premise

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender begins years after the conclusion of the original Avatar series. Aang (Eric Nam), Katara (Jessica Matten), Sokka (Román Zaragoza), Zuko (Steven Yeun) and Toph (Dionne Quan) are living in a world borne of their accomplishments, where their element-powered nations live in peace after the fabled Hundred Year War.

But of course, in a world where individuals can hold great power, that power can also corrupt and disenfranchise. Against the backdrop of peace, a resistance group known as The Denied rally against the power of the Avatar, and call for justice over their lack of elemental abilities.

Seeking out an ancient relic of the Air Nomads, they uncover the existence of an all-powerful staff, which can seemingly grant the ability to airbend. Aang, hot on their trail, learns of the power of this staff and seeks it for his own ends: to revive the culture of the airbenders and reunite with his people.

Calling on his original crew, all of whom have now found their place in their respective nations, Aang sets off to find the staff and its hidden secrets. Along the way, he also uncovers a mysterious airbender frozen in ice, Tagah (Dave Bautista), who might unlock even more about his culture.

A fresh cast

For those returning Avatar fans, it’s worth noting the voice cast here has been refreshed. Each character is now older, wiser and slightly more mature – although Avatar Aang maintains the familiar snappy and light-hearted tone. Some characters have also been recast with a view to be more culturally-accurate, with the support of the original actors.

The changes may take some getting used to, but everyone in the cast is on admirable form, delivering fast-paced, bouncy and often very funny dialogue with the sharp wit and humour required.

Eric Nam’s Aang has a well-earned gravitas to his voice, revealing how much he’s grown since his original adentures. Dionne Quan’s Toph is confident and peppy, with a layered edge. Román Zaragoza’s Sokka is the heart of the crew, as usual, with the story’s more serious interludes given a lighter boost of humour where needed, in bright quips.

New-to-series character Kallak is also a great addition in the hands of Geraldine Viswanathan, an Australian actress on the rise. And of course, Dave Bautista is always a welcome addition to any cast, with his recognisable, gravelly voice serving the conflicted Tagah well.

Beyond the performances, which elevate a tightly-scripted tale, what shines most about Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender is its animated spectacle.

Watch the trailer

Gorgeous animation brings a sweeping, cinematic feel to Avatar Aang

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender was originally destined for a cinema release. You can really feel this in the art direction, although the final decision to release the movie on a streaming platform doesn’t tangibly change much. It’s the quality, care and scope that’s remarkable.

It takes the kingdoms of Avatar: The Last Airbender and gives them the grandeur they deserve. The focus is on beauty and spectacle, and in the sweeping, wide-scope shots, you can see the full vastness of each locale.

Skies stretch overhead, and tiny moving details illuminate the people and creatures that populate the world of Avatar. As the journey kicks off, and Aang ventures into worlds unknown, the animation lends a sense of awe to his travels. In rotating and wide shots, you see temples, towering mountains and incoming storms.

It’s also a very colourful film, which shouldn’t be so remarkable. But in an era where live action films are being given shadowed palettes, with muddy shades suggesting darker themes, it’s refreshing to see a film that elevates its drama with splashes of bright colour.

One of the biggest battles in Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender is actually the most colourful, with combatants defined in a glowing, bright colour palette and swishy, dynamic movements. We can always do with more colour in films, and Avatar Aang does a tremendous job at presenting dazzling, eye-opening sights.

A worthy, dramatic story laced with meaning

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender has much to say about its world and our own, cleverly packaged in a fun, dramatic follow-up to one of the greatest animated shows of all time.

Much of the action of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender is defined by its battles, guided by that clever narrative. But each of these fights has meaning.

The film is not simply a showcase for the world of Avatar, or an excuse to show Aang and his pals all grown up and super-powered. As with the original series, this is ultimately a film about right and wrong, and what justice looks like in a changing world.

It’s about power and who should wield it, and how it should be wielded.

It’s about staying true to the past, and analysing what should be left behind as the future approaches. In that regard, it feels like a prescient and important film, and one that arrives with smart timing.

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender streams on Paramount+ from 25 July.

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