Movie: THE LAST AIRBENDER (Part 1)

The Following contains a LOT, INSANE, AWE INSPIRING AMOUNT of SPOILERS, so if you have not seen this movie, then please avoid or read at your own discretion.  Just to say again.  If you have not seen this movie, then you will pretty much have read it all by the end of this Review.  Okay good?  Good.

So lets get on with it!

I hope the whole thing is this good!

This review is looking at M Night Shyamalan's 'The Last Airbender' as an individual stand alone movie without it being compared to the source material. (That'll come later). Yes I did see this in theatres, we'll hear about that a bit more in the last Review.

I will note how I do like it when companies do something to their company logo to fit in with the movie. Paramount is really good at doing that.

Well... that hope died fast.

The opening of this movie has something very cheesy about it. The way the background and the silhouetted characters doing their moves look. It's seriously just something, still I can't quite put my finger on it. 

 

Why doesn't the voice over start at the beginning with the showing of the benders? We need to learn who they are anyway right? I know they wanted to be shown individually and Featured in a way, but it just felt like to me that they don't fit in well. Especially with Katara's monologue cuing in right after they are shown. It just feels like it could have been executed a little better.

Starting off our movie is a slightly shaky cam camera effect where we get to see our heroin doing her water bending. Which I guess leads us in nicely. So far we've had an off looking sequence that I'm sure was meant to look cool and then we get introduced to these two characters. Awesome start movie.

I like narration and all, but I feel this could have been done better. Maybe a sequence of images or a 'story' type sequence to talk about a bit of it? We've had good sequences of images like that from the Watchmen, as well as the Terminator. Both seen as movies for older people who I would imagine are more inanely judgmental. They did it very well and it worked amazingly in my opinion. What we get here feels dry, disjointed, and awkward.

I'm so traumatized to be here.

I'm not sure personally, but if I was in a place of snow and ice and I saw something glowing under me. I do not think I'd start hitting that spot with a blunt object... Though I could just be boring! So the ice breaks open epically, Gotta say I'm SHOCKED by this! I never thought something like that would happen ya know? Though the way that they're fumbling away, makes me think neither were they.

One thing I gotta say, since this whole thing shouldn't be me raging against this movie and it's awkwardness, is that the effects here are pretty spectacular. I would have video but I need it for key area's and, hell you've seen the movie. Hopefully so you know what I'm talking about.

I know people knock these actors but seriously I have to go 'And look! We can do expressions!' I could screen cap most of this whole scene, they'll LOOK THE SAME, just from different angles.

Once again with the hitting! Is this a family compulsion?! First Sokka and then Katara goes raging at the ball of ice that just rose up. Rage against Glowing things!

So once the mighty ice sphere is cracked open we get this.

Wow, Airbenders get sweet Epic Mounts!

Upon finding this, the two leads slide on down to investigate since hell, they already nearly killed themselves, might as well go all the way through with this endeavor. Never do anything half assed kids!

'He's exhausted...'... Or he could also be freezing to death...

So one of the first things one does is start poking the big thing with a pointy stick. These people want to die. Also Sokka... really? It tried to eat you? I don't know where YOU put your food, but that's not where food goes.

 So being good people, or crazies, they take Aang to their village. This raises a few questions. I can get them carrying Aang, but how the hell did they move Appa? Did they leave him? It's not like we see him here immediately. But if they didn't bring him along too somehow, then that makes even MORE questions for later on.

The scene kind of indicates that people do see something, what with the pointing and the commenting but we don't SEE anything. They could be looking at anything.

Doesn't my face tell you how bad I feel for running away? It should! I'm only smiling a little.

And is it just me or does Aang sound far too joyful and happy with his running away story? Shouldn't he be more, ya know, quiet and 'shy' or ashamed of it? I understand the joy of being saved but damn, that's an odd thing. Also how is he not freezing? His clothes are clearly not made for this climate. Though at least he does end up wearing a cloak, so that helps. Still, everyone else is decked out in warm and thick clothes.

Also why are Katara and Sokka and their Grandmother the only white looking people amidst the group of Inuits? This isn't nit picking this is an honest question. Where is their family line? Were they all murdered or had run off? Questions and more questions.

So our antagonist of the movie is arriving in his huge ship of anger. This is our introduction to the Fire Nation. Whom, I gotta say. Look bad ass. Even in their log furry cuffed coats.

At least Zuko and the other Fire Nation Soldiers look like they're dressed for this weather, unlike Aang who I say should be freezing.

What are you hiding under your hood?

