The Last Airbender

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Permalink Reply by NosKey on July 18, 2009 at 10:14pm

I’ve been hearing these complaints for a while now; "I don’t like Zuko’s scar"; "Aang isn’t white"; "Katara and Sokka aren’t tan enough"…

This isn’t the first time a movie adaptation got the backlash of fans. I recall the disappointment when Heath Ledger was announced as the Joker and further dissatisfaction when some people saw that first image of his face. I guess it’s natural to jump to conclusions over a property you love so much. But “The Dark Knight” had a great team behind it and they changed our minds once we saw Heath in action. It’s ancient history now. It’s still too early to condemn “The Last Airbender” completely. I think there’s a great team behind this film too, M. Night, Mike and Bryan, Andrew Lesnie, James Newton Howard, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy, etc. Let’s wait and see and reserve judgment for now?

As far as casting and the word “racist” goes; I think it’s a bit of an overreaction. I understand some people feel more deeply about it than others, but it’s a just cartoon. A great animated show that took many inspirations from around the world to create it’s very own unique one. I don’t honestly believe M. Night and co. are trying to be offensive or are disregarding those influences. There will be plenty liberties taken in an adaption and they'll add a little something of their own to the Avatar world. Everyone will have there own opinons about that. With only one teaser trailer and a few cast pictures, looks ok to me. I'm sure the heart and spirit are at the centre of this production.

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Permalink Reply by Chig Champa on July 19, 2009 at 1:38am

Here's the difference: people were bitching about Heath Ledger being cast as The Joker until they saw pictures of him in the movie. Then they all shut their God damned mouths.

All these Airbender pictures have done is reinforce the notion that these are horrible casting decisions.

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Permalink Reply by O-Town 84 on July 19, 2009 at 2:15am

You never know. They might have cast some good people.

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Permalink Reply by NosKey on July 19, 2009 at 9:05pm

Chig Champa, people weren't quiet about Heath till they saw footage of him. Most weren't convinced seeing the photos that came out beforehand. If these are good actors who can hold their own I don't think anyone will be upset with the casting decisions either. We'll have to wait and see.

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Permalink Reply by AcE! on July 19, 2009 at 9:38pm

I don't know that Heath Ledger is the right comparison. The race factor is subtracted from the equation when you use that example, so it isn't really the same thing at all. Complaints about the acting chops of the cast may be out there, but it no doubt plays second fiddle to the white-washing. People were just worried Ledger wouldn't be able to pull it off, they weren't really offended which defines the difference between the two scenarios.

I'm personally not excited because of how often kid actors are just ... bad.

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Permalink Reply by NosKey on July 19, 2009 at 10:45pm

Yes you have a valid point. I guess I was thinking more of talent than appearance. However people did think The Joker looked pretty bad, not the way he should. They came to except the new approach once they saw him and how it worked. It’s not a racial thing I know, but I think what I was trying to get at is that the film shouldn’t be condemned over the way they look or the actors birth certificates. Getting all hung up on the races! At the end of the day they are actors acting/pretending. Hell, Mel Gibson [an Aussie] played a bloody Scotsmen in Breaveheart, who was based on a REAL person. If it works it works, the magic of cinema. There are plenty of examples in cinema who cast outside the box - sometimes dramatically, sometimes people never notice.

Look, at the end of the day if people are offended by the casting of actors in a fantasy film then they need take a few breaths and move on. It’s just a movie, trust me, these filmmakers aren’t out to piss you off. You DO have another great point on how it’s hard to have a cast of great child actors! I’d be more worried about that. With kids, it’s probably safer to cast talent.

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Permalink Reply by rokrok on July 19, 2009 at 11:49pm

Noah Ringer was sent to an acting camp
before they started filming.
But, this casting issue has nothing to do with talent and ability.
Its not about what the movie is showing. Its what its not showing.
The source material originally had Asian/Inuit heroes and Asian villains.
The movie changed it to Caucasian heroes and Asian villians and background characters.
And to be more specific (again),
Caucasian Heroes and Middle Eastern Villains.

I am sure that there were some offended Scotsmen against Mel Gibson.
But, at least Mel Gibson is the correct race.

People are condemning the movie based on an old casting practice
that offends Asian/Inuit people
and insults the intelligence of people who don't need a Caucasian hero to identify with in order to enjoy the movie.

"There are plenty of examples in cinema who cast outside the box - sometimes dramatically, sometimes people never notice."

So are you saying that the people who DO notice are overreacting and need to move on?
Should they just ignore it so the problem continues?

And as far as child actors go...
If you noticed in M.Night's films,
he is not bad at directing children.
But, like I said, this has nothing to do with talent and ability.
I am positive (based on M.Night's first interview with the creators)
that if M.Night had full creative control of the casting
there wouldn't be any controversy.
And if there was, at least we could blame M.Night,
instead of Paramount and the producers.

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Permalink Reply by NosKey on July 20, 2009 at 5:15am

"There are plenty of examples in cinema who cast outside the box - sometimes dramatically, sometimes people never notice."

