My Thoughts On Netflix’s Avatar

     When Netflix first announced their live-action Avatar project in 2018, high school me was ecstatic. Nickelodeon’s Avatar was my one and only afterschool special treat. As a kid, I loved the action, and even rewatching it recently, its story is complex and timeless. These qualities in animation and digital media are something we see less and less of now. As studios look to cut costs and maximize their profits as much as possible, writers and storytellers have less and less time to develop complex stories, resulting in what I like to call the Netflix Effect.

     The main tell of the Netflix Effect is its emphasis on exposition. When Aang says he “likes to play air ball and eat banana cakes”, that’s cool and all but I would much rather see Aang have fun instead of reciting things that happened in the animated series. If I wanted to receive an explanation for all of the events, I would read a book. The digital media space was very underutilized but this is one of the many ways studios can save on costs. Another example would be the use of Disney/Epic’s LED CG stage called the volume. I believe this technology is still in its early development and while it was initially cool to see in the Mandalorian, other projects have become too reliant. Rather than having to shoot on site like Netflix’s One Piece, worlds can be created, simulated, and edited in real time. Yet, much like the Percy Jackson Series, characters are just there. Placed in the middle of the frame with very minimal practical objects surrounding them. It becomes cliche and obvious when the volume is in use.

     Ultimately, while I loved the animated series, I now understand why the original creators left this project. I believe the actors did the best they could to bring this story to life and the blame primarily lies on the executives and series writers for developing such a lask-luster story.