 

I like how the random soldier seems to know to bring Aang to Zuko. Yeah he has an arrow on his head, but is that really something of real notice that this man would see? It is possible that this man assumed that Aang was an old person, since he was dressed as he was, but his face isn't that covered as we see the next scene. I can't imagine the hood covering his whole face, and he has a very young face. Is it purely because he stands out since  nobody gave him a bloody coat? That COULD have thwarted this whole thing. I don't see anyone else removing hoods to peek underneath. Which means they either didn't know to do that, Or because of Aang being found so quickly they hadn't bothered. But at least in the background you could have people doing that. I'm not saying make a whole shot of it, but it's just kind of random. Is the only reason that Aang is being trudged out to Zuko because he looks different? For SHAME Fire Nation!

Well the man is right to have taken little Aang to Zuko since they leave with Aang and the village is now free of Fire Nation soldiers who want to melt down their home. Which is always a plus.

 Remember this video, of what I call 'Insta-bending' it'll become important later on.

Left alone to their own devices Katara and Sokka try to figure out what to do. Katara is sure that Aang is their responsibility and that they should try to get him back, but Sokka is unsure. There is something about this scene though that really did stick out to me.

What ever is that sound?

If I was hearing weird, loud 'monster' sounds from outside I'd think I'd worry pretty quickly. Seeing as Appa apparently tried to 'eat' Sokka, you'd think he would be the first to jump to that conclusion. But no, they only start to look towards the door, once the laughing of children starts. 

I can say that I am thoroughly unsettled.

Oh look it's Grandma Exposition... great.

This is a great example of 'Old people know 'everyone' and have everything young people might ever need is in their 'attic'. Seriously, check out some movies that have older people and attics (or garage for the movies that want to mix it up), they are either wells of knowledge or the place where books of all knowledge (that is needed) are hidden. She knows everything doesn't she? This will also become important later. Since she has, just told them a lot of stuff. A lot of very important stuff. 

Also one of the things she says, totally makes me have to do this.

Change hearts? Mati would do amazingly in this world! Finally get the respect he deserves!

So now back to Aang. I wonder what the little scamp is getting up to!

I see what you did there.

Aang looks fairly freaked out and worried by the items Iroh has brought forth. Would he know of this test? Also if water and other things do weird stuff near him then why doesn't anything else do it? He's been near water. It would be a little cool to have seen things react to him. Or hear that these items were enchanted in some way?

And back to the bending. We've seen the opening guy, and the Firebender now Aang do bending immediately, or fairly immediately with results that weren't bad at all. Hell if the fire bender didn't have full control over what he did up at the Village when they were leaving, he could have actually hurt people! A little flourish sure but, he's doing it fairly fast.

So as we can figure, Aang does escape, much to the horror of Zuko. Since Aang needs to still do things, and Zuko needs to gather himself some more angst fuel.

Aang conveniently lands on Appa where Sokka and Katara are. He then says that the Fire Nation is up to something and that he has to go back now.

There's something so off with the affliction in Aangs voice again. Yes Aang knows he has to do something about the Fire Nation and he wants to go home. Understandable. But wouldn't now be a good time to bring up or ask where he wants to go? Are they going to just blindly follow?

Absolutely we would.

 

Back to the talking that just hasn't been addressed. Are they not going to use the knowledge that they learned from their grandmother? They could tell him that it's been 100 years, and if not now, then in the upcoming scenes right? Before he might, ya know, get all upset over the idea that things have happened without him knowing? He probably would still want to go but, a little heads up ya know? It's not nice to keep people in the dark, especially with something like that.

Iroh looks so very broken up about the Air Bender getting away. While Zuko is fighting to not break out into Simple Plan's 'How could this happen to me'

 

More narration, once again, couldn't we have a sequence of images with a little bit of narration. Yes I know that there are things being seen but, we could see what happened to Aang couldn't we? If only so it doesn't feel like we're being told everything?

They finally get to the Air Temple and nobody is even trying to mentioning anything to him. Also, why isn't Aang comprehending how empty everything is? He assumes they're playing a trick? I know he's a kid and 'OMG they're all dead!' wouldn't be in his thoughts but, Come on! Them all going 'on vacation' would feel like it had more credibility than the idea that they were all hiding.

Didn't they go extinct a long time ago? Katara are you REALLY asking that? (BTW, this is another great moment to bring up the 'Hey Aang, you might have been frozen in ice for 100 years' thing.) Do you not remember anything your Grandmother told you? Are we the audience the only ones who remembers what the old lady said?! GAH! Is that why she had to be so blunt and clear about everything? Apparently even that doesn't help you retain the knowledge. I dunno but if MY Grandmother was telling me that the kid I found in the ice was the fabled Avatar and that he most likely had been frozen for 100 years. I think I'd freakin' remember that!

