Series Review: Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender
Director: Lauren Montgomery
Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Avatar Studios
Released: 07.25.2026

Ever since the first episode premiered on Nickelodeon on February 21, 2005, Avatar: The Last Airbender has remained in the public consciousness. The series is often looked at as being ahead of its time. The idea of a semi-traditionally episodic approach that also revolved around an overarching plot was a welcoming change of pace for a channel known for lower-stakes programming like SpongeBob SquarePants and The Fairly OddParents. Viewers were invited to explore a world of benders, people who could manipulate the natural elements: water, earth, fire and air. They would meet charming and likable characters who developed throughout the course of their journey and take away profound life lessons about change and balance. For many, this was a turning point in Western animation. The series had such an impact that a live-action movie directed by M. Night Shyamalan was made in 2009 (albeit one of the worst film adaptations I have seen — until Wuthering Heights 2026). A sequel series following Aang’s successor, Korra, followed, along with numerous comics and book series that flesh out the lore and world of Avatar and even a second attempt at a live-action adaptation is currently being released on Netflix. The point is Avatar: The Last Airbender is a series that ignites something in its fans — a fervent passion and nostalgia. Now, 21 years since it first aired, a movie following the original Team Avatar has finally been released: Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender.

The film picks up 13 years after the events of the series finale. Aang (Eric Nam, Wizard of Nowhere) is balancing his responsibilities as the Avatar while also coming to terms with the fact that he is indeed the last of the air nomads. While recovering artifacts after one of his missions, Aang is ambushed by the Denied, a group of non-bending warriors who seek an artifact: the staff of Avatar Sonam (Freida Pinto, Slumdog Millionaire). Upon learning about the staff, Aang asks Katara (Jessica Matten, The Empty Man) to gather their friends — Sokka (Roman Zaragoza, Ghosts), Zuko (Steven Yeun, Invincible) and Toph (Dionne Quan, The Fairly OddParents) — while he begins the search. He soon discovers the frozen body of an ancient airbender named Tagah (Dave Bautista, Guardians of the Galaxy) who was gifted the ability to airbend by Avatar Sonam. Aang realizes he can use the staff to bring airbenders back and resolves to find it before the Denied reach it.

Seeing a new animated Avatar project that follows the original Team Avatar is a treat. Seeing these characters in updated animation with an increased budget was incredibly exciting, while also making the familiar world of the four nations feel that much more vibrant and heightening the sense of scale. The action set pieces were also amazing. The choreography was creative and detailed with a sense of weight. You can tell that the animators have mastered the art of integrating 2D characters into 3D environments, which gives way to more ambitious camera movements and inventive sequences. Every movement feels precise and impactful. As you watch it, you find yourself becoming livid as you remember this was originally supposed to be in theaters but was ultimately sent to streaming. 

However, this film isn’t without fault. For one thing, the film clocks in at only 99 minutes, and the pacing definitely suffers. The film wants to focus on Aang’s feelings of isolation as both the Avatar and last surviving airbender, a topic that was touched on in the series but wasn’t fully explored. This theme, coupled with a group of new villains, new lore, jokes and callbacks that feel unnecessary, paired with the need to give each member of the original team a chance to shine, leaves the film feeling simultaneously overstuffed and underwhelming. The Denied end up feeling like an afterthought that only comes into play as an obstacle for the characters in the third act, and even members of the original team are underutilized. If the story was given more room to breathe, there is no doubt the more emotional moments would be much more impactful, especially for fans of the series.

It should also be mentioned that despite the fact that the original characters have returned, the entire voice cast was overhauled. The new cast gives decent performances; however, it can be hard not to miss the original voices fans knew and loved. Especially when it comes to Yeun’s portrayal of Zuko, which is missing the raspiness of Dante Basco’s iconic performance. Still, Nam’s performance as Aang was a highlight. The fact that Aang’s voice changed due to the character growing up gave him more liberty to play around with the vocals.

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender is a clumsy yet loving tribute to the series. Characters end up feeling sidelined, and the story doesn’t fully delve into the emotional beats. Yet, it manages to tap into the grand sense of adventure and excitement that made the series a timeless classic and is a worthy continuation of the franchise. Here’s to looking forward to the next Avatar project, Avatar: The Seven Havens. —Angela Garcia

 Read more film reviews from Angela Garcia below:
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Film Review: You, Me & Tuscany

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