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The Avatar Remake Doesn't Understand Avatar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9L3RNmG7a8

The Netflix live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender seems to completely misunderstand the themes of the original animated series. ✔ SUPPORT ✔▶Pa...

Didn't watch it yet, as I'm only 2 episodes in and Idon't want to taint my first view too much.

But from what I've seen of the show, I understand how they reach this conclusion. And Jessie Gender usually has quite a good grasp on these things.

Edit: Kind reminder that this post is for sharing/discussing the video, not for dunking on the Netflix adaptation.

Edit2: Watched it now. Spoilers for the first 2 episodes and light spoilers for the rest of the live action show, season 1.

39 comments

tree

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It's a very good and thorough analysis, pretty much every live action remake of everything falls into the same trap of cutting substance/context in favor of having "cool" fight/action scenes. Unless an adaptation is extremely faithful to the original it will devolve into what kind of cool visuals can we do and then the actual substance of why those things happen and the point the writer was trying to illustrate is lost.

Also very insidious for the show to not include Saka putting on the Kioshi warriors' costume because it would be seen as promoting drag/cross-dressing in kids media, that is one of the most memorable parts of that episode and it makes no sense not to include it other than to be as marketable as possible. Makes me wonder how the one piece live action will deal with it when they get to it, whether it's the director's choice in this adapation or something top down from the current netflix execs.

photonic_sorcerer

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They left the kioshi warrior dress part out? Aw man, that was one of the most important moments for Sokka's character. I never recognized that as drag before now.

Prunebutt

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Yeah. I hated how they cut that part.

They replaced Sokka's character growth with teenagers wanting to fuck. (they even added a scene were both of them lie on top of each other while training and then blushing) 🙄

Prunebutt

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The thing is: The action is not even good. They have Netflix money and are adapting Avatar. A show which deliberately coded different martial arts techniques to different elements and went into great detail to properly animate all the martial arts styles.

And then they refuse to choreograph proper martial arts! Sorry, Lady Kyoshi, could you please stop waving those CGI effects around so we can see some fucking martial arts, for Christ's sake?

novibe

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Ehh… the benders do a lot of hand-to-hand fighting. Like actual martial arts fighting. In the middle of bending, when they get really up close.

The bending not being martial enough is not one of my complaints.

They just murdered all the characters imo. Aang is a caricature of a children’s show protagonist, giving “life lesson” speeches at the end of every episode. Katara is a perfectly caring and thoughtful wise woman. Sokka is extremely understanding and open. Zukko is hurt but from the get-go is made out to be “actually a really good person”. They are all basically flawless besides minor issues of self-doubt.

All the major character development beats were just removed… Aang hearing the council speak of removing him from Gyatso’s care and running away before Gyatso comes and says he will never let that happen… Sokka being bigoted and learning to be more accepting by seeing the world… Iroh being aloof, wise but distant, and learning to be more honest (with himself) after losing Zuko, and that he must be an active person in the world after meeting the Gaang. Zuko being misguided and cruel, and learning to connect with who he was, his mother, after losing everything once again…

I hate this remake man. It removes all the best parts of ATLA, and doesn’t put in anything new or better in their places.

Prunebutt

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Don't get me wrong: The biggest issue i have is with the writing. However, the original show was a blend of great characters, amazing worldbuilding and stunning martial arts animation.

I figured that if I didn't enjoy the writing, maybe the martial arts were a bit better and I could enjoy those.

But you can barely see what the fighters are doing because of the quick cuts. Watch the dojo scene in the Matrix and compare it to the fighting In the Netflix show. Simply no comparison.

And I get that this is done with children. But that's what body doubles are for.

Spacehooks

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When they said "remix" maybe they meant of the "movie". Flipping show is done just make minor edits here and there fans didn't like or wanted and move on or just go full ember island players.

novibe

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Imo, you just can’t make changes for the worse. That’s just it. Make changes, but for the better. Or differently good. But never for the worse…

fckreddit

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I don’t think you can remake show like ATLA for the better, because the OG show is pretty much perfect. They can only remake the show for money, which by definition makes it worse.

Spacehooks

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Yeah didn't leave the show wanting more.

novibe

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All I ever wanted was to see the grown-up Gaang… And we’re getting that! As an animated movie!

Like THAT is what the people want!!

novibe

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It could be different… I’m not an overly skeptical person. Different things can be good.