Did you say MONKS?!

 

Nooo really?! Your friends were Monks? ASK QUESTIONS people! You asked your Grandmother things, why not Aang? It's not like she rattled off useless information! Though the way you are So not using it, makes it seem like she did indeed do just that! She has SOLVED this whole thing for you scenes ago and only NOW you're having the epiphany moment?! My god. Do you know how many things could have been talked about, and explained by now? Without it being so clumsily done? This way everyone just looks reaaally stupid and jerkish.

Then Aang runs off to find the monks, as happy as a little boy can be! Until...

GASP! If only there'd been a way to warn or inform Aang about this possibility. Some way to, use ones voice to relay information.

Aaaand now Katara takes the time to inform the traumatized youth that the Fire Benders started a war. Great timing, I couldn't have done it better myself. 

Way to go Aang. Grissom will have your head for that.

 

I love how his first reaction is to yell 'You're Lying!' The levels of work to create this ruse would be astronomical. If he's saying it to Katara (who I think he is), that means at Best that she just made up this story, randomly once she saw the bones. Or at worst, she and her brother collected bones from somewhere, somehow GOT here without Aang before they knew he was around, dropped the bones off under the guise that maybe One day they'd be able to traumatize someone with it.

This whole thing is now followed by a very short scene with no words that told us something about Aangs past and his pseudo-father. They can clearly Do what I have been wanting them to do at least in some fashion. Which makes me wonder WHY they hadn't utilized this before.

 

There's something very cheesy and.. off about the spirit world. Though I will say that it looks better than a few shots I've seen. (Watching it again, I think I can say that it looks better than it did on my first run through, but it's still... I don't know. I think it's the camera effect that's at the edges? Anyway.)

Aang just watched the Matrix.

 

After a little bit of walking around, Aang makes it to a cave. There's still something odd about the effect and how his image is 'wiped' in a way or trailing him in a stretched fashion behind/beside him depending on how you're looking a the shot. I am not saying I could do better, and I suppose it does carry over what they were going for here. Yet, it feels like they could have done this better somehow. I'm still blaming the effect... maybe fog? Fog makes things look ethereal and stuff. Right now it's more screaming at me that they put on a blue filter and then topped that off with a video effect.

Roku Dragon!

I do like how he looks, at this particular encounter we don't really see much of him. There's fogishness happening here and I like how it looks. Mind you it's so dark you can't see a whole lot, then again it's in a cave.

I am such a handsome jackass.

 

I know a lot of people will hate me for this but. I adore the actor that plays Zhao, he is such a jackass in this and I swear, he belongs to some of my favorite scenes in this movie. The life he brings to this character is so amazing. Mind you depending on who you ask 'amazing' could be used as both a positive or a negative, but I'm using it in a more positive way, which makes it negative towards the movie. I'm a complicated person but you'll see what I mean.

Zuko just got told that there's no Santa Claus.

 

Also Zhao... if Zuko DOES ever come back into power, Lifes going to SUCK for you. You'll be boned so hard. I know Zuko's banished and his dad gave him something outlandish to do as a condition for his return, but COME ON! Zhao is standing there, rubbing all of this in. Not even in little jests and jabs. Nooo, he's going out of his way to point out what has happened in Zuko's life, and stating that he's an enemy of the Fire Nation. Also he goes to the degree of belittling Zuko wearing the uniform and comparing it to that of a child wearing a costume. The kids uncle, the Fire Lords brother is RIGHT THERE next to you. Jeezus man, of all the things you could be saying. Yeah, he can go ahead and be a dick but seriously, he has to not have a single ounce

I also love how semi horrified everyone on his crew looks. Like they know how much this would come back to bite their Commander right in the ass.

Once again, I like the sets, the costumes are nice and you get a real feel of the locals. It's dark and almost 'ashy' like dirtyish. I can imagine the smell this place would have. I'd choke to death, but I'd like it.

Tea tastes more delicious with suffering.

 

Also, how long is Zhao going to hold his cup up and not drink it (25 seconds apparently, but only because the scene cut). It's okay to set it down dude.

Once again, we see bending, happening quickly. Zuko's shooting them off very quickly at the soldiers. I just feel like I need to point this out most of the time when it's happening because of the change that seems to happen later. So far nothing really elaborate has been seen with the various types of bending. Nothing that would make me go 'Wow, they have to do all that do they?'. Like I said we'll get into this later on in the movie.

Now we are in the Southern Earth Kingdom. YAAY!

