What some people seem to not realize, is that adapted movies are always different than their original version. If you're not prepared for changes in things like wardrobe, setting, plot layouts, even character design, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. Just because it's different does not mean it's s**t.
It's one thing to hope for integrity to the show and the storyline and the characters, but to expect it to be exactly the same is just foolish.
It's Hollywood. Of course they're going to change things. I actually liked the Dragonball movie, even though there were a few problems with it. However, it had more integrity because the creator actually help with it. I expect them to change things somewhat, no matter how lame it can get.
Slumdog Millionaire was based on a book, and was actually a lot different in movie form than it was in the book, yet, it just won 9 Oscars. Lord of the Rings, even, had some purists complaining that some parts of the story were not in the movies, and yet, those movies are likely going to go down in history. Harry Potter has some differences between the books and the movies, but fans still love the films and come out every time there's a new one.
You're pointing out books, which is a slightly different medium than anime/cartoons. With anime, the fans already have an exact image that they're used to seeing. With books, a lot of it is imagining what is going on. The way the fans interact with them are completely different. Besides, I'm a HP fan, and I completely dislike the third and fifth movie. The fans don't love every movie that comes out. Plus, there is obviously going to be changes considering each Avatar season spans twenty or so episodes, and they going to fit those into three two hour movies.
As for the casting, no, they're not Asian...and I was miffed and baffled by their decisions at first too. But they've made their decision and these actors are here to stay. Might as well accept it, whether you're going to see it or not.
I never expect it to be an all-Asian cast, but the fact that they passed over so many Asian actors was sort of disrespectful. They weren't even trying to cast Asians for the roles they should have had, like Zuko. They plain out went for white actors in casting. Katara and Sokka should definitely not be played by white actors. Changing the face or the race of such prominent characters to young children is sending a message that they don't like brown-skinned people, or at the least they aren't good enough to be the heroes. Some people's children that tried out for the cast and found the first time around that only white actors were chosen actually thought the characters were supposed to be white. It reflects negatively on minority children. Children liked this series BECAUSE the heroes LOOKED LIKE THEM, and sadly now most of the major cast has been whitewashed. Furthermore, not to beat a dead horse, but what Jackson said about getting a tan and shaving his head was crass and racial, no matter if it was a joke. Plus, the casting director couldn't get cultural clothing correct if she actually grew up in those cultures herself.
Personally, ACTING ABILITY is more of a concern to me then whether they all look exactly like their characters. Why is Zuko's spot ruined when they got an amazing actor from an amazing movie to play him? You would think, that as one of the most popular characters, people would want the actor to be able to above all, be able to handle Zuko's range of character and emotion. And now we have an actor for him who can do just that, and everyone is even more pissy?
Most of the people they chose for the main characters have little to no acting ability. I have no faith in Jackson Rathbone has an actor or Nicola Peltz. Also, Noah Rider, though cute, had no previous acting experience. Dev Patel was only added later as a sort of placation to fans, yes he can act, but his problem goes deeper.
Fandom, I'm sorry, but I call bullshit. If this is because he doesn't look sexy enough to play Zuko or whatever, then I'm going to have to relate this to another, certain, rabid fandom obsessed with shiney "Vampires."
On Dev Patel as Zuko. BAD IDEA! He was merely a placation to fans to throw an Asian or any race besides White Caucasian into the main characters slot. Yeah, he doesn't look like Zuko, but that's not the real problem. In going from an all-white cast to an all-white plus one minority, they made thing worse because now the minority presence in the film is EVIL! The minority is not the bad people who are taking over the world and here come our white heroes to reset the balance of the world. Can anyone say colonization? Not only that, they turn the minority son against his father. Have you people read Things Fall Apart? That's what this movie looks like now, only they're making the white supremacy look justified and shining a good light on it, and this is what all the children that see this movie will see, whether they realize it or not. I dislike Dev as Zuko for this reason, but yes he can act an brings diversity to the movie, but the wrong kind of diversity.
As far as Zuko's design in the movie, the scar was significant and changing that already changes Zuko's character.
Also, that Twilight reference is justified, it was a horrible movie with some bad acting, but at least they kept the characters true to who they are and actually cast Native American actors.
As long as the story remains true to Avatar, and the actors know how to act, I'll be happy. I'm actually excited about the movie.
It could be a lot worse.
You're right. It could be worse, but that still isn't much comfort.
neutral
250
100
200
200
100