WidowsFavoriteSon

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What on earth are you talking about? The different styles are clear as day. Of course when you get an avatar you're going to get a lot of CGI, what did you expect? Kyoshi winging around ribbons on a stick?

Prunebutt

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I'm not talking about not doing the element effects with CGI. I'm talking about shooting some martial arts so that you can actually see what's going on. You know, like the original show did.

Or maybe something like they did in the Matrix movies. Competent shots of martial arts, enhanced with CGI elemental effects. The fight scenes in the live action version are boring.

WidowsFavoriteSon

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Boring? Really? Because you can actually see the different styles of martial arts being done. I guess you're just used to all the pizzazz and twirly shit.

Prunebutt

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I'm sure the actors put a lot of effort in the martial arts scenes. It's a shame I can't see shit with all the cuts they do.

Compare these scenes with the Matrix movies' martial arts scenes. Or Jackie Chan movies, or Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Or ATLA/TLOK.

You never see the motions play out and cut away too quickly, the fight scenes just get tedious to watch.

I guess you're just used to all the pizzazz and twirly shit.

Umm... Have you seen the martial arts styles the original show used?

RGB3x3

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The show is mediocre at best. They gave Aang zero passionate lines and just had him wax on about his responsibility and how he has to help people and how he failed. Katara is weak and boring in this, yet learns water bending enough to become a master entirely off screen and by herself. She's just another Mary Sue. There's literally no chemistry between Team Avatar.

I think overall what's wrong with the series is that the writing is so bad. Dialogue is bad, pacing is bad, and the timeline for events is bad. And they're trying to straddle this line between a shot-for-shot remake and their own version of the story that it all comes off as messy and unfocused.

I'm disappointed that I restarted my Netflix subscription for it based on an IGN review that said it was good.

fckreddit

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It seems like show was not trying to be memorable like animated show. I still remember when I watched Aang chasing Momo and accidentally seeing Gyatso’s skeleton. It felt like a punch in the gut. From what I understand, the Netflix show doesn’t do it like that.

Microw

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Yeah, way too often does it feel like they are going "now this important moment happens, then this important moment happens" in their scripts without a good way between those. That's better in some episodes than in others, maybe some individual directors were able to make more out of that than others.

WidowsFavoriteSon

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So, you haven't watched it. Yet here you are.

marcos

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There’s literally no chemistry between Team Avatar.

How could there be any if they don't ever interact?

Also, the series has enough plot holes that I don't think it makes sense at all if you didn't watch the cartoon. And yeah, it's bad.

Chadus_Maximus

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There was hardly any chemistry in One Piece as well. That stuff can't just manifest out of thing air. It takes time.

Akuchimoya

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I don't think it makes sense at all if you didn't watch the cartoon.

I had this exact thought after I finished episode 4 (my current place). While I am impressed by the technical aspects of the show, the pacing and exposition is poor and depends entirely on the audience already knowing what's happening in order keep up. And that's entirely putting aside specific plot issues.

There's simultaneously too much and too little happening. The Bumi, Mechanist, and Jet stories are happening at the same time (too much) but separately, instead of one at a time, and Team Avatar experiencing them together (too little team development).

moshtradamus666

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I decided I have no time to watch this show. I rewatched the animation a couple years ago and I'm cool with it, no need for a different medium.

fckreddit

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Same. I don’t need the new show, when the OG is perfect as it is.

AtomfriedMegaforce

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The only thing it was good for is making me rewatch the original series

Graphy

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Hah same. My wife and I watched the first episode and after swapped immediately to the OG.

AtomfriedMegaforce

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I don't even get the idea of a remake. Why telling me a story I already know and love? This can never work.

runjun

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I’ve watched it and thought it was the best Netflix adaptation, for watchability. I don’t think it was a good avatar show. The playfulness is completely absent. Dialog is ok but often is not earned. Anything that would slightly hit, is hammered into the ground and then becomes tedious.

TomAwsm

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Maybe some time in the near future, we can use AI to redo the animated series shot by shot in the style of this remake.

Prunebutt

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I doubt that that would be possible in any way that the result would be anything close to watchable.

And more importantly: Y tho?

Edit: seriously, that's a horrible idea!

WidowsFavoriteSon

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Jesus. What a whinefest.

Prunebutt

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Sorry if I have standards in the media I'm trying to enjoy. /s

Zagorath

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Sorry, did you have anything constructive to add? Maybe a response to the criticism presented in this video?