Katara's line of 'Ya know my grandma thinks that because you're an Airbender that you could be the Avatar.' leads me to believe that they just don't listen to their Grandmother. Like, she might go on rants and triads about things that are imaginary and wrong. That scene before should have ended with 'Oh Grandma!' with a laugh track from a cheesy sitcom. Once again the whole 'Lets TALK together' could have been done by now, and well.

Aang of course takes this all in stride and asks about how much land the Fire Nation has taken over. See Katara and Sokka? Asking questions can be fun and informative!

Seconds away from 26 minutes into this movie and we finally have Sokka asking 'So... are you the Avatar Aang?'. Which of course he doesn't get an answer to since we get a little kid rushing our way. At least the bloody question has been asked! A question which is part of a conversation I thought would have happened a long time ago now.

You did what where now?

 

I love how the soldier said 'it really hurt' right after he was talking about the child was bending tiny stones from behind a tree. Way to be a man dude.

Katara Bending water, immediate. Of all the effects and CG I've seen in this movie, I have to say the shot with the iced Sokka has to be the worst. It doesn't 'move' with him, like it's clearly separate from something that is supposedly around his body.

They don't say at all, but Why haven't the Earth benders who are surrounded by earth not escaped? Or done anything yet? What sort of prison is this Firebenders? I will admit that when the machines that they mention come, that they couldn't beat them. But Why don't the people in the camp keep fighting? They are ON freakin' earth, it's everywhere. We don't hear about how 'if we fight back they'll kill everyone' or any thing from the Fire Nation Soldiers to indicate that they have tried a few times to escape and that it hasn’t worked out. The simple line of 'Are you really going to try this again?' would clear up things enough to know that these Earth Benders have had their souls crushed. Nothing like that is said, and it leaves this whole scene open to a big 'What the Fuck?'.

Aang is actually observant for once and mentions all this to the people around him. Also does it take a little kid in a hood to remind them what Earth looks like? And how do they know that he's not lying? He just asked the question of 'Would you do something if the Avatar was there?' He could just be a weird little tattoo'd kid. Is that really all the motivation that these people need?

Katara uses Girly Push! Super Ineffective!

 

Oh yes Katara, push the heavily armored soldier who has a weapon like you would a bully. That'll be effective. I know there's a whole thing of girls not doing anything in movies but why is it that when they do, do things, it's stupid and irritating things? What was this push supposed to do? Though if Aang's little speech could rally up the Earth Benders so well, her push could have scared all the Fire Nation soldiers away.

We see more bending from Aang and Katara. Also, I have to ask. How did Aang push away the Fire Nation Solider who was right in front of Katara without pushing Katara at all? I mean she's not even off balanced at all. Her hair is hardly blown at all.

Aang just had the 'I'm the Avatar' speech and then next we hear is 'How is he doing that?!' Really dude? You're not of a high rank are you? You yourself most likely bend FREAKING FIRE. And you ask 'How is he doing that?' when the guy who just announced WHO he was starts bending Air? 

All Air Benders should be dead. KILL HIM!

 

Lets talk about this man a bit shall we? I'll call him Dummy since that's what he is. As we know from watching the movie, Zhao says later on that he can't kill Aang because then he'd just be reborn and the search would go on again. Seeing as how we JUST had a group of adult men 'freaking out' about Aang Air bending it seems like this group of Soldiers are either the dumb ones or are uneducated. I now wonder what horrible things would have happened to this man had they managed to kill Aang. I'm sure it would not be anything good. We could also guarantee Zhao would be there rubbing it in like salt in a wound.

Aaand here we come to my major problem with this movie. The continuity of the bending. This is where my issue with bending comes up.

Up to this point it has been fairly quick, but NOW we see a guy do a whole 'dance' before the fire moves. We've SEEN people bend immediately, but why does he have to do that? Why do they ALL have to do this now? What just happened to the Insta-Bending that was happening before?

Aang can still bend quickly. Did he just suck up everyone's ability to do fast bending? Yes he does some 'dancing' as well but the Air is already moving with him with him. Not like the fire which was just sitting there doing jack all until the last movement where it seems to remember it has to DO something.

It's made out of PICTURES!

 

 

They kick out the remaining soldiers and all is happy. Katara even gets handed a rare Water Bending scroll. Which I am positive that she will put to awesome use. Being a main character and all, and being the one that introduced us to water bending, it is only fair right? Kick some ASS Katara!

A few introductions, and we learn that Aang used to be a lady named Kioshi.

