First Look: M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘The Last Airbender’

Published by Jeff Leins on: May 22nd, 2009

USA Today has the first look at The Last Airbender, the live-action adaptation of the hit Nickelodeon cartoon series.  The feature film was co-written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan for release July 2, 2010.

The theatrical date is aggressive for the holiday weekend, but will pit the movie against The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (the third movie out June 30) for now.  If it appears weak it could be up against an earlier shift for Robert Rodriguez’s Predators or Christopher Nolan’s Inception.

Pictured left is Noah Ringer, a 12-year-old newcomer to Hollywood playing the title character.  Officially named Aang, the young boy is the last remaining survivor of the peaceful Air Nomads.  Together with a waterbender, he must stop Zuko of the Fire Nation from controlling the other elements.  (Click to enlarge the photo)

Just before the Oscar for “Best Picture” went to Slumdog Millionaire, lead actor Dev Patel signed to replace teen idol Jesse McCartney in the role of Zuko.  At the time I questioned his choice of follow-up films and I still don’t think he’s the right fit for the part.  I’ll admit my familiarity with the TV show goes about as far as awareness, but I’ve sat through enough of Shyamalan’s time-wasters to know this is a risky decision.

I received a lot of good feedback on the last post about the film with many people agreeing on Shyamalan’s declining quality.  The Sixth Sense was an Oscar nominee and it’s all been downhill from there, slamming into the bottom of the barrel with his most recent disaster, The Happening.  Who knows, this movie could be a surprise summer hit, or it could be as hokey and disappointing for fans as Dragonball: Evolution.  What do you think of the look so far?