With the Coronavirus shutting down theaters across the country, streaming companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon are being utilized more than ever by audiences. Netflix originals like Tiger King and Spenser Confidential have been mainstays on Netflix’s top 10 for weeks, with the former series become an internet staple with the memes generated. Along with these Netflix originals, a surprise move has risen to the top of Netflix charts, one that continues to gain attention for all the wrong reasons. That film is 2010’s The Last Airbender, which is M. Night Shyamalan’s live-action adaptation of the beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender show.
Despite being a notorious critical failure (holds a disastrous 5% on Rotten Tomatoes), The Last Airbender has risen to the top of Netflix’s charts, ranking as high as 4th on Netflix’s daily top ten – though I am happy to report that it has fallen out of that position at the time of this writing, but I would not be surprised if it ranked amongst the top 10 again soon.
Many wonder how a movie like Last Airbender could gain so much attention from audiences? Personally, I think its because of the film’s sizable entertainment value as a “so bad its good” classic. It’s certainly a tough watch for fans of the beloved series, but for those unaware of the brand, it’s just a flat-out baffling misfire. Whether its the horrible acting, bizarre directing choices, or corny writing, M Night’s film fires on all cylinders of crap.
M Night’s career, in general, has been a remarkable roller-coaster ride, but I give the director credit for always making an interesting product. Even after being named the generation’s Spielberg, the director has continued to take exciting risks that have paid off effectively (Glass is an underrated gem).
Would you watch The Last Airbender on Netflix? Let us know in the comments!