The way that Aang says 'I need to tell you something' is said in such an urgent tone that it sounds like he's about to say 'We have to leave Now!'. But no, it's just Aang saying that he hasn't learned how to bend any other elements because he ran away before he could learn anything. Aang sounds like a little whiny pants. Yes, being told all the doom and gloom, I'd probably run off as well, but the WAY it's presented here, just isn't any good. I'm not feeling for him any more than furrowing my brow with the thought of 'Suck it up kid'. Which I hate, I don’t want to be feeling that way for a little kid who just lost his people. Which shows just how horrible this has been executed.

RUN AWAY!

 

We see a nice montage of shots showing them 'cleaning up' the Earth Nation a bit as they head north to the destined Northern water Tribe which apparently has strong benders who can teach Aang how to water bend. They're making a change and I don’t mind it being presented this way. I imagine it happened fairly the same each time. They get to an oppressed place, whip out the bending and chase everyone bad off then move onto a new place.

Something to note here is that we do see Aang doing the long moves for his bending before he attacks with it. Which only makes more questions come up. 

I'm sure she'll do something awesome with all this knowledge later.

 

Some more training and talking. Something is wrong with Aang, and they're trying to lay low while moving through the earth kingdom. Luckily the Fire Nation seems to be fairly easy to spot. As long as you're looking in the right direction.

The Fire Nation FAILS at sneak attacks.

 

Aaah yes, now we are back to my favorite character. Mr. I love myself more when I'm saying nasty things to egg people on into killing me. After looking over his glowing game of Risk, he has swooped away to arrive in the Fire Nation. Where the first person he begins to speak to is the Fire Lord, and he talks about finding a Library.

There is headroom in this picture. WHY is Zhao's face being cut off?

I seriously didn't edit this. Why is his face being cut off? It's like this for a few steps while it zooms in and pans down just enough to show his full head and some shoulders. I know the camera was moving but I would seriously expect a shot like this to not happen in a huge production. Especially for the amount of time that it was seen this way. If this was a quick transition, then sure. But I found it slow and 'Wha?'. Even more so since at the beginning of this shot they were both in frame, and fitting. Only after they begin to walk down the hall does this happen, BEFORE it ends up fixing itself. There was no grand motion happening with the camera to excuse this. What. The. Hell?

Anyway, besides the horrible framing, Zhao explains that he's found scrolls. Hmmmm, wonder if this will be mentioned again! Sadly though these scrolls need to be deciphered first. But he does feel that they would tell him where the Ocean and Moon spirits live. I know he mentioned it was a Library, so it must have everything in order to make sense. But if you have to decipher a scroll, isn't there the chance that he just got a recipe scroll or something. Hopefully this Library isn't rampant with annoying people who collect scrolls, wander around with them then put them back in the wrong place once they decide to not check them out.

I will say this for Zhao. He's actually smart here, to the point where the Fire Lord says that he is pleased. Clearly this man does know when to be smart, or it's that he is always smart, but just can't help himself to knock someone down a few pegs, even if it would come back on him... still that doesn't seem very smart. Especially considering Whom he's making fun of.

Hm... hadn't thought of that.

 

I do love what the Fire Lord says here about Zhao capturing Aang successfully. After Zhao tells him that Zuko failed.

'Lets hope for your sake, my son doesn’t find this person first, and he turns out to be the Avatar. He would return as a hero, and for all purposes be your superior.'

Translation: 'I will not lift a finger to save your ass.'

Zuko and Iroh have arrived at a Fire Nation Colony. It's all festive and happy. Yaaay! But even that can't make poor Zuko happy.

I can feel Simple Plan creeping back in.

 

Here we get a unique scene of Zuko calling over a child and asking him if he knows the story of the banished prince. I wonder if Zuko's story of being the banished prince is a bedtime cautionary tale to children. Warning them to not be bad, or to not be weak. Maybe Aang could have used that story back before he ran away.

This also makes me wonder. How Zuko would have responded if the boy hadn't known the story. Would he have been happy? Or would he have been rage filled by it? Either way we then go back to the marry group of traveling youths.

Beeeecaaaaauuuuussse?

 

I'm not sure why going to the Northern Air Temple (which is where Aang wants to go since he saw Sokka's maps) would be bad. Sokka mentions that they've started a rebellion so is that a 'We have to keep moving' kind of comment? Or a 'We can't doddle' type? Still, let the kid have his fly by trip geeze. He lost everyone, at least he could visit home eh? Sokka never throws out there that something could be wrong or dangerous in going to the temple, just that they've started a rebellion and tells his sister to try to talk Aang out of it.

Then we proceed to see just how well that worked overall.

Way to go.