I basically mean that if people are miscast in any role then it can show. Especially if they’re playing someone of different race (I recall Connery playing a Russian in The Hunt for Red October. It can flip the other way too; many people didn’t know Hugh Laurie was English when House began on TV). And I’m pretty sure Mel Gibson is not of the same race as the real William Wallace. I could be wrong – if you trace it back through the generations?

However I believe you are just talking about skin colour not heritage. In which case I guess you are right. However I don’t see the harm in someone’s skin colour being different. If the studio cast Caucasian actors in the lead roles because they were afraid of not selling tickets in their western regions, then I [personally] have no real hang ups over that - as long as creators Michael and Bryan are cool with it. The pictures above make the kids all 'look' the part, Noah Ringer looks just like Aang in the show – who was pretty white even in the cartoon I might add.

I stand by my first comment. I think there’s nothing [on the production] to worry about so far. If you have anger towards the studios and narrow minded Hollywood casting agents then I understand where you’re coming from. I don’t see the need to drum it out on this film. I’m not going to try and stop you; it’s totally up to you. I believe the movie doesn’t need scrutinising [over race or anything else right now] until we see it for ourselves and how these decisions pan out. Have faith friend...

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Permalink Reply by AcE! on July 20, 2009 at 10:50am

I understand why people are upset over the skin color, but I'm not really "offended" in the same way everyone else seems to be.

I just think a character's skin color is part of their identity, and the actors should fit that. For example, if DC issued an irrefutable concrete profile on Batman that listed the building block characteristics of Bruce Wayne, one of the things listed would be that he's a Caucasian male. Thus, I wouldn't want a non-white actor playing Bruce Wayne.

It's even worse in a story like Avatar where, unlike Batman, the mix of different cultures and skin colors isn't something that's never mentioned. By casting people of the wrong skin color, they've ignored one of the MAJOR stylistic themes of the show.

I agree that Aang isn't really much of a departure, and I don't have any problem with the actor playing him. Sure he's not Asian, but to their credit the character never looked Asian in the first place. The other actors don't even have that on their side.

One of the major things pissing people like RokRok off (I'd imagine) is when people act like he doesn't think the movie could be good because of the casting. It could. That's not the point.

Permalink Reply by rokrok on July 20, 2009 at 1:29pm

So, you stand by,
"As far as casting and the word “racist” goes; I think it’s a bit of an overreaction. I understand some people feel more deeply about it than others, but it’s a just cartoon. A great animated show that took many inspirations from around the world to create it’s very own unique one."

You feel that we are overreacting because its "just a cartoon".
The movie's target demographic are children.
The majority is used to seeing white heroes in this predominantly white media,
but, the minority will continue to be conditioned.

The inspirations from around the world?
The creators of the show created an Asian fantasy world.
If Mike and Bryan want to get paid,
they will have to support the film and help market it.
I am just curious to know how they will avoid the controversy at SDCC.
especially when Bryan wrote this on his myspace,

""AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER" FANS PLEASE NOTE:
Thanks for all the support and interest! However, as always,
I WILL NOT BE READING OR REPLYING TO ANY MESSAGES OR COMMENTS regarding the ATLA series or "The Last Airbender" feature film, no matter how desperate you are or important you think your message may be. Sorry, it has got to be this way...
I have NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CASTING WHATSOEVER for the feature film. "

Mel Gibson and William Wallace are both of European decent.
Your analogies are weak.
My point is that fantasy films based on European mythology have Caucasians representing the heroes,
I strongly believe that films based on Asian mythology should have Asians representing the heroes, not just the villains and background characters.

And, no I am not going to quote
Ursula K. LeGuin (for the billionth time)...
so, on Aang, "who was pretty white",
http://community.livejournal.com/racebending/71429.html#cutid1

Permalink Reply by Universal Guardian on July 25, 2009 at 1:02am

"Look, at the end of the day if people are offended by the casting of actors in a fantasy film then they need take a few breaths and move on. It’s just a movie, trust me, these filmmakers aren’t out to piss you off. You DO have another great point on how it’s hard to have a cast of great child actors! I’d be more worried about that. With kids, it’s probably safer to cast talent."

It is good to see people offended at the casting, because it demonstrates awareness of the existance of other races, as well how pointless the suspension of disbelief will be.

Entertainment via stories have been a giant part of humankind since Creation. It does not matter what venue the story is told in, the fact of the matter is what signals and messages are being sent to the next generation coming up.

What signal this horrible miscasting sends is: Only white people can be heroes, other races have to be villains.

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Permalink Reply by Conejita on July 19, 2009 at 2:57am

I will admit, the fact that they've stuck with the theme of different races even though they've changed the races used in the cartoon, makes me have less of a problem with the casting (other than what the actors themselves will bring to these roles). It's not going to be the cartoon, but at least there's some consistency.

Other than that, I'm still waiting to see what happens. I do like the look (at least it will be pretty), but it's still a life action movie based on a cartoon. I would rather have an animated movie.

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