THE LAST AIRBENDER (2010) * This is a painful film to watch, at least for me and everyone around me. My son read one of the books and said it was "ok," which makes it a damn sight better than the movie. I feel kind of bad for the child actors, they're put in situations where they can't possibly succeed. The eco-mysticism-lite that serves as the foundation of it all isn't the problem: it doesn't add much, but is a perfectly suitable framework for a children's film. The problem is that M. Night Shyamalan seems to think that he should inject his directorial wizardly into every frame, leaving a film full of kids posturing dramatically with ridiculous (in conception, they're not cheap) special effects swirling around them at all times. So it just keeps stopping, and jerking itself around, never gaining even the necessary momentum for a children's film, and laughable (but still annoying) to the adults Shyamalan no doubt imagined would find it artsy. I can't really think of anyone other than Shyamalan who might enjoy this, though anyone willing to live vicariously and share his self-indulgence might have a shot, as long as their standards aren't particularly high.
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