 

I love how Katara and Sokka don’t even try to stop Aang from leaving while they clearly are watching him get onto Appa then leave. Also... why couldn’t' they just go with? Did they HAVE to be left behind? If Aang wanted to be left alone couldn't he have easily just left them with Appa while he went to explore the temple without them? Is it really safer or better to leave Sokka and Katara alone? Where the Fire Nation might find them? Though clearly Aang isn't thinking of any of that.

I think we can all guess what happens while Aang is at the temple!

He ends up learning something amazing and saving the day right there and then!... Noo... he gets captured while oggling at the statues of his past lives... oh and because an old man betrays him since his life has been crap due to Aang not having been around... kid or not, Aang miiight kinda deserve this. This old man surely isn't the only guy who's lived in poverty because Aang wasn't there. Yeaah he's a little kid and the stuff he was told is freakin' serious. But you'd think that a kid who grew up with monks would have a bit more self control, or a bit more loyalty to duty and to his beliefs. Instead he just threw it all away and ran off.

I'm just not feeling for Aang when he talks about what happened. Though of all the times we've heard him say these lines or similar, this is the one that feels like it has the most emotion to it, and the most sorrow. All I can say though is that it's a little bit too late. Had he sounded like this the other times he talked about it, then I'd be all over saying 'AAAWWW!' but no. That time has gone. You can't get the character acting the way people would imagine he Should be acting, nearly half way through the freakin' movie.

Anyway...

So good for the spine.

 

Now that he's been captured Aang, while in what has to be one of the most uncomfortable positions ever, begins to meditate... like what you'd imagine maybe he would have done before he ran away from everyone. Since this has to be freakin' stressful right?

Back in the Spirit world, the Dragon gives Aang an ominous warning about a vision he had. Hopefully Aang will use this knowledge and remember what was just said. Since if he does, that will be a pleasant surprise.

YAAAY more Zhao. My favourite jackass!

So far things are looking up for Zhao. He's captured the Avatar. Yaaay!

If you tell me what anti-aging cream you use, I won't belittle you into tears.

 

Though sadly we all know that this can't last for long. Since the movie is only halfish over. Still, Zhao is having his moment of victory and good for him! He laid out a trap and it was executed well... Clearly! Still, there are the problems of others wanting what you have. Since, hell, if someone else had the Avatar, I'm sure that Zhao want to get to where Aang was and steal him away for himself. So it's only fair right? 

Some Fire Nation Soldier isn't going to be happy when they find that lurking under their bed.

 

 

Uh oh! This isn't looking good for Zhao. You can totally see it in that blue face, that this guy means business! Zhao takes some time out to inform his troops how they're going to inform the Fire Lord about capturing Aang! Since of course NOTHING can happen to make them loose the Avatar. Since if he did, he'd be as bad off as Zuko. Especially with him berating Zuko to his father the last time they saw each other... Karma can be a real bitch, and Zhao should learn that.

You can't seee meee- Ah Crap!

 

 

Okay... HOW is Zhao or anyone up where Zhao is NOT seeing this guy? He just slinked up onto the wall, does this move, then scurries on past. These are not the motions of a normal Fire Nation Soldier right? They SHOULD have stood out. Unless they have one weird shoulder who cant' keep from climbing stuff in weird ways. We also see that the last row of Soldiers isn't that far away from us, and that there aren't that many rows of men. SOMEONE should have seen this. Also why take this chance? Is this really the only way to get to where he's going? Does Zhao have the worst eyesight ever? He should be looking right where this guy is. Or should be seeing him. He's facing the crowd right now. At that distance, he should have seen someone moving along. Unless he was looking straight down at the floor or something. And again, why didn't the other four guys say or do anything? Did they also not notice? Even if they, by the looks of them, are supposed to be staring forward? Are they too polite to do it? Is Zhao too much of a jerk for them to interrupt his 'victory' speech? Is there no eye test to be a soldier? So many questions!

A Mummy? Here?!

Then we have Brendan Fraser getting his ass kicked. But not before the monster shots of helmets being seen rolling into the hallway, and finding two soldiers strung up by the wrists with rope. Not to mention the obligatory 'Look behind and up at the ceiling' shot. Can this guy climb on the ceilings?

Whom are the fools Zhao? Whooooom?

 

I'm not sure who he's saying 'Foools' to. Is it to the men who clearly have had better days? Or is he calling the individual/s who did this fools? Because they clearly got past his forces and are most likely going to get Aang. Yep, that just reeks of foolish to me. Maybe Zhao... you should have had your 'YAY we have the Avatar!' speech in FRONT of Aang's cell? Since I imagine it might be a little foolish to bring your better guards together for the lecture. I say better since, who will he want to speak to? The underlings? The middle men? Or the best groups/people that are around? Unless he was speaking to nearly everyone right then, which would mean that they don't have that many people? 

