First Avatar: The Last Airbender Reactions Arrive: Is The Netflix Series Worth Watching?

"Avatar: The Last Airbender" is one of those properties fans are incredibly protective of. It's easy to see why, as the original cartoon is an outstanding artistic achievement; one could easily argue it's the best animated series ever. Viewers were burned once before with M. Night Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender" from 2010, which no one seems to like. It's reasonable that audiences would be more hopeful that Netflix's upcoming adaptation, which releases February 22, would do the original show justice. And the response based on critical reactions so far on social media is decidedly ... mixed.

It's a matter of who you ask to determine whether Netflix's "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is worth watching. To start with the positive, plenty of critics enjoyed what they've seen. Mike Thomas of Collider had a fun enough time with it, writing on X (formerly known as Twitter), "The fights are great, but the standouts are the actors. These kids FEEL like Team Avatar. A fun new take on a timeless classic." The account POC Culture had a similar opinion: "It's truly animation come to life. Between the sets, costumes & SFX, it's a visual feast. The fight choreography & bending action are epic. I loved it."

It's an auspicious beginning for the new take on the classic series. But not everyone is as complimentary in their reviews. 

Adapting such a beloved work of art is always a risky proposition. Some might say to let good things lie, as there are many negative reactions to Netflix's "Avatar: The Last Airbender." X user @WildeePatrol wrote, "I've seen the first episode of #AvatarNetflix and it's rough. Way too long and way too much packed into it. Important moments are super underwhelming, acting is meh, costuming, bending, and fights look great but other VFX are hard to look at." 

Interestingly, this reviewer called out the acting, while Mike Thomas praised it. It illustrates how vastly different people's responses to the same material can be. Looking at the overall reception, it can be hard to draw an overarching consensus, as reviews range significantly. Rafael Motamayor of IGN mentioned the show's good and bad aspects. "The bending looks great, and generally, the visuals are solid, but this is a mixed bag of an adaptation. Too much exposition, poor writing & horrible pacing."

Audiences will likely need to watch the show for themselves to reach their own conclusions. For what it's worth, X user @RamasScreen admitted to enjoying the adaptation while being a fan of the original. Additionally, Tessa Smith of Mama's Geeky stated, "As someone who has yet to watch the original (I know!) I can't wait for more!" It's shaking out to be a "love it or hate it" show, but it could be worth a shot regardless of familiarity with the original. However, it may be best to go in with an open mind, knowing some things will be different.