It’s definitely best if a person is a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender when it comes to talking about the Agni Kai, which is pretty much just what it looks like in the video, a duel between firebender’s, typically those that are highly skilled and quite powerful. This one between Zuko and his sister Azula is one that is documented within the history of the tale and it is one that a lot of fans might know very well. But presented as a fan film in live action it definitely takes on a new depth since the reality of it is something that some folks might be petty enough to look at and point out any glaring inaccuracies, such as the properties of certain elements and why certain things couldn’t happen. Those that simply want to enjoy the story will typically suspend a good part of personal belief though and get into the aspect of the duel since this story is all fantasy and reality doesn’t have a lot of place here. Reality is used within fantasy typically to keep certain aspects grounded and to maintain some sense of order in the chaos, but otherwise movies such as this do have a lot of room for intense and magical happenings that are easily explained by the story in many different ways. The history of the benders in this story after all is one that has drawn in a lot of fans and kept them riveted to their seats.
It’s kind of a shame that the movie adaptation of the Avatar didn’t really go over so well since from the trailers it appeared as though it might be well done and could possibly the first of several movies that would grace the big screen. As of now though the movie is one of many failures that are spoken of from time to time when it comes to determining the worst-received movies of a given decade or even all time. Aja Romano of Daily Dot had a few things to say about this. Some fans would claim that there was a huge disconnect between the series and the movie, and many would accuse the movie of whitewashing, which is something that’s been a problem in the past. But if there’s ever going to be another attempt made it might be wise for those behind the camera to pay closer attention to the source material so that there’s less misunderstanding and more continuity that people are wanting. If that ever happens, and it’s a big if still, a better idea might be to find someone that knows a little bit about the story and allow them to either sit in as an adviser or perhaps guide the story as it needs to go.
The Agni Kai would be a great addition to such a movie, and it could be that the duel would be the climax of said movie since really the battle between two powerful firebender’s would be something magnificent to watch, particularly since Azula can create lightning as well, which seems more like something an airbender might come up with from a practical standpoint. As the story goes however, what people might know about the elements is kind of irrelevant in some cases since a big part of the story is how each individual can use and shape the elements to their need depending on their level of power and experience. In other words it’s fantasy, so the rules don’t apply in the same manner, apart from some of the fundamentals that go into each element. But in a way that’s pretty cool as well since it leaves a lot of room for effects that might all have to be CGI but, when they’re done right, will pop in a way that’s highly impressive since such effects help to make the story that much better. Imagine this fight taking place on the big screen with the best effects possible, it’s a sure bet that it would wow a lot of people, particularly Avatar fans that are likely still waiting for the sequel that was supposed to be coming from the first movie. Unfortunately it’s not bound to come at this time, even if the coronavirus hadn’t caused Hollywood to shut down. There wasn’t that much interest in another movie when the first one tanked so badly, and as a result the project was pretty much put on indefinite hold.
It’s unfortunate to learn that even fan films are starting to suffer since the pandemic is making it difficult to impossible for any group of people to stick together to get anything done. With the funding for this studio being cut it’s likely that it could be a while until the budget will allow for any more movies, but there is the hope that enough people will donate to help the crew make more in the years to come.
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