That's a lot of people!

Okay what? This is more than the people he was talking to. He has the freakin' Avatar. Did Zhao really not send 10 or more men to just 'sit' in front or around where Aang was? JUST to be thorough? Because, pssssh, he's ONLY the Avatar, who's somehow still a kid. No need to think that he might get out somehow. No need to be extra cautious with this. Don't want people to think they're weak having to watch over a kid.

Well Look, now he's outside and he and the Blue Spirit are about to kick your mens asses. Karma Zhao... hell not even Karma. Intelligence Zhao... I'd say learn it but I fear that it's far too late.

Where are these Fire Nation people? If this place has a training area for Aang in it then it's not really a fully built base. It's like they're borrowing part of the Air bending Temple or the area around it. Still, wouldn’t they use their machines to bulldoze things and then build their base? They clearly have walls and stuff is around that's distinctly Fire Nation looking. Unless they just liked having weird areas where their people couldn't go. Like this.

Ha ha! The Perfect Escape!

 

No walls? No railing? How many Soldiers would fall to their doom? Especially since some try to follow him and then Do nearly fall to their doom.

Also why is the InstaBending popping up now and then? Yes I know that there COULD be a reason but one is never given. If there was a reason I could say 'That's stupid' but they'd have pointed it out. As it stands I'm seeing people immediately bending and others who are doing all sorts of moves THEN the element is moving towards their target. It just comes off as sloppy. As if there was some rivalry between having it one way or the other, and instead of choosing ONE way, they went with both. Which is totally insane, it doesn't look right and it comes off as 'OMG why aren't just just doing it Fast like before?'. I like to not be told everything but sometimes, things have to be told so you don't look like you're incompetent.

I know the whole 'The world needs him' thing is more abstract, and probably terrifying. But I find it interesting that Aang, doesn't get going while the getting's good, and instead rushes back to help the Blue Spirit. Surely it's because the Spirit freed him, which is so much more than what the Monks did for him, since all they did was raise him and teach him things. 

Do not kill the Avatar! He will just be reborn again!

 

kay I owe Dummy way up there an apology. Apparently nobody is aware how the Avatar thing works except for a few people. One, WHY? And REALLY Zhao? There has been minutes of fighting, Soliders attacking with swords and flaming arrows, and only NOW he yells out not to kill him? Where has he BEEN? What was taking him so bloody long to get here? What would Zhao have done had he come out here and seen that Aang was dead already? How would he explain that to the Fire Lord? Why wouldn't he tell his troops 'By the way. No killing the Avatar'. Would it be bad to tell people not to kill Aang? Would it make people go out of their way TO do it? I'd think it would be a good thing to share this vital piece of information with the soldiers. Who, despite how they may act in various scenes, are military people and must have done something right to get to the position that they're at.

Just.. so much Ugh here. So much.

Anyway with this glorious piece of news, The Blue Spirit jumps at the chance to act!

So this is all I have to do to get out of here is it?

 

Which makes Zhao let them go once the Blue Spirit threatens silently to harm Aang.

There are things I can say about this scene. Zhao is looking over the Blue Spirit, as the camera zooms in on the mask. Nothing is said, nothing is hinting at anything being unique or identifying about this person. Besides the interesting Mask, he's pretty unremarkable to look at. We then get a shot like this.

I know your dirty little secret.

 

He looks at The Blue Spirt and while looking him over (looks down then back up and has this expression) seems to suddenly have a look of 'Oooh...'. It's like he saw something. Did he SEE something we didn't see? I want to see! Was Zuko wearing shoes that only he would wear? Is he the only person this height? Come on Camera! Share the info. Or is he JUST assuming?

Together the two leave through the then opened up gates. Since Zhao can't let the Avatar be killed. Mind you Aang is at blade point but still, he's getting out of there.

That is a HELL of a long way to go when you can only back up awkwardly.

 

So now we get to know that Zhao at least knows it's not a spirit. Since when asked about this by a soldier he says 'Not at all' and quite unhappily I might add. Now this could be because he either a) doesn't believe in spirits, which wouldn't really work after that whole Library scene, or he knows that the Blue Spirit isn't one. The way he says this though, you Know he knows who it is. I still want to know how. 

YAY we're free!

 

Anyway what follows is the most amazingly accurate shot with an arrow ever. You see that bridge up there, they're at the other end and on their way to freedom when this arrow comes soaring in and hits the Blue Spirit right in his blue face. And how come they couldn't hit him when they were fighting in the courtyard? Does their accuracy somehow go up with distance?

