The Last Airbender

**1/2 stars

I can't tell you how long I've waited for this movie. It always felt as if it were in the distant future. Now that it's in the past, I can relax, and say this objectively: While it is a disappointment, it's still an entertaining movie.

But I'm sure there will be people who are even more disappointed then I am. I've always had to defend myself when people have told me that the only reason why I want to see (or will like) The Last Airbender is because it's an M. Night Shyamalan film. I respond with a simple answer: yes. And to no surprise, I found The Last Airbender to be a visually absorbing, high-spirited fantasy epic.

However, I know I will probably in the minority on this one, because it definitely feels like a Shyamalan movie. He has always been a better director than a screenwriter, and the movie takes a while to find the right groove. Once it's found, the movie kicks in to high gear with a beautifully staged battle sequence.

Based off the hugely successful Nickelodeon Anime Series, The Last Airbender tells the story of four nations made up of four different elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), where the Fire Nation has declared war and only the last remaining airbender (played by newcomer Noah Ringer) can stop them from destroying mankind. The criticism this film has received for its controversial casting (having white actors play parts that were originally of Asian decent) went from legitimate to downright frustrating. I think there was a mistake somewhere, but it's certainly no reason to boycott a movie unless of course it was the filmmaker's intention to purposely piss people off. Maybe that's why Jesse McCartney was replaced with Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel.

At 103 minutes, The Last Airbender never really has the time to naturally unfold all four elements. The film tends to rush in order to stay faithful to the series's first season, but it's satisfying as a Shyamalan fan to know that my expectations were somewhat met. I implore people to see the film in 2-D, because the 3-D conversion almost ruined everything. When that's the case, I know that the movie itself is not to blame.