--- title: "Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender" critics_score: 68 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 68 from 10 reviews: 6 positive, 4 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like it, and the praise clusters almost entirely in one place: the animation. Nearly every review calls the hand-drawn work fluid and handsome and singles out the action sequences as the best-staged thing in the film. Several also welcome the novelty of seeing the characters older, and a few credit the film with taking Aang’s grief for his lost people seriously. Six of the ten reviews are positive and none is negative, and the fans it was made for are, by most accounts, well served. The reservations cluster just as neatly on the story. The mixed reviews call it serviceable at best, rushed and inconsequential, doing little to move the characters or the world forward and offering thin footing to anyone who does not know the series. The spread is fairly wide. Polygon is the outlier at the top, calling it the worthy follow-up fans have waited for; IndieWire is the outlier at the bottom, finding it emotionally inert beneath the pretty surfaces. ## Total Film — David Opie Fi1m's normalised score 79/100 (inferred from the text). 20 July 2026. The review presents the film as a positive animated take that will appeal to and unify fans frustrated by prior live-action versions. It singles out its ability to deliver harmony to a divided fandom as the key strength. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/animation-movies/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender-review/) ## RogerEbert.com — Rendy Jones Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 24 July 2026. The critic praises the film as a visually stunning 2D animated feature that expands on Aang's existential struggles as the last Airbender and delivers a gratifying cinematic experience for fans. They single out the breathtaking animation, fluid action sequences, and emotional depth for praise while complaining that Paramount dumped it primarily on streaming instead of a wide theatrical release. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender-paramount-movie-review-2026) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 77/100 (inferred from the text). 22 July 2026. The critic finds the film an engaging TV-to-movie adventure that provides enough for both fans and newcomers, with strong animation and well-staged action sequences. They single out the refreshing novelty of revisiting the aged-up characters and the theater-worthy animation as highlights, while noting the story is good-enough but the focus on a new character arc may leave some fans wanting more. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/22/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender-review-paramount) ## The AV Club — Joshua Rivera Rating C. 23 July 2026. The critic sees it as a gorgeous but empty reunion special that is a pleasant hang for fans with great action, yet inconsequential as a story that does nothing to advance the characters or world. It feels like a serviceable but ultimately tragic, barely-there film after its troubled release path. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Frank Scheck Fi1m's normalised score 56/100 (inferred from the text). 20 July 2026. The critic finds the film delivers impressive action sequences and dazzling 2D/3D animation but lacks strong plotting, characterizations, and the complexity of the original series. It is visually dazzling yet rushed and hyper-kinetic, feeling more like spectacle than a sophisticated story. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender-review-1236651085/) ## IndieWire — Wilson Chapman Fi1m's normalised score 49/100 (inferred from the text). 20 July 2026. The film is visually stunning and captures the beauty of the world but is emotionally inert and mediocre, failing to capture the spirit or depth of the original series despite following the adult characters on a new adventure. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender-movie-review-1235206149/) ## Polygon — Sam Nelson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 20 July 2026. The movie finally delivers the worthy follow-up fans have been waiting for, with director Lauren Montgomery recapturing the original series' magic by blending it with Superman-style storytelling to give Aang a compelling new challenge against a dark-mirror antagonist. Its only notable flaw is occasional over-reliance on fan service and a spirit-realm detour that disrupts the balance between charm and heavier themes, but it is a must-watch for fans that could launch new adult-focused stories. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/avatar-aang-last-airbender-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 77/100 (inferred from the text). 20 July 2026. The critic calls the film a noble and largely successful endeavor that admirably reckons with genocide and the cycle of violence, though it is rushed and undercooked for non-fans. They single out the stunning, fluid animation and elaborate action sequences for praise. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender-review/) ## Collider — Aidan Kelley Rating 7/10. 20 July 2026. The film is visually stunning with breathtaking hand-drawn animation and action sequences that make it one of the most beautiful animated movies of the year, but the narrative is serviceable at best and does not add much to the established world or give supporting Team Avatar members enough to do. It is a must-see for fans on the big screen but feels more like a legacy sequel made primarily for devotees than newcomers. [Read the review](https://collider.com/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender-review-paramount-plus/) ## Den of Geek — Joe George Fi1m's normalised score 57/100 (inferred from the text). 7 July 2026. The critic finds the decision to skip theaters for the Paramount+ release disrespectful to fans and insulting to cinema lovers, as it prioritizes streaming over the theatrical experience despite the film's apparent visual strengths. They single out the trailer's gorgeous character moments, dazzling action, and the plot's potential for reviving Aang's lost culture as highlights of what could have been a strong feature adaptation. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/avatar-aang-trailer-paramount-theatrical-dodge/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/avatar-aang-the-last-airbender.md