At which point the Soldiers begin charging down the mile long bridge. With plenty of time to spare, Aang looks down and unmasks his Frienemy. 

Le GASP!

 

Still with all the time in the world, due to how obnoxiously long that bridge is, Aang uses his bending abilities and pulls in the fog to cloak his and Zuko's escape. I'm also curious, how did he move Zuko? The Prince is like a third taller than him and probably twice his weight. Also just curious, is fog air or water bending? Leaving this open to comments. I know Aang at least Can water bend a bit so it's not like I'm saying he couldn’t do it, just wanted to know what people thought.

And now Ladies and Gentlemen, the upcoming scene is the greatest in the movie, in my opinion.

There are SO many things that I could say about this scene. The pauses, the afflictions, just, everything is set up to be absolutely hilarious.

BEST SCENE EVER

First, WHY would you even voice the thought that your lords son was a traitor when you have NO proof (Which he admits immediately).

I swear Zhao has a death wish. Mocking Zuko who, for all he knows could get into power again, and then doing this with the Fire Lord?

It's like the Fire Lord gives him an 'out' too with his line, before Zhao waits for 52:19 – 52:23. Yes it's only a few seconds but in the sheer silence of everything, this feels like a very long silence. The Yes isn't even a 'YES i am Positive!' or “Yes! I stand by my decision fully” it is the “...Yesss.” of a little kid who was just asked by a parent 'Are you SURE that's what really happened?'.

I can only imagine how this scene was supposed to come across as. Instead it's comical and in being that, one of my favouites in this movie for a 'bad' reason. 

Relaxing at it's best!

I do love how Iroh is all big on Zuko being with a girl and how he can enjoy himself so much. This is a man who knows how to relax. I like the actor that plays Iroh.

There's a voice over here while Zuko is heading into the ship that will become very relevant in just a minute.

Fire Lord: 'Do not harm my son. Leave him to his isolation.'

Zhao: 'You have my word Sire. I will not harm him'.

This brings us back to Zhao knowing a lot. Apparently he sent his men searching up the coast and over the ship Zuko is on in search of him. I wonder, what would have happened HAD he found Zuko? What would he have done? He'd have no proof that he'd done anything. Still with the scene coming up, I'm pretty sure it would have gone the same way as it does. Only with him adding in somewhere that he had Zuko with him and that he should be killed, or imprisoned. Since Zhao is a smart man like that.

So Zuko, needing to rest heads in inside. After his late nights of being 'nowhere'. Now of all the sounds a Fire Ship makes, I agree with Zuko's look that an odd 'squeak' sound isn't one of them.

That doesn't look promising... oh well!

 

I need to comment on this. So, we know that Zhao's men were at the ship at some time, and that they must have done this to a pipe to make this happen. I know it's a movie but, what are the chances of having the ship NOT explode before this happened? Unless a traitor was already on the ship, saw Zuko walking up, rushed into his room, did this and then fled. Which would actually make sense. Then he could just 'idly' speed walk away. Instead we just have a squeaking sound, and then see this, which then leads us to the conclusion that this was set up before he got here, and is only just now deciding to break. Did Zuko sitting on the bed cause a small shift that made the leak huge? It only starts once he's laying down. Had it already been going when he got in, he would have heard it since he takes real notice of it. One Zuko notices, he flees his room immediately.

So going back to the voice over I told you guys would be relevant in a minute... we get this happening.

That's gonna leave a mark.

If I were the Fire Lord and I had Just talked to a man who was telling me that my son was a traitor and then my boy went boom, I Thiiiink I might look his way. Then again, that might just be me.

Believe it!

 

Zhao believes in a lot of things. That Aang is travelling to the Northern Water Tribe, That he only has knowledge of his birth element air, and that he is trying to learn in the discipline of water. The Fire Lord seems to think highly of this man who came to him with no proof and now is throwing 'I believe' in terms of the Avatar in what he's doing and where he's going. Sure he's right but still, Zhao is either like Captain Tylor in how his idiocy ends up working out well for him in the end or is just borderline masochistic and is waiting to be punished for being so inappropriately outspoken. Yes there is the thought that Zhao has done something to earn this ability to just speak and be listened to. If so, I want to know what it was. Under this assumption, what would have happened to a guy who just walked in and told the Fire Lord that his son was the Blue Spirit and without any proof? Or what would have happened to that same man after Zuko went and blew up? Nothing good is my guess.

END OF PART 1

PART 2: ONWARDS!